In short
The Rich Eisen Show - Episode Summary
Podcast Title
The Rich Eisen Show
Episode Title
Hour 2: ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr, plus Power Ranking the NFL’s New Head Coach Hires
Episode Description
This episode features ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who discusses his latest mock draft and Big Board rankings of the top 25 players. Rich Eisen ranks the NFL’s recent head coaching hires and their potential for success. Additionally, TJ Jefferson and the crew react to John Cena’s appearance on a wrestling podcast.
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Key Highlights
Segment 1
Mel Kiper Jr. Interview
- Mock Draft Discussion:
- Kiper discusses depth at wide receiver this year, emphasizing the potential for teams to find talent in the later rounds.
- Highlights include:
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana QB) as a “guaranteed star” for the Raiders.
- Teams may trade up to select top prospects like Jeremiyah (Notre Dame RB) and Caleb Downs (Ohio State S).
- Debate over Alabama QB Ty Simpson's first-round potential.
- Evaluation of Top Players:
- Wide receiver Carnell Tate is noted for his reliability and route-running ability.
- Kiper reflects on Mendoza’s impressive season and leadership qualities, likening his potential to NFL legends like Peyton Manning.
Segment 2
Power Ranking New NFL Head Coaches
- Rich Eisen presents a power ranking of the NFL's ten new head coaches based on their likelihood of achieving a successful turnaround similar to Mike Vrabel's previous season.
- Rankings:
- Baltimore Ravens - Minter as head coach and a strong organizational foundation.
- Buffalo Bills - Joe Brady’s influence and Josh Allen at the helm.
- Atlanta Falcons - Positive finish to the previous season and potential for progress.
- New England Patriots - Established structure with a new coaching strategy.
- Pittsburgh Steelers - Significant cap space and potential for impactful moves.
- Miami Dolphins - Competitive team with a good chance for improvement.
- Tennessee Titans - Solid coaching staff but challenging division.
- Las Vegas Raiders - Questions about quarterback effectiveness and division strength.
- Cleveland Browns - Uncertainty surrounding Deshaun Watson's return.
- Arizona Cardinals - Concerns about the quarterback situation and tough division competition.
Segment 3
John Cena Appearance Reaction
- No Contest Wrestling Podcast:
- Cena shares an exclusive story about his planned victory in a past match against Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2021.
- Details how Brock Lesnar's last-minute involvement changed the match outcome.
- Emphasizes the unpredictability of WWE creative decisions.
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Key Takeaways
- Draft Insights: Mel Kiper Jr. emphasizes the depth of the wide receiver class and forecasts potential standout players for the upcoming NFL Draft.
- Head Coach Rankings: Eisen's power rankings highlight the varying degrees of success that new NFL head coaches may encounter in their inaugural seasons.
- Wrestling Insights: John Cena's candid revelations provide a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes decision-making in WWE, showcasing the complexities of storytelling in professional wrestling.
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Conclusion
This episode of The Rich Eisen Show blends sports analysis, expert interviews, and engaging discussions, delivering valuable insights into the NFL Draft and coaching landscape, along with entertaining wrestling anecdotes.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOEpisode Discussion
0:00 to 14:05
“New markdowns up to 70 % off are at Nordstrom Rack stores now.”
Draft Insights with Mel Kiper Jr.
14:05 to 21:12
Mel Kiper Jr. shares insights on key NFL draft prospects and their potential impact.
“That said, let's just say somebody covets one of these two guys.”
Power Ranking the NFL's New Head Coaches
25:03 to 28:00
Rich discusses the power rankings of new NFL head coaches and their potential impacts.
“We're one big happy listening and viewing family.”
Analyzing the Arizona Cardinals' Potential
28:00 to 29:16
Discussion on the Cardinals' uncertain quarterback situation and their competitive division challenges.
“And the reason why I'm putting the Cardinals here is I don't know who their quarterback's going to be.”
Cleveland Browns and Their Challenges
29:16 to 30:32
Exploration of the Browns' situation with Deshaun Watson and coaching changes.
“Number nine on the list, currently with$3.2 million in cap space.”
Las Vegas Raiders and New Leadership
30:32 to 31:54
Insights into the Raiders' new offensive coordinator and the implications of their draft.
“I'm putting the Titans seventh, which might be too low.”
Tennessee Titans: A Surprising Pick
31:54 to 33:36
Discussion on the Titans' coaching staff and their potential in a competitive division.
“I know I went a little high register here.”
New England Patriots and Future Prospects
33:36 to 35:16
Analysis of the Patriots' cap space and new coaching strategies for the upcoming season.
“John Harbaugh, former coach of the year.”
Spotlight on the Atlanta Falcons
35:16 to 36:38
Discussion on the Falcons' prospects and the importance of improving their roster.
“They're 12 million under the cap, but they have Josh Allen.”
Baltimore Ravens: New Coach and Expectations
36:38 to 37:38
Exploration of the Ravens' new coaching staff and their potential for success next season.
“But that's my power rankings list of new head coaches that can go on a magical run.”
Show all 13 chapters
Introducing Billy Bob Thornton
42:55 to 43:39
Get ready for Billy Bob Thornton discussing Robert Duvall's legacy.
“Billy Bob Thornton is joining us top of the next hour to talk about the passing of Robert Duvall.”
John Cena's SummerSlam Story
43:39 to 46:46
Hear about John Cena's unexpected plans during SummerSlam 2021.
“Yeah, so, you know, we always love it when a guest goes, I've never told anyone this or no one knows this.”
Wrestling Insights and Connections
46:46 to 47:24
Explore the deeper connections made during the conversation with John Cena.
“And he dropped some other breadcrumbs throughout the pond?”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Eisen:So good, so good, so good. New markdowns up to 70 % off are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. And that means so many new reasons to rack. Because I always find something amazing. Just so many good brands. Because there's always something new. Join the Nordi Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack.
0:31Rich Eisen:Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra. That's the OG. It kicked off this whole Zero Sugar Energy drink thing. But Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian, Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy punch. So if you've been living in the white can, branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe. And every single one is Zero Sugar. Tap the banner to learn more. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern.
1:13Rich Eisen:Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. Ladies and gentlemen This is the Rich Eisen Show Here they are The Rich Eisen Show What are the Dolphins up to? I mean, I think everyone knew Tyreek Hill would be released A bigger question for Tyreek is just like, when does he play again? Earlier on the show Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Luke Keekly Coming up ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kuyper Jr. Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton Director Andre Gaines And now Rich Eisen.
2:00Rich Eisen:Hour number two, the Rich Eisen Show on the air here on ESPN. And also our usual spots, Disney Plus and the ESPN app and ESPN radio and Sirius XM channel 80. 844-204-RICH. Number to dial. We'll take your phone calls on this program. Sitting there on our YouTube channel for everybody to take in is No Contest Wrestling with TJ Jefferson and O'Shea Jackson Jr. They recorded it yesterday with John Cena. We'll play a clip for you later on in this hour. I've got a top 10 list in the form of a power ranking because we do power rankings every Wednesday during the season and in the offseason. Have a little fun with it.
2:37Rich Eisen:I've got my power rankings of the head coaches. There's been 10 new ones, so it fits perfectly in a power rankings. The power ranking of the new head coaches chances, the likelihood of them being the next Mike Vrabel, meaning you're new. You have incredible success. Who knows? Maybe you make it to the Super Bowl. That's coming up. then hour number three when we switch over to ESPN2 Billy Bob Thornton will kick that hour off talking about his mentor the late actor Robert Duvall and then the director of the 30 for 30 on Stuart Scott Andre Gaines will be in studio with us but joining us right now on the Rich Eisen show he's part of the new daily draft show on ESPN and he's of course he's on NFL draft daily because there'd be really no NFL draft coverage without him and Berman and what they did back in the day and all those years.
3:27Rich Eisen:Mel Kuyper Jr. on the program. How are you, Mel? Good to see you, man. Great to be with you, Rich. Are you in your study, in the Mel Kuyper Jr. study? Is that where you are? Basically, yeah, getting everything together here. It's where we do the podcast, all the TV, all the radio, anything and everything is done right in this room, Rich. Okay. And do you have any old draft artifacts in that room? Anything that you keep there? What do you got? Yeah, I got the helmet from the Bill Tobin year. Freddie Goodelli said, take this. It'll be a memorable helmet to take. So the helmet phone, the ESPN helmet phone from that draft that sits in this office.
4:03I have a plate signed by Raymond Berry, Johnny Unitas, autogress, Brooks Robinson, all my heroes growing up are in this office.
4:10Rich Eisen:Now, I mandated to ask, does the phone still work? Could you actually plug it in and make a phone call from the ESPN helmet phone? I believe you still could, Rich. Yep. All right, here's the deal. Love the old landline things. I saw landlines in this house. I'm one of the few that have landlines. You know what? You and Berman would be, honestly, if I had to make a top, if I had to do a power ranking of the ESPN face front individuals that would most likely have a landline in their house, Berman would be one and you'd be two. Exactly. You know what I mean? Schefter would probably be three just in case his cell phone is not charged.
4:47Rich Eisen:He needs to have, or the power goes out in his house. He's got to have that ability. I was literally was going to ask if you have Trev Alberts' draft card somewhere. You know, that's from the Bill Tobin years back in the, right? Yeah. Yeah. And it's amazing, Rich, of how many players now that you scouted back in the day now have kids that you're scouting. And then you're going to have grandkids. So you've been around now doing this for 48 years, 43 at ESPN. Rich, you've seen just about everything. All right. So let's jump into this year's draft. Where is it deepest, Mel? What do you think? Wide receiver, Rich.
5:18You're going to be talking a lot about the wide receiver depth in the day three and beyond. Maybe undrafted free agents come out of that position. But it's a little top-heavy, but there's depth throughout. And there's some speed guys. Zachariah Branch at Georgia. I like more than some others do. He said, well, I didn't get down the field enough. Well, they were bubble screens. That's what he did. And he's a great return man. Kick returns are huge in the NFL these days. And also, Brendan Thompson out of Mississippi State. He's another kid who can fly. They had a huge year with the Bulldogs. But you look at that list, Carnell Tate's going to be interesting.
5:49The Tennessee Titans take him at four. The Giants take him at five. If you need a guy, Rich, who can get open, run great routes, and catch the football. We see guys that go in the first round and drop too many balls. Carnell Tate doesn't drop a football. So that dependability, that reliability is going to be huge. If he goes to Cam Ward or if he goes to Jackson Dart, they're going to really like that addition of Carnell Tate through that offense.
6:09Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, Tate, to be honest with you, is a Michigan fan. he's the receiver that would scare me the most over the last couple of years after JSN departed because Jeremiah Smith, as great as he is, and we're going to end up talking about him in a draft down the road as a possible top pick in the draft, even crazier from a wide receiver, depending on what the quarterback position looks like. He's that good, at least he's been that good for sure, that you could potentially double him and take him out, and then Carnell Tate will just tear you a new one. That guy is the real deal. there's no doubt about it yeah and next year we thought quarterback was going to be this year quarterback's going to be next year it's fizzled out this year rich but you mentioned jeremiah smith you're gonna have arch manning you're gonna have dante morse mark you're gonna have quarterbacks up there at the top and jeremiah smith in any year is going to go high but those quarterbacks because obviously the value of that position the most important position a sport in the world uh will go a little higher possibly all right so um let's let's take a look at your your first mock draft, and you still have Fernando Mendoza being the top pick in the draft.
7:13Rich Eisen:And then you do have the Giants going and grabbing Carnell Tate because Robert Sala's first pick as a Tennessee Titans H.C. is for the defense. You got the Jets choosing Arvel Reese out of the Ohio State, who is just as dynamite as they come, and Maui Goa going to Arizona at three. But let's let's linger at Mendoza first. and what's your evaluation of of this kid the Heisman Trophy winner and undefeated national champion out of Indiana Mel he did everything that you needed to do to solidify that spot I had Dante Moore slightly ahead after that Penn State game remember that great game Dante Moore had up at Happy Valley so once I had him there I had to wait for Dante to struggle well even when he had some struggles he had that great drive late he had to deal with a lot of bad weather and injuries on the offensive side of the ball for Oregon so I couldn't take him off that spot but I had him neck and neck.
8:03Then the end of the year, you saw what Fernando Mendoza was able to do finishing it off. So he becomes solidly the number one quarterback. Dante made a great decision. Not enough starts at 20. Go back to Oregon. Be right there with Arch as the number one pick next year. So now it's all about Fernando Mendoza and Clint Kubiak and the Raiders. You're lucky, fortunate to have that first pick. And if you have a quarterback, it's worthy of being that high a pick and being a franchise quarterback like we're expecting Fernando Mendoza to be. He cut down on his sacks dramatically from Cal to this year at Indiana.
8:30He got the ball to all those receivers accurately, clutch situations. The way he, the decision-making rich late in a play that he made on a consistent basis was remarkable. And not turning it over, being able to beat a defense with his legs as he did in the championship game. When he did a run, he could. The great leadership. He was going to go to Yale. He's incredibly intelligent. So passionate. So energetic. You know, for the Raiders, Raider Nation, be happy. in the ASC, particularly in that division, Rich, with Patrick Mahomes, and you think about Justin Herbert and Bo Nix, to get a guy like this for Clint Kubiak, you struck gold here.
9:05This kid is an outstanding, outstanding prospect.
9:08Rich Eisen:Yeah, the phrase that I always picked up from my guy Mayock over the years, clean off the field as well. And you take a look, again, I'm not an all-22 guy, but his out routes were pinpoint. His 50-50 balls were perfection. You mentioned about what Moore did against Penn State, the throw that Mendoza made against Penn State and that final drive spectacular him getting blown up by Ohio State on the first play of the Big Ten championship game what Miami was delivering with shoulders and heads and elbows in his direction and what he was able to do on that fourth down with his legs I mean every box checked but Mel where would he rank if he was in last year's draft class or even two years ago where there were three that went at the top and drake may being the one who was in the super bowl this year where would he run yeah he reminds me a lot rich when you look back you think about peyton manning how he studied all right you can't get him out of film you can't get him without the evaluation of the opponent he always says i'm trying to cry i love trying to crack the code that was a fernando mendoza comment back during the season crack the code and he did it and he did it regularly uh you think about where we are right now in terms of ranking would be historically great no because he's talking about everybody says he doesn't have elite traits well you don't need elite traits to be the greatest of all time tom brady didn't have anywhere near elite traits and he had seven super bowl rings went to 10 right no he's even close to that number so for me fernando mendoza as you say checks every box there's no question about that in any draft i don't care what draft you're talking about he would be right there now would a guy with maybe more talent like caleb williams and the jayden Daniels and guys like that.
10:45Would they have been ahead? Who knows? But to say that this guy's not worthy of being the number one pick is ridiculous. It's nonsense. To say he's not the best player in this draft, I don't know who's better. Because you're getting a guaranteed start at the quarterback position, which is the most important position in any sport in the world. So I don't know, and the Raiders, to have that pick. Be so fortunate. Think about how lucky they are. Sometimes you can have the number one pick. There's no quarterback. You know, you have to force her, or you have to take somebody else, or wish you were in another year.
11:11They got lucky, as the Colts did with Peyton Manning. Remember, they ended up with Andrew Luck another year when they were fortunate to get Andrew Luck. So at the end of the day, having a number one pick, desperately needing a quarterback, Raider Nation be happy because now the Jets are on the clock.
11:26Rich Eisen:Well, and then lastly on this subject matter, Mel Kuyper Jr., where do you stand on the question that the Raiders aren't ready for somebody like Fernando Mendoza and thus his ability to succeed might be stunted by the lack of protection that consumed Geno Smith last year. Or yes, there are weapons with Bowers and with Gente, but the Raiders arguably are not ready to draft somebody like Fernando Mendoza. Where do you stand on that subject matter that it will no doubt be talk of the combine next week? Well, teams picking first usually aren't ready to win right away anyway. That's why they're picking first.
12:05And to go back to when Peyton, go back to Joe Burrow, going to the Bengals. Oh, you don't want to go to the Bengals? Well, you have to check. Kenny Anderson, Boomer Esiason, Carson Powell, Randy Dalton, a lot of success with the Bengals, and Burrow's been to a Super Bowl already, right? Almost won one. You think about where we were with Trevor Lawrence going to Jacksonville. Now Trevor's getting up there with the best in the business. So, for me, now, you've just got to build around them, Rich. That's up to Spytak, and that's up to now Clint Kubiak and those guys that get the job done with Tom Brady's influence there.
12:31Build that offensive lineup. You've got Brock Bowers, who's an enormous talent. You saw what he could do last year. You got Jinty, who you drafted last year. You got pieces around the quarterback. Hey, draft these guys, build up, fortify the talent around Fernando Mendoza, and you got, in my opinion, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He brings a lot of what Peyton Manning brought to the NFL, coming from Tennessee. Like I say, when you have the mindset, the smarts, the instincts, and the intelligence, and the arm, and the mobility, even though he's not going to run like Lamar and Josh Allen, he can still beat you with his legs.
13:05When you need a first down on third and eight to frustrate the defense. He can do that. He's pinpoint accurate. Like I said, when I see Leighton plays, guys panic. They force a throw. They're inaccurate. They take a sack. They don't throw it away. Everything Leighton plays at critical moments, Rich, he did perfectly. And he had some games where he had to come through late against a pretty good defense. That Phil Parker defense at Iowa was pretty doggone good, right? You mentioned the Penn State game. So for me, I don't know what else Fernando Mendoza could have done this year. And like I said, They've taken that sack total.
13:33It was like 41 at Cal down to 18 during the regular season. Indiana did what he needed to do. You tell him what he needs to improve on, and he will work to make sure that mistake or that issue is not happening anymore.
13:44Rich Eisen:And then you're looking at the end of your top 10, as we just saw. Jeremiah Love, 9 to Kansas City. Caleb Downs, 10 to Cincinnati. And those are just two guys that are massive difference makers that might last to 9 and 10 because of the positions they play not being viewed as as valuable as maybe tackle, pass rusher, or in the case of Jordan Tyson, wide receiver. That said, let's just say somebody covets one of these two guys. Where do you see the inflection point for a trade in this draft and the top of it, Mel Kuyper Jr.? Love is really interesting because I've always said, Rich, and you know this, don't take a running back in the first.
14:24But I keep screaming to people, well, you don't grade a player based on a philosophy of great and one ability. One ability, he's the second best player in this draft. Matt Miller has a number one on his board, Jeremiah Love, right? And he can do so many things. You can put him out in the slot wide. Great hands, great receiver. He's kind of like Reggie Bush was, only bigger. You think about where we are right now in terms of B. John Robinson and that grade, very similar with Jeremiah Love. Gibbs. All the running backs with four net.
14:50Rich Eisen:Yeah, Jimmy Gibbs, too. Yeah, exactly. All those guys had high grades, Rich, and they were versatile. This kid can do so many things. he's an explosive play waiting to happen. So for me, Arizona's got to think about him. Definitely, when you get down to New Orleans, the Kansas City Chiefs, can you imagine putting him in New Orleans or Kansas City? Kansas City doesn't want to pick a nine anymore. They want to be picking a 32, right? So Jeremiah Love's going to be in that top nine somewhere. Mention downs. Remember Kyle Hamilton? You were there, he ran 4-5-9. Then he ran with 4-5-6 at his pro day.
15:20Had the injury that final year, and he drops to 14 to the Baltimore Ravens. Now he's one of the best players, defensive players in the NFL. Forget safety. They move him around. One of the best defensive players, most impactful defensive players in the league is Kyle Hamilton. He dropped to 14. So for Caleb Downs to say 10, who doesn't have the ability that I thought that Hamilton had, very similar instinctively though, well, because of what Kyle Hamilton's done, even though he's not physically what Hamilton is, well, Caleb Downs is going to bump up maybe to five to the Giants. That's a debate for the Giants and John Harbaugh.
15:50Do we see enough of that in Downs to make him the fifth pick? or does he get down there to Cincinnati and pick number 10?
15:55Rich Eisen:Yeah, I know the combination of Bengal Buckeye fans are hoping Caleb Towns is there at 10. That kid is unbelievable. He has been spectacular. And you got Reese there at second overall. Then you move down to your next 10. You got Sonny Stiles heading to Dallas. That would be a massive pickup for the Cowboys. That would be great for Dallas. It would be. And they could pick again at 20. They could get maybe Mesidor from Miami. They've got to go defense with both those picks you would think, Rich. Right. I'll tell you what. You know, you look at a Keldrick Falk out of Auburn. Didn't have the production.
16:30He looks the part. He's the LTPer. Keldrick Falk. What does he do workout-wise? It's like Shamar Stewart, who was an LTPer last year, went 17th overall. We had to wait and see one Falk. You think about mess stories. 25. Had a Canada. Had a heck of a year for Miami. Where does he fall in that 20 range? So it would be interesting. And then you're talking, Rich, about a guy like, say, Montsour Delane. I watched him play high school football at Archbishop Spalding. Combine coming up, which is 40 going to be? Arm length, will that be a little bit of an issue? Montser Delane had a great year at LSU, coming from Virginia Tech, where he made some big plays, but he gave up some.
17:02This year he was consistent, reliable in coverage, made a lot of big plays for that defense in cover, started off with a great effort against Clemson at an opener. So Montser Delane, that 40 time I think will impact whether he goes where I have him or he goes maybe somewhere in that top 10 or 11 overall.
17:17Rich Eisen:And then you had Ty Simpson going off the board right in the middle to the Jets. And, you know, I'll be honest, that one would confuse me a little bit, Mel, because the Jets purposefully took a draft choice from Dallas, not as soon as they could take it. They said put it in 2027. And when I saw that, I'm like, well, they're seeing what you're seeing. They're seeing that draft class, the quarterback coming up next year. So you think they would maybe pull the trigger on Ty Simpson now? What's your evaluation of this kid, Mel? Well, I can't project trades in that mock. So you think about where the Jets are picking at 16.
17:50Will somebody be in a position that they like him enough to move up? Probably not. So you think, okay, he'll be there at 16. Will they take him? They took Joe Namath out of Alabama, Richard Todd out of Alabama. Will they go that route again? Do they think highly enough of Ty to move forward with him, knowing that next year, as you said, with those three first-round picks, they could be scaring Arch Manning and Dante Moore right in the face. And ironically, when I put Dante Moore to Jets, Jets fans will say, we don't want him. Well, they're going to want him next year after he has a great year with the Oregon Ducks.
18:16I can guarantee you that, Rich. But to the point about the quarterback, Ty Simpson, If you saw him up until mid-November, all right, 22 touchdowns, two picks, around 70 % completion percentage. Now, he did have some fumbles starting around that area, five fumbles lost in five straight games, then one in the game against Indiana. But he was on point for the first almost three quarters of the season, right? And they were talking about top five overall. Some were saying QB won. Now, all of a sudden, he can't play? So there's got to be some balance there in the evaluation. I think when you get down to Pittsburgh, where Field Yates had him going in his mock, or the Rams late in the first round.
18:50If the Rams get a corner, Jermon McCoy, who didn't play this year because of a knee injury, he checks out okay medically. Jermon McCoy, corner Tennessee, or Mansoor Delaney, corner Virginia Tech, with that first first-round pick for the Rams. Then Ty Simpson at the end of the first round to be the heir apparent to Matthew Stafford for Sean McVay. If he believes enough in Simpson, and Stafford's going to be there to help him, because, hey, why not help a young quarterback coming? He's going to be your heir apparent. So for me, the Rams may be the good fit, the best fit for Ty Simpson, if in fact he's there near the end of the first round.
19:20Rich Eisen:Reason why Jets fans are telling this to you, Mel, not that you need me to interpret, is because they think Dante Moore is the one who told them, I don't want you first. You know what I mean? Like, that's what I think that not to get too deep into the minds of a Jet fan. Before I let you go, the question that I have, you know, it's a copycat league. the Seattle Seahawks winning it all with Darnold and this defense. What do you think is going to be the ripple in the draft pond this year based on John Schneider and Mike McDonald's success with this roster? Well, again, I said Sam was the man with the Jets.
19:59And Daniel Jones, I was asked, which one of these is going to be the best? I said, it's a push. I like them. Well, Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold. See what happened there. So I say organizations ruin these young quarterbacks more than these young quarterbacks are bustling their own. So I think, and just to go to Seattle, Rich, how about Nick E. Manwari? John Schneider gets him in the early second year at the Combine, right? Didn't E. Manwari have an unbelievable Combine? He did. One of the heels of a really good year. So you got the production, the performance, the tape, and the great. He went in the second round, Rich.
20:27So this notion that if you're great at the Combine, you had a heck of a year, you're going to get this big bump up. Nick E. Manwari went in the second round, and he was a key guy on the defense side, one of the best defensive rookies in the league. So for me, hey, the Combine, Jacob Parrish, I dropped to the third round. He had a great combine out of Kansas State. Went in the third round of Tampa Bay. Great year. You know, Kyle Hamilton didn't run great. Dropped to 14. So there's no, I always say there's nothing automatic about good or bad at the combine pro days. Like I said, nothing you can mark down and say, this is going to happen based on that because we get surprises every year.
20:56Rich Eisen:Mel, you're the man. Thanks for the time. Look for more of my calls between now and Pittsburgh. And, you know, I'm thrilled to be here on ESPN back being teammates with you again, Mel. Great to have you, Rich. Anytime, pal. Anytime. That's Mel Kuyper Jr., the one and only right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Sonny Stiles wearing the star on the side of the helmet. I'm telling you, sir. Oh, boy. Look, there's a lot of talent there that we should be able to get with those two. But Sonny is on my list. Put him, you know, that's exactly who you need. Good Lord, that's exactly who you need in Dallas.
Read the full transcript
21:32Rich Eisen:if Mel pegs that one right as he frequently does you would be oh god him and Overshown oh my goodness gracious him and Keldrick Falk for that position but I'd be happy with either one of them you'd be very very happy I don't think Bane's dropping to you that's for sure yeah that kind of stinks he's too good you're not bad enough that's been the problem though you're right there in the middle right yeah you don't want to be in the middle and don't don't talk to mel about mendoza being less than you just heard that one right yeah okay that was great with mel hopefully we will get more of mel kuyper jr daniel jeremiah is going to be on on friday's show nice so we'll hit up him on all of that we're going to be at the combine all next week tuesday through friday i'll be on nfl network thursday through sunday that's what you do i'm going to be talking a lot about people in spandex running in circles.
22:31Rich Eisen:And straight. So please join me. And straight. And straight. And in circles. Around cones. And jumping. And jumping. Jumping. It's going to be great. 844-204-RICH. Number to dial right here on the Rich Eisen Show. John Cena. What he had to say. Apparently it told a story he's never told to anyone. That's coming up. It's the word.
22:51Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
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23:52Rich Eisen:Families like mine are looking for homes that fit their needs to make new memories in, and your home may be exactly what they're looking for. If you're looking to save up for a new addition to your house or a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see your favorite band in another country, for instance, hosting your house on Airbnb could help you reach those goals. It's easy to list your home for short trips or extended periods of time, allowing your house to earn you some extra money. Make your home work for you while you're away and enjoy the benefits of hosting on Airbnb. Your home may be worth more than you think.
24:26Rich Eisen:Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Get into the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event and get away with a deal so right, it almost feels wrong. Because right now you can get great deals on our most popular models, including our adventure-ready SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Santa Fe Hybrid and the Tucson or Tucson Hybrid. Plus, there's our bold and stylish Elantra loaded with the latest tech. Or go all electric with the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 9. So get down to your local Hyundai dealer and get away with a deal you'll love during the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event. Visit HyundaiUSA.com for details. Back here on our radio simulcast with our ESPN Linear, ESPN the app, and Disney Plus ESPN radio audience.
25:11Rich Eisen:We're one big happy listening and viewing family. Yeah, we are, everybody. All right. Later on in hour number three, as I just mentioned, for the TV side of things, Billy Bob Thornton is going to join us to talk about his mentor, Robert Duvall. Andre Gaines, the director of the Stuart Scott 30 for 30. Booyah will be joining us in hour number three. BYOB. um yeah and i i got i get a lot of texts from people um out of the blue you know watching this documentary saying that they're gutted yeah watching it just out of the blue just watching it you know and um it gives me immense pleasure that uh stewart is being talked about and so uh certainly when uh andre gains is the director of this and he's in the area but we'll have him and he's coming in in about a half an hour's time.
26:02Rich Eisen:So there are 10 new head coaches in national football. Ten. And a new head coach, albeit his second run at being a head coach, for his team, a new head coach made it to the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel. And in my power rankings, there's 10 spots. Oh, no way. Yes, yes, yes. And it's a Wednesday, the day on which I normally do my power rankings. And there's no football being played for a traditional power ranking about which team is better than the other. And so while we're waiting for football to be played again. Six months. That's right. Don't worry. It's going to fly. There's a lot of talking we got to do between now and then.
26:50Rich Eisen:Yeah, a lot of talking. So it's kind of perfect to set this up with Mike Vrabel going from four wins to 14 regular season wins and three more in the playoffs to the Super Bowl that I do a power ranking of teams with this is a mouthful. The power ranking of teams with new head coaches who could make a Vrabel like turnaround. Hit it.
27:21There are many like it, but this one is large. Power rankings.
27:25Rich Eisen:And with the private pile part of our drop for the power rankings, this is Joe Judge's favorite segment on the Rich Eisen Show. Because we're going full metal jacket. Nice. Joe Judge sitting somewhere going, what? Why am I being mentioned? Okay. So there's 10 new head coaches, and I'm ranking them in terms of their chances to make a highly successful, massive turnaround run. So don't be offended here. Somebody's got to be 10th. And I'm putting the Cardinals here. And the reason why I'm putting the Cardinals here is I don't know who their quarterback's going to be. The Jet fan in me sees Nathaniel Hackett being the offensive coordinator saying he's either got a big chip on his shoulder that he needs to prove something, or it didn't work out for a reason in New York.
28:17Rich Eisen:Not to put it on him, but the reason why I'm putting the Cardinals here with Mike LaFleur is because of their division. With all due respect to you, Christopher, one of my favorite posts I saw this week from the Olympics were three speed skaters skating together, and then they all crash, and some guy who was in fourth place goes, hey, I win. and the post was the Patriots making their way through the AFC playoffs. The AFC East, not too deep, a pool. NFC West, there's an undertow. So you're going to have to leapfrog three playoff teams. And don't forget, if the 49ers had won that final Saturday night game against Seattle, the Rams would have been a third-place team in their division.
29:05Rich Eisen:That's how deep the NFC West is. So I'm putting the Cardinals, and they have currently, you got to say currently because a lot's going to change, $40 million in cap space coming. So they have some spending to do. We'll see how they can improve. Number nine on the list, currently with$3.2 million in cap space. I'm putting the Cleveland Browns here. I need to see what Deshaun Watson's going to look like for Todd Monk because I'd be surprised if he doesn't start. What else are they going to do on the offensive side of the ball? Defensively, Jim Schwartz is gone. Okay? So I'm putting Todd Monken's Browns here, ninth on my power rankings.
29:39Rich Eisen:I mean, that's the lowest level of the eye chart there on our graphics. Teams with new head coaches who could make a Vrabel-like turnaround. I can't read any of that. Number eight,$91 million in cap space. The first overall pick in the draft. The new hotshot offensive coordinator becoming the head coach. We saw it happen with Ben Johnson last year in Chicago, hooked up with his first overall selected quarterback. what will Clint Kubiak and Fernando Mendoza look like for the Las Vegas Raiders I'm putting them eighth here again tough division what's up with Max Crosby what moves are they going to make how are they going to draft what are they going to look like um and it would be a surprise I mean don't forget you know the Patriots went back to back four win seasons back to back um I'm excited to see what Kubiak can do there, but I'm putting them eighth on the list here.
30:32Rich Eisen:I'm putting the Titans seventh, which might be too low. It might be too low, and you'll understand why. First of all, I love Robert Sala. Secondly, he is putting together an outstanding staff, and not just because of what they do personally. They're all bald. Chris, right? I gotta say. What a massive blow for the bald brotherhood. What a way for Sala to get the follically challenge all together and say we collectively are the anti-Sampson's. We're strong collectively without hair. You know what I mean? Can we get a call? Can we be like the challenge guy or something? I think Rosala's coming on at the combine next week.
31:11Rich Eisen:We're going to say something to him directly to thank him on behalf of all bald men. Larry, David, me, you. Yep. Keep going. Absolutely. Right? Vin Diesel, The Rock. All of us. Don't say The Rock. He's got hair. The Rock? Yeah, when he has choices. At any rate, listen. He's got to grow hair. 103.5 million in cap space. At Cam Ward year two under Brian Dayball's career. I like Cam Ward next year, yeah. But don't forget, this is a deep end of the pool, too. The AFC South. Everybody looks suddenly like, oh, that division's pretty good. Yeah, they're a higher register division. Number six on the list.
31:49Rich Eisen:Even though they have 3.1 million in cap space right now, when Bradley Chubb and Tyree Kill come off the books, I'm putting the Dolphins here at six. The Dolphins have a pretty good team. I know I went a little high register here. I can't wait to see what Jeff Halfley does with them. I liked him. I did like him when he came on this program. I'm putting the Dolphins here at six to go on a nice run. They're in the AFC East, which, as you know, Chris. Winnable. Is winnable. You can get it. Yeah, I know. And they're not starting from four wins. They're starting from a little higher up. And as we get higher up here, it's going to be less of a four-win big-time shocking turnaround.
32:25Rich Eisen:Number five, now we're in the top five. I'm putting the Steelers here. They've got$45 million in cap space here. They can do some spending. They can get some offensive weapons for Mike McCarthy. If Rodgers comes back and throws it around like he did and slings it around like he did, let's get him some more oomph on offense here, right? Here, coach. Yeah, coach. What are they going to look defensively, though? The Steelers are a complete shrug emoji mystery, man. This picture even is just like, wow, They really hired McCarthy. They did it. It's like, to me, the picture is I've been asleep for a few months and I'm like, wait a second.
33:01Rich Eisen:Mike Tomlin's not there anymore. Right. That too. This doesn't look right. When I was just doing it and coming up, looking at the cap space, I'm like, oh yeah, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. New head coaches. Yeah, buddy. That's weird. Four on the list. Five point one million in cap space. Who once upon a time took a former coach of the year, right? With a quarterback in his second year and some other offensive weapons. Sprinkled in some nice draft choices. With a defense that suddenly came on strong. And went on to win a division and shocked some people. That would be your New England Patriots. Jackson Dart year, too.
33:37Rich Eisen:John Harbaugh, former coach of the year. John Harbaugh coming in. New staff, new way of doing things. New sheriff in big blue country. Defense is kind of ready-made, isn't it? Kind of is. Feels that way, doesn't it? Let's see what the Giants can do. Tough division. I understand. Like these glamour shot coaching portraits we got. Seriously. It's like, you know, like your first day of kindergarten without the sign. Number three on the list,$26.5 million in cap space. I like the Falcons here, guys. I like the Falcons a lot. Usually when you finish strong, you can start strong. They want four in a row to finish the season with everything going, you know, sideways.
34:18Rich Eisen:Who's quarterback? I think it's Cousins. I think they're going to figure out the way to keep him. These two guys worked together in Minnesota and made some nice music. He starts week one? Yeah, I'll betcha. And then what? Penix is the backup? Yeah. Heck yeah. Wow. Yeah. It's in the NFL. I know. As a former Falcon coach once upon a time said what that stands for. I get it. Not for long. You know what I mean? Yeah. And the defense has played like the pass rush exists in Atlanta. Right? They got Bates on the back end. The offense, they might actually be able to improve it a little bit. And Bijan, I mean, good Lord.
34:55Rich Eisen:Bijan. That guy. Isn't it amazing what happens when you give them the ball? Kyle Pitts, free agent. Okay. We'll see. But they're three. I'm going back and forth here on two and one. Take your pick. Right now they're under the cap, which is not good. We'll see what they do. Over the cap. Over the cap, right. That's what I mean. They're a negative digit. They're 12 million under the cap, but they have Josh Allen. And I can't wait to see what the Joe Brady Bills look like. Now, listen, that's the problem with a list like this, is the best chance to go on some incredible run with your new head coach.
35:34Rich Eisen:I mean, the Bills almost made the AFC Championship game. The two teams with MVPs. Right, you know what I mean? Because you know number one is Baltimore. Right. I think Minter in Baltimore has a shot to do some great things. I don't know. Declan Doyle? I'm sorry if I'm botching his name. I should know how to pronounce his name. He's the new 29-year-old offensive coordinator. What's he going to do there, man? Anthony Weaver's joined as the D.C. as well. You know, it's Minter's show right there. Let's get back to some of those Louisville play calls, TJ, for Lamar. Let's go, right? You know, that was fun.
36:09Rich Eisen:I can't wait to see it I think the Ravens 100 % are ready to roll let's get them healthy and let's get Bishotti doing more press conferences come on Steve Tuesdays with Steve Tuesdays with Steve man I think there's fewer things in life he would prefer to do let's see root canal knee replacement didn't Bob Costas once upon a time there are things he would rather do than being on Twitter getting pink eye and social again And that's the same way that I think Bishotti views press conferences. Come on, Steve. Let's get you out there. But that's my power rankings list of new head coaches that can go on a magical run.
36:49Rich Eisen:There's not one more. No, there is not one more. Thank goodness. I don't know. With NFL owners, you don't know. Very diverse. I mean, they can fire anybody anytime. Have your head on a swivel. But, you know, I know the Titans are low on the list, but not above some of these at the top, right? Would you put the Giants below the Titans on a list like this? I know one's going to surprise. No, one of those teams is going to win multiple playoff games, for sure. You think so? Yeah. Well, I mean, the Ravens and the Bills would. Let's remove them. Now we're talking. Now we're talking. Now we're talking.
37:24Rich Eisen:Which team outside of the teams that have done it most recently with MVP quarterbacks who have swapped head coaches, who will have to keep things culture-wise moving in the right direction because it's not like culture-wise things were going poorly. It's just the results weren't happening. They weren't getting over the hump. Are Scadaboo and Malik neighbors fully healthy? Let's say yes. I think the Giants could be a sleeper team. Yep. TJ. Yes. Huh? Do I? Do you agree with that? Much to your Dallas respect? Reluctantly. I'll give you another one. I do have to. I like the Titans, too. Put Malik Willis on Miami and let's go.
38:11Rich Eisen:But who's he throwing the ball to? Well, he's got Waddle. He's got Waddle. Waller's still there, yeah. They've got some other young, fast, wide receivers, and they've got A-Chan. A-Chan, man. Don't forget about him. Yeah, can't forget about him, I guess. Okay, and he's ascending. He is just beginning to show what he can do. He was incredible. Okay, and then maybe add some more? I kind of like the tone. Oh, you just went high register. That the media has right now that we just assume Aaron Rodgers is coming back. I kind of feel that way. Yeah, I think everyone. I haven't really seen any pushback to the contrary.
38:42Rich Eisen:I don't know. So maybe that means that. Well, what do you think? Aaron Rodgers wants to pop up from wherever he is to push back on anything? What does he care? Yeah, he's chilling. No, I imagine he doesn't care. But he has said that he will make an announcement before free agency. Which is three weeks from now. That's soon. Guess what we're going to be talking about all next week? this. This is what we're talking about all next week because the NFL's back next week. The Combine starts essentially in full swing on Tuesday of next week. We're going to be there. Our guest list chock full of GMs and coaches because we're there in a room where it happens which is the podiums.
39:15Rich Eisen:Yeah, in the Starbucks. Can't wait. TJ. You going to throw down? I want to watch people fight. I want one of us to get into a scuffle at the Starbucks. Look, I'm too old to be fighting but I'm down the bus. Oh, that's the one we're looking for. Don't make me Mick Cronin you and throw you out of the combine. You know where you get the best info? Hey, Rich, don't raise your voice to him. I'll show up in my suit. I'll show up in my suit. I will grab you, and I'll say, get him out of here. You know where you get the best info? I'll flagrant to you guys right out of the combine. Steak and shake. That's funny.
39:45Rich Eisen:Underrated place where you see all the coaches. See you there, Mike. I used to love steak and shake late night. Dude. I'm down for a steak and shake late night. I am. Right? Am I right, Rich? Andy Reid strolling into the steak and shake one night, and sharing a steak and a shake with Mooch is one of my favorite memories. But nothing better when Mooch would grab all these giveaway glasses. Yes. And Wade Phillips walked in one night and said to Mooch, where did you get one of those? Are you talking like the name of the restaurant? No, they had like... It was giveaway glasses. If you get enough fries and burgers and shakes, you got a free glass.
40:19Rich Eisen:And Mooch is like, keep loading up on it. And he took them? He had a whole box of them. Because Steve's like, you're going to use that one? I'm like, you can have mine. Mooch is for the people. Well, Mooch is for his grandkids and his kids and whatever. He's collecting them, and I'll never forget. Wade Phillips walked in and goes, where'd you get those? And they had like steak and shake on the side like, at the cash register. Coach. Son of bum. Look, we've all done little restaurant kind of jacking at some point. All right, let's take a break. When we come back, John Cena gave you guys quite an exclusive on No Contest Wrestling.
40:56Rich Eisen:That's next. This is The Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
41:08Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. You know that feeling of handing off your taxes and then hearing nothing? Total radio silence. Well, not anymore. Now your taxes are done for you by a TurboTax full service expert who checks for every deduction and keeps you in the loop with real-time updates on your phone. Just match with your dedicated expert, upload your docs, and go live your life, confident you're getting every dollar you deserve. This is how taxes should be. Visit TurboTax.com today to learn more. Real-time updates only in iOS mobile app. Only available with TurboTax full-service experts. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy.
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42:49Rich Eisen:That's Pella.com slash Eisen. 844-204-RICH-NUMBER-DOWN. Billy Bob Thornton is joining us top of the next hour to talk about the passing of Robert Duvall. Years ago, you started talking wrestling around here, TJ, and I said to you, one day we'll have a podcast on it. Well, first of all, the first time I really start, you kind of rolled your eyes a little bit. No, stop it. Let's talk about the positives, all right? I noticed you loved it. You're passionate about it. O'Shea Jackson Jr. became a friend of the program, connected the two of you guys. No Contest Wrestling was born over a year ago. CM Punk was the first guest, took off.
43:28Rich Eisen:You've been doing stuff for the PLE coverages of ESPN as well. And so you had John Cena in yesterday, correct? Yeah, man, pretty amazing. All right, and he spent two-plus hours here. Unbelievable. You got a setup to the clip here. What are you guys talking about? Yeah, so, you know, we always love it when a guest goes, I've never told anyone this or no one knows this. So what happened was SummerSlam 2021, Cena was going to wrestle Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Championship. Reigns retained the title belt, and then at the end of the match, Brock Lesnar returned to set up a program with Roman later on down the line.
44:06Rich Eisen:And then he actually ended up kind of beating up Cena at the end of the pay-per-view. So O'Shea just randomly just started telling John about how it was his nightmare when Cena came back that year because he was terrified that Cena would, you know, ruin Roman Reigns' championship run, which spanned over a thousand days. And John goes, well, you know what? Nobody knows this, but you were supposed to have a fear sandwich fed to you. And then he went on to tell us the story that he says no one knows. All right. So. there was one last moment of fear that you gave me as a fan boy when your music hit that damn or was it SummerSlam that come back I was like this like of course how poetic that is John to come and take this from Roman right now he's gonna get 17 like I ran it all through I fantasy booked the entire place boy I was so You were close.
45:07Rich Eisen:That night was supposed to go very different. Oh, really? Yeah. You were supposed to get a fear sandwich. What? Yeah. And in the last moment, we had a surprise guest booked. And he came out after the match was over. Brock. Brock. They didn't secure Brock until 5 p.m. that day. And you want to talk about pivoting, right? Yeah. A message to anybody out there listening, thinking I'm talking from a high place or a glass house. I was going to win 17. We were going to have someone come out and restart the match. And Roman was going to take it back. I've never heard this. This is creative. Then we secure Brock and TR comes and said, I need to see we're switching the finish to what Roman over.
46:01Rich Eisen:Yep. Clean. Yep. Okay. what do you want to do? Let me just talk to Roman and Paul. I go in. They're like, you got the news? I said, I got the news. What do we do? I said, one spear. That's it. Whatever match you want to have, that's fine. You beat me with your finish once. I was supposed to win 17 that night. I would have crossed your name until we served from the kitchen. It was a different menu. By the way, I don't think anybody knows that story. Is it NCW exclusive? And you weren't clickbait. Cena was supposed to win 17 way early. Summer of Cena was supposed to be summer 17. Wow. So generous of his time in that story, man.
46:44Rich Eisen:That's cool. Pretty amazing, right? And he dropped some other breadcrumbs throughout the pond? People like to say that John gives corporate answers, but maybe if you ask him dumb questions, you might get a corporate answer. But I'd like to think that we kind of connected with him on just like three guys who love wrestling sitting around chopping it up we don't like to say we interview people we just talk to him and man we talked about everything his love of cars you know um how he got started him living in his car when he first got started working at the gold's gym in venice beach awesome you know up until yesterday so yeah well for everybody uh listening uh to the rich eisen show we'll be back in hour number three with billy bob thornton don't go anywhere
47:51The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
From the publisher
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. and Rich break down his latest mock draft and Big Board rankings of his top 25 players including how teams can mine the depth at wide receiver this year, why the Raiders would be getting a “guaranteed star” by drafting Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, if teams could trade up to select Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah or Ohio State S Caleb Downs, if Alabama QB Ty Simpson will get out of the first round, and how the Seahawks’ Super Bowl win could impact other teams’ draft strategies.
Rich ranks the NFL’s recent head coaching hires in terms of the likelihood one of the ten can pull off a Mike Vrabel/Patriots-like turnaround and take their new team to the Super Bowl in year-one on the job.
TJ and the guys react to John Cena’s appearance on the ‘No-Contest Wrestling’ podcast.
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