Hour 1:  From the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh with Round 1 Reactions, plus NFL Insider Ian Rapoport

24:14Why did this happen? What does this mean? Right. You know, it's like digging in is very fun, especially when we do so much work that goes into Thursday and it's gone. It's like, it's not gone. What does it all mean? Right. So to me, the Rams were definitely considering Ty Simpson at 13, which I only really learned probably earlier this week. I've known for a while that Lesney believed he was a first-rounder, but I didn't really connect the dots of, like, the reason I know is I'm going to take him there. I didn't realize that probably until Monday or Tuesday this week. You also have Matthew Stafford, who hasn't fully agreed to his extension yet, but knows he's getting more money.

24:52He is 37 or whatever he is. 38. He's great. His arm is still great. And he wants to play more years. So my read on this was Sean McVay being like, I have to understand all parts of this. And if he's up there giddy being like, woohoo, we got the franchise quarterback, their actual franchise quarterback is like, you know what? Maybe I won't sign. You know what I mean? Like, there's complications. And I think Sean McVay, who cares deeply, deeply about Matthew Stafford, his psyche, his emotions, his well-being, Sean McVay loves Matthew Stafford. And I believe that part of him being out there like that was like, Stafford is watching, which I'm sure he is.

25:37And I need to make sure to walk the fine line and being happy for the pick, but not dancing on the grave of a quarterback who's not dead yet. Fascinating.

25:45Rich Eisen:That makes complete sense. Because, you know, McVay's response when asked about other players that they were considering at 13, his first words were, you have to remember, this is Matthew Stafford's team. That's right. Is what he said. And the entirety, a lot of his comments when you watch, again, I watched it. I watched the press conference three times because, you know, I have nothing better to do sitting staring at a ceiling after a draft night. But I watched it three times because when I was sitting on the set and I heard Ty Simpson's name, I didn't think in a million years there would be a narrative that Les and Sean McVay weren't on the same page about the pick.

26:26Rich Eisen:And then that's all my timeline was filled with in texts from other people and all that sort of stuff. So then I watched it back through that prism. I'm like, wow, that was an uncomfortable watch. Then I watched it back through the prism of these guys are all on the same page. And I was wondering, then why is McVay saying what he's saying? Now you're giving me a better sense of that. Because you do have to have Matthew Stafford, your MVP, as your guy. Because this whole concept of you did not choose a player to help you win this year because you can win this year goes out the window. If Matthew Stafford's like, then I'm not going to come.

27:00Rich Eisen:You know what I mean? Like, peace out. Here's what's interesting to me. I have. So, you know, I basically go through my phone and I call everyone I know in the three weeks before the draft. Yes. It is a long, grueling process. Okay. And I love it so much. and I feel like I had a really good sense for at least like the couple position groups people were looking for who were probably the first 15 players and all that. I really was stuck on the Rams until probably earlier this week. And I talked to Rams people and they said the same thing. We don't need a starter. I'd be like, what are your needs?

27:31We don't have any needs. They don't. The roster's good. They do not have needs. I thought they may take a tackle if like Maui Noah falls, like okay. But like they don't need anything. And Sean McVay doesn't really play rookies anyway, so they're not drafting a starter. And I couldn't figure out, if they don't have any needs, what would they do? And so, to me, the only thing that makes sense, like, think about it. They had two first-rounders this year, and they traded one of them. They're not getting up to take a quarterback. And they're going to be good. So next year, in this quarterback-rich draft, who are they going to get?

28:04It's the same thing I said for the Falcons last year, which we'll see how the pick works out. But the philosophy is the same. You're never going to be up there again. When else are the Rams going to trade a first rounder, get a first rounder from a bad team and be picking in the top 15? You have to take your shot at securing your future if you ever get it.

28:23Rich Eisen:That's my argument. I know, and it's an argument that the Falcons used a couple years ago, even after they had just gotten somebody in free agency in Kirk Cousins. So does this team that has Matthew Stafford and the rest of it ready to roll to win a Super Bowl, does this team go into the season with two completely unproven quarterbacks from the SEC as the backup? Yeah, I think so. They do. Yeah, I think so. Don't you think that's – so there's Jimmy G is definitely out? Not definitely, but that is my sense that he – I always find when you're considering retirement, you're retired. Now, he hasn't said that, but I'm just saying my standpoint, when you're considering retirement, you're retired.

29:09And I know he had an opportunity with the Arizona Cardinals. I don't know the money. I know he had an opportunity with the Rams and has told them, like, I need more time.

29:16Rich Eisen:So if Stafford can't answer the bell for a couple of weeks or a month this year, that it'll be – That's going to be interesting. I don't know. We'll find out just how ready Ty Simpson could be or what Stetson Bennett's going to be. Ty Simpson is such an interesting – I mean, it's all interesting. And the Lemon one is fascinating, too, because of what it meant for A.J. Brown. And we'll get to that. But, like, if Ty Simpson is good and it was a small sample size, but some people think he's really good, then we're going to be talking about the Rams for 20 years. Yeah, I know. That was my point at the end of the Open is that everything we just talked about, are they on the same page or not?

29:52Rich Eisen:What's going on? It's just like the kid turns out to be great and McVay starts winning, you know, a decade with this guy. Then we're, you know, this whole 15-minute conversation. It's not just 15 minutes that we had to start today's program. It's not what everyone's talking about right now. No, it's everyone. I agree. This is number one on top of the list of anything else that happened last night. Yep. Yep. All right. So your sense or your information is McVay is into it, doesn't want to offend, you know, Stafford. who is offended? Is he offended? I don't know about that. I don't know enough to know.

30:28He can play as long as he wants to play, right? Right. I mean, no one's beating out. I don't, I hate to speak for people when I don't have a source. So, like, when I get asked about Aaron Rodgers, you know, same thing where I'm like, I don't want to speak for Rodgers because, like, I do not talk to him. Right. And I would, but I don't. Understood. And so, like, I don't know what's going on in Matthew Stafford's head. I would be surprised if a 38-year-old quarterback saw them drafting a rookie and was suddenly offended. He's got to know that at some point they've got to prepare for the future, I think.

31:03Rich Eisen:Ian Rappaport here on the Rich Eisen Show. Now explain to me what happened with Makai Lemon last night, sir. This report that you popped on our air last night, that went just as viral as anything else last night. That was crazy. Nobody calls me during the draft. I'm wired in. I have my double earbuds, and it's so freaking loud that nobody calls me. Yeah, I heard that. And when they do call me, I'm like, why are you calling me? Like, I can't hear anything. It's very annoying. So I got this call last night, and I'm like, you just never know. She answered it. I'm like, hey, I can barely hear you.

31:36You got to hear this story. And I'm like, and then this person told to me, and I double-checked, and it's like, no, this is what happened. I'm like, holy cow. So, yeah, I mean, he was on the phone with the Steelers. Eagles were calling, wasn't getting through, and they wanted to talk to the human. and then his agent had to come over and be like, no, you're going to the Eagles.

31:56Rich Eisen:Yeah, I saw the video of that where he's like looked at his phone and as he's on the phone with the Steelers he goes like, why are the Eagles calling? Why is Philly calling? And I think he hung up on Omar, just like hung up. So if you're the Steelers, like. What just happened? But I will, this is a cool story too because, one, I think we know what it means for A.J. Brown, which is not expected to be a member of the Eagles very much longer. We know that. But I enjoy when two players are paired next to each other. Who won that? Eagles traded up and got a receiver a lot of people like and didn't think he was going to be there.

32:31The Steelers took a tackle. Who they need, maybe. Who they need. Yeah, yeah. And a lot of people like the talent, although there's some inconsistencies. So who wins that? I have no idea. But we're going to find out.

32:43Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, everything. The fact that the Giants chose Malanoa at 10. That's another one. and then Caleb Downs drops and the Cowboys take him. So that's a sliding door. I mean, how many times when Caleb Downs' dad played for the Giants, the Giants had an opportunity to bring in a legacy, but they went offensive line, which is a great choice with a terrific player, right? But maybe they went offense because Arvel Reese dropped them at five. How many times did they game out the draft and Arvel Reese drops to them? Probably a handful of times. Why would you think that? You shouldn't. I mean, I've done this.

33:25I've gone over the top ten of the draft with probably every team. Right. At least 30 of them. And that has never occurred to me. That Arvel Reese could drop to the Giants? Never occurred to me. Right. And I'm like, that's my failing. Because I just, here was my thought. if Arvel Reese gets to four, someone's trading up for him if the Titans don't take him. Right. Except their phone, nobody was trading up. And so that was surprising to me. I thought the Chiefs or Saints would trade up for Reese. And the Chiefs did trade up, but not for Reese, for Delane. Right.

34:04Rich Eisen:Because the price is right. They only went from nine to six there. I guess if we went from nine to five or nine to four would have been particularly expensive. Yes. If you're the Giants, you're sitting there going, Arvel Reese is sold. Done. But I guess the big wild card was, you know, Jeremiah Love going third overall was something that you could game out, I think. Sure. Carnell Tate going four. I don't think anybody was gaming that one out either, right? I didn't have it. That Carnell Tate was the first Ohio State player taken. It wasn't Stiles. It wasn't Reese. You know? Right. And, you know, it wasn't Downs.

34:39Rich Eisen:Well, how about this? It was Tate. Which I don't think anybody saw coming. No. Now, people loved him as a player, but I thought, based on how hot Jordan Tyson was, he'd be the first receiver off the board. Right. I'll tell you this. So this would be weird, but this age of synergy. Okay. Right? Adam Schefter, my new colleague, had a report about Carnell Tate's 40 time, where, like, the report was basically his 40 time at the combine was this, but I talked to several teams and it was actually faster. And he got dragged for that report. it is true. It is definitely true. And I had a lot of teams tell me the same exact thing.

35:16I didn't report it because he'd already reported it. But it's like, it's true. Many, many teams had his 40 times faster than it was at the combine. And so if, let's say it's.5 faster, which is probably around what it was, well, then it's like, this is a fast receiver. And now we can take him early.

35:34Rich Eisen:As if the tape didn't say it anyway. Man, this league, man. It's very interesting. I know everything gets parsed down to the umpteenth degree or the one thousandth of a second or what have you. But, yeah, I mean, that was an interesting sliding door as well. The downs winds up at 11. And so, Makai Lemon being drafted, that is the end of it for A.J. Brown. I mean, I think it was going to end anyway. You've got to parse it in a way, being an information individual. Well, and also, I think they're going to be able to agree, but there's no agreement now. I think the Eagles would like a 20-27 first.

36:14The Patriots would like it to be not that. Right. And so I assume there's a middle ground, but I don't know where it comes in yet. I just, I've thought that A.J. Brown is gone. Right. And now I really, really think that A.J. Brown is gone.

36:28Rich Eisen:All right. And what else happened last night that we should know about that you're sitting on? where you can throw out there? What else surprised you? What else came down the pike? It's not as exciting as some of the other things, but the run on tackles I thought was interesting. None in the first eight picks, and then a record number after that pretty much. Yep. I would say the Jets taking Sadiq. Sadiq was an interesting one because I knew that just like Colson Love and last year, teams wanted to trade up for him because those guys, is the tight ends who can really, really run are hard to find.

37:06And so a bunch of teams were planning to trade up for him if he got to, like, I'd say, like, 18, 19, 20, around there. And then the Jets took him, and I was like, ah, that was a fun trade, and I knew it was happening. And then Jets were like, this is our top pass catcher. And I thought that was really interesting, even though they took a tight end last year early, too. They were like, people have been focused on receiver. A lot of people thought they were going to take Omar Cooper at 16, which I think was in consideration, but they ended up getting him later. They sure did. But Sadiq is going to be really, really interesting.

37:38That was one I kind of got a kick out of for the Jets.

37:41Rich Eisen:All right, before I let you go, what happens tonight? What do you think happens this evening? The 49ers are going to have a chance to trade out at 33. I would expect a bunch of defensive tackles, a couple corners, and a couple edge guys early. The first quarterback is going to be? You know, my sense is Beck, but it's weird because all of those three guys, Al or Beck, Nussmeier, you could sort of do eye of the beholder. Like, I could convince myself that with a year or two, these guys are franchise guys. So I don't know. You know, Beck is probably the cleanest, I guess, maybe. But there's some stuff that other people like about the other guys.

38:24So if I had to guess, I'd say there's a good chance we get all three tonight.

38:29Rich Eisen:Okay. Thanks, buddy. Thanks for being here. So basically, if McVay would like to convey, that rhymes, to Stafford that you're my guy and I don't know about this pick, if that's the message that he would like to convey to Stafford, our conversation to lead this program helped. It carried that water. I hope they're all watching. I assume Stafford's watching. What else would he be doing? Well, we're on ESPN 710 in Los Angeles, so that's the home of the Los Angeles Rams. He's a huge fan. That's his radio. I'm a huge fan of—listen, you know, everybody knows how I feel about the Rams and the organization.

39:10Rich Eisen:I thought you were going to say about radio. No, no, no, and radio, too. Everyone knows that. No, everyone does. Everyone does. And it's just that Les is so damn good at choosing picks that you could have nailed this 13th overall. But you're saying they didn't have space for them. The league is done questioning less. I would hope so. Unless you trust. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, that's Ian Rappaport. Joel Klatt's going to join us, top of hour number two. And we come back, my top five teams that nailed the first night. This is the Rich Eisen Show on a Pittsburgh Friday at the draft.

39:44Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.

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41:29Rich Eisen:All right. Joel Klatt has made it here. He's top of the next hour. Right now, the top five teams that nailed the first round presented by Hyundai. Hit it, please. High five. One, two, three, four, five. Rich's top five. All right, the top five teams that nailed the first round, presented by Hyundai. Number five on the list. What do we got? Only team on the list that chose once, and that is the Philadelphia Eagles. Makai Lemon being chosen 20th overall. Nailed it. Nailed it. And not just because he is as good as he is. Ladies and gentlemen, Makai Lemon is the third USC wide receiver drafted in the first round in the last five drafts.

42:09Rich Eisen:The other ones, not too shabby. Jordan Addison, Drake London. and Amon Ross St. Brown, who he's comped with. Sun God. And Michael Pittman Jr. And then Mekhi Lemon is also there because it sure sounds like A.J. Brown is gone. And if you don't think so, listen to how Nick Sirianni described Mekhi Lemon and his game and what he's bringing to the Eagles last night. Hit it, please. The competitiveness when you have that really shows up on tape. I think sometimes with wide receivers, you see clips like the one where he chases the guy down after an interception or the way that he blocks just for his teammates and to help his teammates.

42:53Rich Eisen:A guy that's competitive is not only competitive when the ball is coming to him, he's competitive in all situations. Oh my goodness gracious. Whoa, wow. He was at an audience of 11, number 11. Is that that audience? And then one last piece of information for you. Based on Daniel Jeremiah's top 150 rankings, and normally his top 150 mirrors the top 150 chosen in the draft. The ranking of Makai Lemon, he was ranked 12th on Daniel Jeremiah's list. He was chosen 20th. That's a plus eight value. That's the third best such first round selection using that metric. Number four on the list of the top five teams that nailed the first round, the Cleveland Browns.

43:37Rich Eisen:They wanted two picks. They wanted an offensive lineman first, and they wanted a wide receiver last. And guess what they did? Exactly that. And they also moved down from six to nine and got the best, according to their board, their number one tackle out there in Spencer Fano. And they got a 74th overall pick, a third-round selection, which is 10th in the third round. They already have the sixth overall pick in the third round coming into the draft, and they got a fifth on top of it, and then they got Casey Concepcion later on. So check that box. Well done by the Cleveland Browns. Number three on the top five teams that nailed the first round.

44:15Rich Eisen:Guess what? I'm going the Tennessee Titans. I'm going to double down here, man. If I was sitting there yesterday saying, why does it piss me off that Carnell Tate isn't being talked about as the number one receiver on the draft board, and it's going to be Jordan Tyson. They chose Carnell Tate fourth overall. That was pretty shocking. Yeah, man. As a matter of fact, guess what they did? They went ahead and they chose a kid out of Ohio State fourth overall since 2022. He joins Abuka, Harrison Jr., JSN, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave. And as a matter of fact, the last time they chose an Ohio State player in the first round, this franchise was Eddie George.

44:53Rich Eisen:So they went back to that spot and they got themselves a guy for their quarterback. Cam Ward now has Carnell Tate. Well done. And then they traded back in to get Keldrick Falk for their defense. As a matter of fact, Keldrick Falk is their first defensive player selected in the first round. Since cornerback Caleb Farley five drafts ago, they have not hit this side of the ball in the first round in a long time. Well done by the Tennessee Titans. Number two on the top five teams that nailed the first round. You're a Dallas Cowboys. Two? Oh, yeah. Two? Well, I mean, they chose Caleb Downs. They didn't want to wait for him one more pick, right?

45:31Rich Eisen:They used two fives to go trade up one spot to go get Caleb Downs. And then later on, they traded down three spots and got two fourth rounders from the Eagles to go ahead and get their kid Malachi Lawrence anyway. So they were going to take, they wanted two defenders. They got Caleb Downs. They got Malachi Lawrence. They actually turned two fives into two fours while doing it. And they used the Micah Parsons pick to get another new edge rusher for a defense that was ranked dead to last or second to last or third to last in pretty much every single metric. Well done by the Dallas Cowboys. But number one, man, I'm going with the New York Jets.

46:13Rich Eisen:Wow. This seems like a homer pick. It is not a homer pick. It is not a homer pick. David Bailey is pretty damn special, man. He's the sixth player since 2000 to be selected, top ten after leading the FBS in sacks in any season, in any career season. The others are named Will Anderson, Chase Young, Von Miller, Terrell Suggs, and Julius Peppers. And the kid graduated Stanford in three years. And so he is going to be brought to bear right there. Kenyon Sadiq at the combine. Faster than Odell Beckham, quicker than Deshaun Jackson, jumped higher than Julio Jones, and further than Andre Johnson. And he's a tight end right there in the middle to add to their offense.

46:54Rich Eisen:And then later on, they trade back in and get Omar Cooper Jr., 30th overall. I mentioned the metric of the biggest difference between where you're ranked on Daniel Jeremiah's draft board and where you get picked. Omar Cooper Jr. led that metric. The Jets were plus 13 on that value by getting Omar Cooper Jr. for their offense. Well done. And those are my top five teams that nailed the first round presented by the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid. Learn how it makes everyday epic at HyundaiUSA.com. And by the way, if the Jets use all three of their first-round picks next year in the draft, they will be the first team to use three first-round picks in consecutive drafts ever.

47:37Rich Eisen:Joel Klatt's going to join us. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.