Best of NFL News Part 2: NFL QB Rankings + Texans WR JOINS the show!

20:31He done flipped the whole script in the AFC side. He's playing phenomenal football, man. So I want to be the first to say I apologize and I was wrong.

20:41Shannon Sharpe:I told you he was going to start. The guy that's the incumbent guy, the incumbent starter, which is Richardson, is making$4 or$5 million. They bring a backup in, making$14 million. And you think the guy that's making$14 million is going to be on the bench? Oh, yeah. Yeah. That wasn't likely. That's not happening. Ocho, with the game that you just watched, do you think Jalen Hurst is ranked appropriate at 14? Ooh. Listen, we're not talking. He won the Super Bowl. He's Super Bowl MVP based on what you've seen through the first five weeks of the season. Has he played better than Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Drake May, Jordan Love?

21:22Shannon Sharpe:Has he played better than those guys? Glad you put it that way. I'm glad you put it that way. If anything, you know what? He's appropriately ranked. He's appropriately ranked based on what they ask him to do offensively. What they ask him to do offensively, where the numbers are not going to be like any of those guys that's ahead of him. so what he's asked to do he is appropriately ranked right where he is if that makes sense all i know is they're not sick they're not six quarterbacks that's currently playing the quarterback position better than shake and bake they're just not what you call him shake and bake

22:05Shannon Sharpe:they're not look and look we know patrick mahomes is the most accomplished you know three Superbowl, three Superbowl MVPs. You know, he's been in the Superbowl five times. He's been in the AFC championship every year that he's been a starter. He's never not been in the NFC AFC championship game. We get all that. Lamar, the two-time league MVP. Josh Allen is a one-time league MVP. Matthew Stafford led a team to the Superbowl. I get all of that and kudos. Those guys accomplished that and you can't take that away from them, but I'm sorry. Those guys are not playing the position better than Baker Mayfield.

22:40Shannon Sharpe:is playing the position. It's just that simple. Then they got nothing to do with what he might do moving forward. They said the first five weeks, this is after five weeks, Sports Illustrated dropped their quarterback ranking. So they're saying after five weeks of this year, 2025, nothing that happened 2024, going back, nothing that's going to happen week six moving forward. They said the first five weeks of this season, Baker Mayfield's played better than everybody. Yeah. And he has. and it recorded just they only lost one game Josh Allen lost one game Patrick Holmes I don't know what they record Lamar Jackson is one and four Matthew Stafford I think they've lost two games Jerry Gossett lost the game Dak I think they're two two and one yeah what about the Colts lost one right Colts lost one yes

23:33Shannon Sharpe:Jadon Sanders says he's excited for other rookies who have played and been playing through them. Let's take a listen to what Shadour had to say. Any time players, you know, that I came in with and that I spent a lot of time with, they get moved up and they're able to have a vital role in this offense and this piece. I get extremely excited for it. You know, I'm playing through them. You know what I mean? I'm excited just as them every time they get out there running around and everything. because it's just amazing that, you know, you start somewhere and then you're able to evolve and get to a different level and go out and actually execute it.

24:14Just like Dylan, like whenever he got moved up to QB1, I'm like, you know, that's lit, bro. You got to make sure you handle everything the right way and, you know, just continue being him. So, like for me, overall, I'm just happy. I'm excited that everybody is living their dreams, you know, and I'm living my dream also. come every day and be able to work.

24:35Shannon Sharpe:That's dope. I like that. That's dope. That's dope because I got that same feeling. I got that same feeling in general. Now, the circumstances are a little different. I was a second-round pick, you know, and I went in and TJ was there. We were both rookies. And watching TJ get his shine because he learned some of the things a little bit before me. So, he got an opportunity to get in there and do some things a little different. You know, it might not have been the game, but just say in practice. And I was excited. I was living vicariously through him because, oh, my goodness, we made it to the league.

25:04We done left Oregon State, and, boy, you out there shining. Boy, you just beat the starting DB. So I'm hyped. So to see him get the opportunity to be in there and just get his feet wet with the ones was awesome for me. And it took me a little longer to get myself in the groove before I got my opportunity with the ones, you know, especially in practice before I saw the light of day in an actual game. so I get exactly where he's coming from so to go to go to Ward to be in meetings to see all the work you put in turn into fruition live on game days at one o 'clock is a wonderful sight to see and it's easy to be happy for someone especially a competitor that you're competing with for a

25:46Shannon Sharpe:starting spot yeah that but you know he worked out with Cam Ward so he has a relationship you know the banter that they had going back and forth so I'm sure he's extremely excited Dylan is there although they played the same position they're like hey bro you get an opportunity to go in to do your thing yeah uh you know you root you know you root for you guys that you know i want to see you do well i don't want to see you fail i don't um i don't want anything to happen to dylan but if i have to go in there if that's how i got my start that's how i got my start right um and i just love his attitude uh i i just love the way that like i get to live my dream i still get to come to work.

26:26Shannon Sharpe:As long as they tell me I got a helmet and I get to put some cleats on, my key work, as long as I can punch my code in at that gate and it slide open, I'm good. I'm good. Yeah, he wants to start. He wants to play. Who doesn't want to start? That's any competitor, huh? Yeah, that's what you should want to do. You shouldn't be playing at the highest level in general. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, at first, you're like, man, I made a team. I'm in the NFL. Yeah. But then you started looking around. You're like, hold on. Man, I ain't never sat the bench. Yeah. Yeah. Man, I'm playing special teams. Mm-hmm.

27:13Shannon Sharpe:I'm taking all the refs that the starters don't want to take. Basically. So now I'm. Basically. Ah, nah, hell nah. This got to change. and so but I like I said I'm excited I'm happy for him yeah that he understands that look it's not going the way I envisioned it I thought I would get I look started with the draft for me Ocho once the draft happened the way it happened for him it happened to me the same way I'm like man ain't nothing ain't ain't no givens now where I thought I was gonna get drafted how I thought I going to get drafted. So what makes me think now that I got drafted in the seventh round that I'm going to go to a team and I'm going to be able to play right away?

27:55Shannon Sharpe:Hey, listen. You understand the game. You saw the game they were playing at the draft. So you understand the game that they're playing now. Nothing has changed. Nope. Nothing has changed. But what they are waiting on you to do, they're waiting on you to fold. They're waiting on you to say something crazy. And then they're going to talk about, see, that's why, that's why because they used to know where, you know, he said, you know, he didn't want to go to Baltimore and sit and blah, blah, blah. See, that's why. You should – look, everybody, look. For me, you, Ocho, we happy. I don't care where I went.

28:28Shannon Sharpe:I just wanted to get – somebody draft me. Give me an opportunity to play. I don't care if they had 12 tight ends. I don't care if they had 15 receivers. Guess what? They got 16 now. Yeah, absolutely. And that's the way – but that's him. You know, I had for the longest time, Ocho, I was like, man, I wouldn't have did it like that somebody wouldn't have did it how I did it so all I know is like when I speak I'm talking about like when it comes to winning and trying to keep the locker room together there's certain things that we family and we family there's like man I ain't I ain't know he like his brother I ain't know they ain't talk yeah cause that's family they keep it in house I look at us the football team as a family whatever dissension that we have Ocho whatever we have going on let's keep it in the house we can work it out and that way we can control the narrative we can control the story once they get out Ocho they gonna write what they wanna write now I got the pen Ocho they tell me until the Lions have thumbs every hunter will be glorified he writing a story until the until the lions have thumbs boy that's a bar hey that's a hey ain't got no pen and pad in a goddamn hotel here in goddamn London until the lions have thumbs yes they do hold on

30:10stop playing that's a good one I remember it too Until the lion has thumbs The hunter will always Write the story The hunter will always be glorified Glorified okay okay Because he's actually writing the story Boy I'm going to use that In my next argument It probably had nothing to do with the situation But when I use it If I can just get it to think for a minute And stop that means I won

30:43Shannon Sharpe:Ocho, the Browns are currently paying eight QBs. They're paying Deshaun Watson$35.9 million. They're paying Jameis Winston$2.2 million. Dylan Gabriel,$1.1 million. Joe Flacco,$999 ,000. Shador Sanders,$955 ,000. Bailey Zappi,$315 ,000. Dorian Thompson Robinson $171 ,000 Kenny Pickett they paid him out of the front pocket $8 ,000

31:22Hey, listen that's light that's light the only thing on there that kind of would hurt is Deshaun not being able to be out there and play and contribute making that kind of money things didn't go well I'm curious to see what's going to happen next year when he is healthy and he's able to come back and contribute what happened to that starting job I'm sure because his salary is so high and he commands so much of that damn what do you call it salary I think he might be the starter next year especially if he's healthy I just, I, that's 35?

32:13Shannon Sharpe:36 million, 35.9. Oof. Hey, boy. Hey, Hutch. Man, where you been at, man? Let's welcome to the show Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchison. He caught two touchdown passes in a 44-10 win over the Ravens. This was the first time the offense scored more than 26 points all season. Yes, sir. Zay, bro, with the offense exploding in a way that they haven't all year long, do you feel this is what the doctor ordered to get you guys out of the funk and get you guys headed in the direction that you want to go? Yeah, for sure. I mean, anytime you can, you know, put up 44 points in the NFL, man, you're doing something right.

32:57And I feel like, you know, the only thing we needed was just a little bit of confidence, man. And that's what you're going to get with a win in the league. So I feel like we're heading in the right direction. It's only about us being consistent now. And you know the funny thing too, offensively, Hutch, not only for you, obviously building your confidence and getting some of those passes, getting that trust from your quarterback and knowing that, okay, this is someone I can count on, this is someone I can trust in times of need. Do you look at it, the fact that the Ravens were depleted defensively and had so many starters out, do you guys look at that and say, we don't care about who's hurt, whoever we line up in front of, they going to get that work and carry that same mentality into the next week.

33:38You got to, right? I mean, it's the NFL, like I said, man. So, like, the second string, third string, them still good football players at the end of the day. So, like, you got to go in there with the confidence that, you know, anybody who lines up against you can get the work. And, you know, unfortunately, you know, they had a lot of injuries. I mean, you know, that's a part of the game. But, you know, you can't really – you can't lie. You can't really think about that. So –

34:03Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, they ain't got nothing to do with us. with that at the end of the day hey i don't care if you're out there with a cane and a wheelchair i'm gonna go by you you got to right like that's just like you got to be a little you got to be a little crazy right with your thoughts and your thinking like you got to have that type of mentality or else you're just not gonna succeed in the nfl cj what's he what's what cj what's cj like in the locker room uh practice field the bus uh we know he's on the minute he's a competitor Obviously, he had that sensational rookie year, took a little step back. He seems to be now with this big win over the Ravens, dropping 44, throwing, I think, four touchdowns, clean game.

34:45Shannon Sharpe:What's CJ like? What's he been like? Seven's a pro. I know a lot of people, they can get tossed around a lot of different ways, but seven a pro, man. He's going to come in every single day in the same person. and uh i mean when you have that type of success man like you know you can change quickly right but he got like his morals his moral compass what he believes in like that keeps him grounded as a person and then as a football player first and as a person bro he funny bro he always joking around he always got something to say you know how those cali people be but they always got some jokes under their sleeve they always want to jokes with you rank with you but that's just like that's just who he is as a person, man.

35:29You won't want anybody else as your quarterback, right? You want somebody who's going... He walked through the door, you know he in there. You know he in the building. And that gives you confidence too. I'm catching the balls from seven. I'm making plays with seven. Seven trusting me to throw me the ball. Man, that's a good-ass feeling. I won't lie to you. You know what's funny? what I want to ask and not to give too much away when you have a game like you had right do you see the offense getting you a little bit more involved seeing that you can also be a playmaker outside of them always keying on Nico Collins or other players now we have another weapon in Hutch now y 'all got the focus on you can't double goddamn Nico all day because Hutch are kidding yeah I mean I'm an athlete I'm a competitor bro like so like obviously i'm a receiver too so you know like i want the ball naturally that's gonna happen like you're gonna want the ball so like but you know the first thing i go back to is like you got to show an end game that you deserve to get the ball or that like you're you're worthy and then also like in the heat of moment you got to capitalize on your opportunities that you get because you're not gonna get too many like you know i'm saying like They may throw you some.

36:52If you don't capitalize on them, you don't know when you're going to see your next opportunity. So, like, for me, it's really just always been, like, just being consistent. Showing up every day, making the plays when I'm, you know, giving the plays. And then going from there. So, it's like, you know, I would like to hope so. I'm not coming out of the answer. But, like, you know, I would hope so. But at the end of the day, too, I got to control what I got to control. Listen, I understand the game of football. I understand the game of football. and they always reward those that they can count on in the most important times.

37:23So even if you haven't seen it yet, I can tell you whatever your plate looks like before last week, they're going to add some more to that plate. They're going to add some sides. Yeah. I'm telling you. I'm just telling you what's going to happen. And subconsciously, because of your performance against the Ravens, if they don't call it, seven coming to you any goddamn way. Because he's going to remember, man, when I need any most, man, man, Hudson's right there. Subconsciously, the ball coming to you. That's what it's all about. And that's some of the things that you can't coach. You can't coach that.

37:57There's some things you can't coach, and just it's in a quarterback's mind. They always remember, who can I count on in times of need? And when you show up the way you do, when you make the most of the few opportunities you do get, shh, man, all right. if you go for 150 this week just know just give me the credit I'm going to shout you out for sure I got you

38:22Shannon Sharpe:X why do you think you guys got up to such a slow start this year? I mean if you really look at how we played in those three games we was in the game the entire time granted we got one of the best defenses in probably the league so you're always going to naturally be in games but like we was just causing like our own conflicts on oh you know i'm saying like turnovers gonna kill you late in the game uh getting behind in the chains early like can't no offense be successful when you know you sitting in first and 20s playing behind the sticks so it's like you like you already playing a good team because it's the league of course but also you're not helping yourself when it's first and 20 second and 15 like it's hard to get the game going like that.

39:08So, like, you just got to be in front of the sticks. That's what the league is, man. If you're sitting in third and four, third and five the whole game, you're going to most likely convert them because, you know, you got good players. So it's like, man, just not beating ourselves up, especially in, like, the heat of the moment. I feel like it's why we got off to a slow start a little bit. But also, like, them slow starts teach you a lot, though. Like, man, you had a slow start, so what? Nobody really cares. You know, the world going to talk crazy about you, but we all know what we got inside our building, what we can do on any given day.

39:42So it's like, man, you just got to keep that in the back of your mind too. Yeah.

39:47Shannon Sharpe:What was the transition? You go from Blinn Junior College, Iowa State, and then to the NFL. You went the JUCO route. Cam, everybody knows Cam went to Blinn, and then to Iowa State. So what was your thought process when you went to JUCO? Man, and Juco, bro, it's only one way it's going to go. You're either going to make it or you're not going to make it. Same. Hey, Santa Monica, Juco is right here. See, you know it. So then you know it then. Like, it's so much talent that go through Juco that probably nobody's ever heard of, nobody's ever seen before. You know, like, that's just the sad truth about Juco.

40:24Like, you got to grow up very quickly, and you got to learn from the mistakes that you made in the past. So, really, I'll tell you, like, Juco going to make a man at you. Like if your parents already did, I'm not throwing like my parents, man, they raised a great man because I'm here today. But Juco taught me how to be a man and how to like take them licks on the chin and get back up. So it's like Juco is just going to teach you more about yourself than you probably know because you're either going to make it or you're not going to make it. And you can't really blame nobody for you not making it or making it.

40:55It's all on you. Yeah.

40:59Shannon Sharpe:We got a lot of guys, Ochoa, Savannah State from Juco, Ittawamba, Oklahoma what's that one there's one in Kansas we had you from Islesworth what's the one in Coffeeville we had a bunch of Juco guys you know what where you from originally Jacksonville Florida slash St. Augustine Florida are you from the crib I'm from Florida bro come on now oh man stop playing I want to ask you right I always want to ask people that actually live in that wonderful city that I don't like the jungle. I call it the jungle. What's it like living in Houston? It's different. Is it difficult? It is difficult a little bit.

41:44Just because like...

41:45Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, real difficult. Real difficult, X. You know what I'm saying, X? Yeah, you know what I'm saying? I feel like you're saying difficult for a little bit of different reasons than what I'm saying difficult for. It's difficult. Difficult is difficult. Whatever your difficult is. I can't bicker with that. I done transitioned away from football. because I've been to Houston one time and I ain't coming back. I've been there twice. I ain't coming back no more because I can't deal with that. So I'm trying to understand how do you focus in season when you got all that around you? Gotta have a great backbone.

42:17Gotta have a great backbone. I like that. I surrounded people who love me. You know why you their ex. And who care for me and want to see me be great. So really trusting in my family, my family my backbone, my girl's my backbone. Yeah, so you know what I'm saying? So it's like, I got a lot of people who believe in me, who, you know, want to see me make this, you know, something more than, you know, just being, you know, what the NFL stand for, not for long. Yeah. Oh, not yourself. I know, you know, me personally, I want to make this a career. I don't want to make it a job. So when... Wait a minute, what the cooking, Nick?

42:55Come on, come on, come on. I got to write that down. I got to write that down. Hey, say it again. What you said? You got to make it a career, not a job. I can't lie to you, though. I can't lie to you, though. I did get that from somebody, though. I got that from Rob Woods, man, my first year in the league. He told me that. So I'm going to also throw him a little shout-out, too. So shout-out to Rob Woods, man. I appreciate you, brother.

43:16Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, he gave me great gems. He gave me great gems. Check this out. Ocho, this is your – I'm going to throw this up for you, Ocho. This man was praised for his route running ability when he came out of college. Yeah. So now that you can run the routes, what are you working on now? What are you trying to get better at now to make you that complete receiver? Because, yeah, look, running routes are fine, but, hey, I got to be strong at the point of attack. I got to be able to high point the ball, the 50-50 balls. I got to be able to run after the catch. I got to be able to block. What are you working on to make yourself that complete receiver?

43:53I would say, you know, I'm still fine-tuning my route running. You know, when I got to the league, I learned a lot. Like, I thought I was a really good route runner, and then I got to the league and I realized, you know what, bro? Maybe I'm not as good as I thought I was. I'm being thrilled, though, because you go against a lot of good DBs, man, and, like, any of the little small.

44:13Shannon Sharpe:You was tipping your routes? Were you tipping your routes? A little bit. I won't lie to you. I had this bad, bro. I had this bad habit, bro. I had this bad habit where I used to throw my head. So I throw my head to the right. That means I'm going left. Left. Why would you tell me which way you're going? But it was like, a little bit of it was like, man, I didn't, I won't even lie to you. I didn't believe that, like, I could get open. You know what I'm saying? Like, I had a lack of confidence in myself that I couldn't do something that I've been doing for, you know, my whole life. and so really I made that a long answer but always got to fine tune your route running always that's something that you can never get like perfect at you always got little small things and then two I'd probably definitely say like the catch point man like just trusting my hands sticking the mittens out there and grabbing the ball yeah you don't catch with them you definitely catch with your eyes I also learned that too see you always learning something new every day hey listen when you want to get a little working with them feet come on down there for a little session all you got to do is hit me up I got wide receiver workshop I got a wide receiver workshop in June or July I'm going to send that invitation I didn't get it last time I didn't get it this time I'm going to get it to everybody this time I'm there I need all I can get I got a lot of knowledge I'm sure, I'm knowing.

45:45I'm willing to get it. I crossed the water for you, I promise you, boy. I'll come, hey, it don't matter where I'm at, bro. I'll drop all my plans, bro. I'll come out there for sure.

45:53Shannon Sharpe:Appreciate it, appreciate it. X, give me some of your strongest influence. When you were growing up, who were some of the big influences, maybe as a parent, maybe as a coach, maybe as someone that you saw? Give me some of your influences that helped shape what we see here today. I mean, honestly, I think it starts with my brother, my older brother. uh i wouldn't probably play football without him you know i wanted to be like him like every little young sibling you want to be like your older brother so i wanted to be like my brother and then two i i probably really say uh my receiver coach in high school man uh coach p uh he the one who kind of made me transition to being an outside receiver like my senior year in high school uh he saw something in me that like you know i didn't really see in the moment and so like a lot of props to him bro for like just believing in me and seeing my potential and maybe you know i didn't see it so i give a lot of props to him and then i you know can never leave out your parents my mom and dad they raised me to be the man who i am so i'd probably say i'm definitely probably my biggest influencers that's dope well congratulations on your breakout game continue success stay healthy and uh when you have some more success come back yes for sure i I will.

47:07This will be the first show I get on.

47:09Shannon Sharpe:All right. Hey, matter of fact, listen, wait, before you go, I don't mean to beg, right? You know, I don't really come to Houston often, but when y 'all next home game? I think in two weeks we play the 49ers. Well, you know, if you, boy, go ahead. If I catch me a spirit fight out there, man, can I get one? Come on, bro. You're always welcome, bro. We're going to celebrate you here in H-Town, man. Come on now. Appreciate that. Appreciate that you're here. Hey, you want to go to Area 29 with me? Hey, I got to focus on the season, man. I got to focus on the season. X, you don't need but one ticket.

47:38Shannon Sharpe:I'm going to sit this one out, but I wish y 'all the best, man. I appreciate that, man. I appreciate that. All right, man. Have a good one, bro. Same to y 'all. Same to y 'all. Appreciate y 'all, man. Okay.

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