00:00You want Stephon Gilmore? You want Micah Parsons back?
00:04Or Fred Warner?
00:06We got the NFL draft comps that I'm absolutely in love with.
00:09We're Inside the Star.
00:11And we're going to be talking about insiders coming up at 640
00:14with the Mike Vrabel story that Atolo is already asking about
00:18and I saw Pepe respond to on the Franklin Franklin text line.
00:22I cannot wait.
00:23The Mike Vrabel scandal at 640.
00:26Emmett Smith sits down with us at 720.
00:30Sean Treef, RJ Choppy, and Insider Bobby Belt.
00:34You forgot my name?
00:35No, I was trying to stress Insider.
00:37I'm doing my jokes still.
00:39Okay, okay, okay.
00:40Roberto, update us on the latest Cowboy visits.
00:44All right, so Nick Harris had the latest updates here.
00:48The Cowboys spent the last pair of weekends,
00:49they've hosted over a dozen draft prospects to the facility,
00:52getting them poked, prodded, having them do whiteboard stuff,
00:57various things just to kind of get to know these players.
00:59And as it stands now, there are 17 visits on this list.
01:04And the Cowboys...
01:06They're supposed to be 30?
01:07Yeah.
01:07They'll get to the rest of them throughout the next weekend or so.
01:11How many times have one of our teams never used all 30?
01:16That would drive me crazy if they did.
01:18I think sometimes, like, the furthest you could go,
01:22like, I've seen some times where teams, like, 29 of 30,
01:26but I think in a lot of instances they used that 30th
01:29and they just didn't, it didn't get reported.
01:32So it was like when they snuck in.
01:34And I wonder how often a team takes someone.
01:37Haven't the Cowboys done this a couple times?
01:39They drafted someone they didn't visit with
01:41to throw everyone off the scent?
01:43Sometimes.
01:44That's not used as much.
01:45It's been, they've been quiet about their interactions with somebody.
01:50But generally, they don't try to just completely avoid a player.
01:52The only time they'll avoid a player is just they're comfortable with who they are.
01:57They've gotten this or that all figured out.
01:59But generally, I remember I asked somebody about that at one point.
02:02I was like, wouldn't it make sense to do this
02:04and kind of throw teams off if they look at your 30-visit list?
02:07And they were like, there's 250 players that are going to get drafted or whatever,
02:12and we get to visit 30 of them, that's too few opportunities for us to play with them.
02:17Like, we've got to know who these guys are.
02:18And so this is what they've got so far.
02:20They've got 17 players that they've visited.
02:23Ohio State linebacker Arvel Reese, Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey.
02:27Those are the two that stand out for, those don't seem like those would be in your range.
02:31Ohio State linebacker Sonny Stiles, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs,
02:34LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper,
02:38Toledo safety Emanuel McNeil-Warren, Arizona defensive back trade Ann Stooks,
02:42Miami cornerback Keontae Scott, Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter,
02:46USC safety Kamari Ramsey, Texas Tech defensive end Romello Hite,
02:50Central Florida defensive end Nigelie Kelly,
02:53and Louisville defensive tackle Renee Conga.
02:55And so if you'll notice out of those 17,
02:57and they've added to that also at the very tail end here,
03:00Brandon Cisse, cornerback from South Carolina,
03:02and Texas A&M defensive end Cassius Hout.
03:04But if you'll notice from that entire list, there is one offensive player,
03:08so it's all defense, but there's a clear focus on the defensive side of the ball here,
03:13and I don't know why Omar Cooper is the one offensive player that they visited,
03:16a guy who's projected to go in the mid to late first round as a receiver.
03:21But there is no Jermod McCoy on this list.
03:24There is no Reuben Bain on this list yet.
03:27Mmm.
03:29And the noise is starting to pick up.
03:31I saw Nick Harris as well in his latest mailbag basically say
03:35the Cowboys are not interested in Jermod McCoy.
03:40I don't know if he was saying 20, but I think he was saying first round basically.
03:44First round, Jermod McCoy not happening.
03:47That is what I am 95% believing heading into this.
03:51I know you had a little problem with that yesterday.
03:53My issue with that is, you know, it's like we're just –
04:01he obviously hasn't played, so we don't know.
04:05To me, the draft is a risk anyway, right?
04:09So you can add more risk.
04:10I don't consider injuries to be a risk necessarily.
04:13It's 2026.
04:15Like, I just look at it like, you know –
04:18Did you think Jalen Smith was a risk?
04:21I don't remember.
04:22I mean, I don't remember.
04:23He had nerve – like, it was a – he had dropped foot.
04:26That was different.
04:28I – you know, if I hear the same thing about this, that he's got –
04:32Yeah, which I don't think he does.
04:33He's got nerve damage and dropped foot.
04:34Which I don't think he does, but clearly there's like a line for you with injuries at some point.
04:38Yeah, like something like that.
04:39Yeah, that would be – that would be different.
04:41So if – if let's say he fell to the second round as like the no-doubt most talented corner
04:45in the draft
04:46when corner is such a premium position, wouldn't that signal to you like it must not be good
04:51if all of them are passing?
04:53If Fernando Mendoza was coming off – it had Tommy John surgery, I still would draft the number one.
05:00If he had rotator cuff surgery and it was Chad Pennington's arm, I could – I could – I would
05:07say probably not.
05:08Hmm.
05:08I don't think – I don't think I could – I mean, if – I guess it would depend on
05:12what doctors looked at
05:13and they said what they had to say about it.
05:15Do you think McCoy and Bane will end up on their visit list?
05:18I would – I think so.
05:21I'm really surprised.
05:22Have you heard anything about them with Bane?
05:25About what they feel about him?
05:26Yeah.
05:26I think they like him.
05:28Okay.
05:28And so that's one of the things that's a little bit – because I think there's stuff that they'd want
05:32to sit down
05:33and talk to him about.
05:34But, again, they've got 13 more visits.
05:37Just because they haven't visited with him yet doesn't mean they haven't – or that they're not going to.
05:41Fernando Mendoza is not going to be attending the NFL draft,
05:46so you will not be getting the pictures and the video of the bro hug with the commissioner.
05:52RJ, you have a little bit of an issue with this, like Drake told?
05:55It's not an issue.
05:56I kind of hate it.
05:57I kind of hate it.
05:58I don't love it.
05:59I don't have an issue with it because I get – I get there's extenuating circumstances.
06:04His mom.
06:04His mom had an MS and being in a wheelchair.
06:07It's a three-hour flight from Miami to Pittsburgh.
06:09So six hours on a plane for mom probably isn't great.
06:13To me, like, the draft, like, the handshake is special.
06:17Like, the number one picks have said, like, that's one of the things there.
06:22Maybe the thing they remember about draft night is, like, greeting the commissioner.
06:26That's a cool moment for the player that he'll probably never forget, for the fans.
06:33But, like, I get it, right?
06:35I mean, you've got issues at home.
06:38You have health issues at home.
06:39And he wouldn't be the first number one pick.
06:42I had to go back.
06:43I forgot that Trevor Lawrence skipped.
06:45I didn't – that wasn't COVID, I don't think.
06:48But I forgot that he had skipped the draft when he did.
06:52And he was just having a party.
06:53And now everyone's got their own camera setups.
06:56They all have their own social media teams.
06:58Yeah.
06:58They all have their own marketing.
06:59They want to own the marketing.
07:01I just hope, like – you know, and Fernando's not the kind of guy that –
07:05I mean, he'll love being with his family anyway.
07:07But, like, do you look back at 10 years, you're like, ah, should have gone to the draft.
07:11Yeah, I don't care whatsoever.
07:12For self, I'm not going to say anything negative about my godson –
07:16my son-in-law – son-in-law to be.
07:19Hopefully, one day.
07:20I don't care about the age difference.
07:22But, no, man, Fernando can do whatever he wants.
07:25I'm good.
07:25Trying to see who else.
07:27So, it's been Trevor Lawrence.
07:30Miles Garrett skipped the draft as the number one pick.
07:33Baker Mayfield skipped the draft as the number one pick.
07:35See, you don't even remember.
07:36I don't remember, no.
07:37I think Trayvon Walker skipped.
07:41That's because nobody expected him to be number one.
07:43Baker skipped because he was remaking the Favre video.
07:46Baker skipped the draft, and it was in Texas where he lives.
07:50So, it was in Arlington, and he skipped.
07:53ESPN, and you don't care, Bobby?
07:55No, especially who it is and everything we've learned about.
08:00Like, any question of, like, is this ego,
08:02or are you just thinking you're bigger than the guy?
08:04Like, it's any sort of slight question that might exist with that.
08:07You throw out the door and you remember, oh, yeah, it's Fernando Mendoza,
08:10and that's not anything like what he is.
08:12Yeah, no, I didn't think ego at all.
08:15The first thing I thought of was, like, okay, does he put family ahead of football?
08:18And some idiot football guy is going to have a problem with that.
08:20Well, Drake Tull is going to win on Friday.
08:21I can tell you when I play the audio.
08:23What was his issue?
08:25I genuinely still can't figure it out.
08:27Just he's like, some things are bigger than you, okay?
08:31I don't think he's being ego-driven about it, but he's being overly analytical.
08:34I don't care that you don't like the spotlight.
08:36Your life is the spotlight now.
08:39He's getting roasted.
08:40Should have stayed in that 400-person Arkansas town.
08:43He's getting roasted on the fan text.
08:46Okay, ESPN with NFL draft comps.
08:49I absolutely love these.
08:50Are they unfair?
08:51Yeah, probably.
08:53But I think you should do comps to try to project.
08:58I'll just rip some off.
09:00Y'all stop and start wherever you want.
09:03Keldrick Falk to Cam Jordan.
09:06Jordan Tyson to Jerry Judy.
09:09Omar Cooper to Rasheed Rice.
09:10I don't have Judy as the comp.
09:12Now, some people don't see the ones that I do, but when I watch Jordan Tyson play, when he's healthy,
09:17he looks like Malik Nabors to me.
09:18Oh, that's good.
09:20Oh, wow.
09:21Arvell Reese to Micah Parsons.
09:24Wow.
09:24Does Arvell disappear in big games?
09:26This is through the prism of Parsons as a prospect in 2021.
09:32At 6'3", 246, Parsons ran a 4'3", 6'40".
09:36At his pro day, he flashed elite pass rush skills.
09:40Six and a half career sacks at Penn State.
09:42Remember that, y'all.
09:42Six and a half career stats.
09:44When we were arguing with Brad Sham and others over him just being strictly a linebacker.
09:50Props to the Cowboys for turning him into a pass rusher.
09:536'4", 241 for Reese.
09:55Ran a 4'4", 6 at the combine.
09:57He's also flashing elite finish in pass rush.
10:00Seven career sacks.
10:01Like Parsons, some teams might give both elements a long look for Reese, but the Ohio State defender won't be
10:0721 until August, and the possibilities are intriguing.
10:10Rice might be the best pure prospect in this class.
10:14Wow, yeah.
10:15Did not have a single sack in the last six games, including Michigan, Indiana, and Miami.
10:19John Owning has been very, John Owning has hit the brakes significantly on, like, he likes Reese, but he's like,
10:26do not think this is some, like, there's some concern about the way he finished the season as a pass
10:31rusher.
10:31And he was asked to pass rush a lot more than Micah was in college.
10:35Micah blitzed, generally, but I think Jeff Legwald's forgetting that a little bit in terms of, like, oh, teams thought
10:40of Micah as both ways.
10:41They really didn't.
10:42They thought of Micah as a linebacker, but that's a good comp if you just think of who he was
10:45as a prospect entering the draft.
10:47Kyle Lewis compared, or excuse me, Lewis Riddick compares Kyle Lewis to Derrick Brooks?
10:52Okay, I love Kyle Lewis as a prospect.
10:54I would not have compared him to Derrick Brooks, and if you're comparing him to Derrick Brooks, I feel like
10:59Lewis Riddick should have him at the top 15.
11:01Yeah, what round is he projected from Pitt?
11:05And he, to me, is a really nice fit for some of the modern NFL stuff because he's considered a
11:11hybrid safety linebacker, and I think he's a really strong player.
11:13Matt Bowen compares Chris Bell to A.J. Brown, also Sonny Stiles to Fred Warner.
11:22Woo!
11:23That's strong.
11:24If you can add Fred Warner to this defense, I would take it.
11:28Circling back at the very top on the one that you said, Keldrick Falk to Cameron Jordan, there's a lot
11:33of hate for Keldrick Falk right now.
11:35I do wonder if they were to get truly wiped out at 12, like they were to just lose out
11:40on other guys, if that would be their...
11:42All right, well, we're sitting here.
11:43Let's make this pick.
11:44Choppy, you will be pleased to hear Fernando Mendoza to Matt Ryan.
11:50That from Mike Tannenbaum.
11:52I like Matt Ryan.
11:53And I like the Kirk Goff comp better.
11:59But, Matt, I mean, look, I mean, the Raiders fall into something nice.
12:04If you're going to take Matt Ryan.
12:06Mina Kimes says Jermaud McCoy to Stephon Gilmore.
12:11Watch McCoy's 2024 tape, and you'll see many of the qualities that made Gilmore an elite man corner in New
12:18England.
12:18Size, physicality at the line of scrimmage, fluid footwork, and recovery speed.
12:22Time will tell if his ball skills are comparable, but the Tennessee standout recorded four picks that season and was
12:27consistently in position to make plays.
12:30Reuben Bain to Brandon Graham.
12:34So, I've heard Bain and Graham before.
12:39I don't remember that.
12:40Like, I mean, I didn't study Graham when he was coming out, but I guess, I mean, I can see
12:44it with just the build, how it looks similar.
12:46But, again, it's really tough to comp Bain to anybody because he is different than anything we've seen.
12:53T-Rex.
12:53We just have not seen anybody with his profile in the NFL before.
12:57And so, it's tough to say, yeah, he's like this guy.
13:01McCoy, Gilmore?
13:03That sounds awesome.
13:05Gilmore's knees worked.
13:07If he can actually be out there on the field.
13:10Inside the star on.
13:11Your official home of the Cowboys with the path to the draft brought to you by Pluckers just a couple
13:17weeks away.
13:17All right, so you get, let's just take injuries out of this.
13:20You get the next ten years.
13:21Do you want Fred Warner, Stephon Gilmore, Micah, or Brandon Graham?
13:26Micah.
13:28Yeah, Micah.
13:31And then it's either Warner or Gilmore.
13:33It'd be Warner to me over Gilmore, I think.
13:35Like, Gilmore because of position.
13:37I'm, like, Fred Warner.
13:39Fred's great.
13:40I'm in love with Fred Warner.
13:41I love him too much.
13:43I hate that he's on Sam Fran.
13:44No, I think if you could put a Warner in your defense, I think that just settles so many.
13:50All right, just let's focus on other things.
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