00:00And, of course, we have a lot to discuss still about who the Commanders may dial in on,
00:05and that's why we've got Nikki Javala of The Athletic now on the guest hotline.
00:10Good morning, Nikki.
00:11Thank you for your time today.
00:12How are you?
00:14No problem.
00:15Yeah, I'm great.
00:16How are you guys?
00:16We are fantastic.
00:18A one, a three, a five, two sixes, and a seven.
00:21It's not nothing.
00:22It could be more.
00:23We wish it was more, but those are the picks the Commanders have.
00:26You have come out basically with a new sort of angle on there's a strong defense to take.
00:33Who, do you think, or at least what, in those first two picks?
00:39I mean, literally anybody.
00:40I know that's not the answer that anybody wants.
00:43Right.
00:43But, I mean, this is one of those years where they could take, like, any one of 20 picks and
00:50justify it.
00:52But, yeah, my most recent story was focused on three guys in particular.
00:57Because the one word that Dan Quinn and Adam Peters have both used repeatedly throughout the offseason is impact.
01:04They've been looking for that impact player.
01:07And it could be at any position, obviously, because what they've done in free agency is they've addressed every position
01:15of need,
01:15but they haven't completed or finalized every position of need.
01:18They've made each group, I guess you could say, serviceable in a way.
01:23But they don't have that game-changer that they've added.
01:27I think they obviously hope that Adafi Owe turns into that, given the contract they gave him.
01:32But as of now, he's not quite there.
01:35So I focus on three guys, the first of which was Sonny Stiles, who might be my favorite player in
01:41a draft.
01:42I just love the way he plays.
01:44I think he's a good size.
01:44He's a freak athlete, a smart guy on the field.
01:49I just think he would be such a boon to that defense.
01:53You can use him in multiple ways, obviously, with a safety and linebacker background.
01:57Then there's Jeremiah Love, obviously.
02:00I don't know that he needs much explanation anymore.
02:02I just think he's one of those generational type of backs.
02:05I mean, I'm of the camp that you should never take a back in the top ten.
02:10I just think that's silly because so many of them don't get second contracts.
02:15But there are those select few that are next level, and we've seen those.
02:21I think he could be one of those, and I think what he contributes in both the run game and
02:25passing game would be huge for this offense.
02:28And listen, they need another playmaker to complement Terry and Jaden.
02:32And they do, and I think he would be great for that.
02:36And then the third was, you know, I don't fully believe that he'll be there, is the pass rush from
02:43Texas Tech.
02:44And I just think he's a phenomenal player.
02:47I think if you listen to Quinn and to Adam Peters, the one thing they've stressed about pass rushers is
02:54his get-off and their explosiveness.
02:56And he's one of the fastest guys off the line that I've seen in this draft, maybe in the last
03:00couple drafts.
03:01So, yeah, those are my top three.
03:05So, you feel that they put themselves in that position where they're not forced to have to go for a
03:09particular position or person,
03:11but they can go with the best player available, you think?
03:15Yeah.
03:16I mean, if they take that corner, I would not be surprised.
03:18If they take Sonny Stiles, I would not be surprised.
03:20If they take another pass rusher, I would not be surprised.
03:23Because, yes, they got a dafeo away.
03:25They signed two other guys that are new, but those two guys were on one-year deals.
03:29Drake Jackson, Dietrich Wise, one-year deals.
03:32Deron Payne's in the final year of his deal.
03:34So, you're looking for not just this year, but two, three years down the road.
03:38And that's a premium position where they've lacked star power for years.
03:42They need to find some more elite talent there, more consistent talent that they can develop and grow there.
03:48So, yeah, none of those positions would shock me.
03:50Receiver would not surprise me.
03:53You know, obviously, Jeremiah Love.
03:55Like, I think the only position that would truly blow my mind would be tackle.
04:00And, you know.
04:00Oh, God.
04:02Like a left tackle.
04:03Yeah, exactly.
04:04That's truly the only position that I could be like, what are we doing here, you know?
04:08Yeah, yeah.
04:09But teams have done that before.
04:11I've seen it over and over where teams keep their real intentions super under wraps,
04:16and they go very contrarian to what the consensus opinion is.
04:20But we're not saying well to the fans because we know what the needs are.
04:23No, I mean, you just locked up Laramie Thompson and he drafted Josh Conner.
04:27Right.
04:28Okay, so.
04:29That's literally the only position.
04:30All right, so walk me through this.
04:32This is probably a me problem, Nicky, but I still have Jamin Davis PTSD.
04:37He was the 19th overall pick.
04:39He's a different player, different regime that drafted him.
04:42Why is Sonny Stiles not that kind of a pick?
04:44Like, just because he's a not-quite-edge-rushing linebacker.
04:49Yeah, I mean, he wore the green dot for Ohio State last year.
04:53I think you've got to look at the full body of his tape and look at his ability to read
04:56and react.
04:57Like, he's able to diagnose things much more quickly.
05:00I think Jamin was – he's another freak athlete, obviously,
05:03but he only had a year of experience at the position at Kentucky.
05:08And although Sonny Stiles played two years of safety, I think there's sort of a blend there.
05:13And I just think he's an exceptional player.
05:15And you can just look at the tape to see.
05:17He's always in the right position.
05:20So, yeah, I think he would be really good for that.
05:23What do you laugh about, B.
05:24Nicky, I'm laughing because I remember when they drafted Jamin and they talked about he had checked –
05:31he covered Kyle Pitts in college.
05:34I think Kyle Pitts had two or three touchdowns on him, two touchdowns on him for a hundred and something
05:39yards.
05:39I'm like, why would you tell people to look at that?
05:41And then he got here, we saw exactly that.
05:43He got burned all the damn time.
05:46So, yeah.
05:47Sonny is not that person, believe me.
05:48Sonny doesn't look at the right thing.
05:50That's why I got PTSD on him.
05:53But, again, different regime.
05:55He's not that.
05:56No, he's not that.
05:57No, no, no.
05:59All right, you say the trade-up prospects are limited, it looks like, in terms of teams.
06:04Is that solely a function of the thin quarterback market at the top of the draft?
06:10I think.
06:11I mean, like, it's a deep pass, I think, last year.
06:14So, you know, teams are going to trade up for usually a quarterback in the first round.
06:18You don't want to give up a haul if it's not for that.
06:20But, like, you know, maybe it's an exceptional pass rusher.
06:23I mean, I don't – how many times have teams traded up in the first round for a running back?
06:27I don't know.
06:29But I would be hard-pressed to see a team really move up.
06:32But, you know, it could happen.
06:34Is there a player that if they slip from what the consensus is down to seven,
06:40then the commanders may have to rethink their entire thinking?
06:45Like, let's say Arvell Reese slips to seven.
06:48Does he become the guy?
06:51Well, if he slips to seven, I don't think that changes their approach entirely.
06:56I mean, I think anybody in the top 15 is fair game.
06:58Okay.
06:58And I think they would have to view it that way.
07:00Yeah.
07:01Is there anyone that's currently considered to be – he's not going to be there
07:04when they draft, so don't even think about him.
07:08But maybe he is, and then you're like, oh, damn, we got to go get him.
07:15Maybe Arvell Reese, Jeremiah Love.
07:19I mean, I'm trying to think of the ones – because outside of Mendoza,
07:22there's not really a consensus of who's going to even go in the top three.
07:25So it's – I don't know that anybody could really be a surprise outside of that.
07:29So you think if Love is sitting there, he'll be too –
07:32like, do you think he'll be too much for the commanders to pass on if he's sitting there?
07:37None of the mocks say he'll be there.
07:39But what if Love is sitting there and somebody else that they felt is a better need?
07:45Oh, I would hope that somebody else gets really horny behind them
07:49and starts throwing picks at them like Mardi Gras beads.
07:52That's what I would hope.
07:54But I'm not sure either of those scenarios will happen.
07:58Yeah, I don't know about that.
08:00But, like – I mean, honestly, I don't know.
08:02I don't think they know, you know.
08:04I think they don't have an idea of how the top six are going to fall.
08:09Yeah.
08:09That's why I feel like with it being so open, you know,
08:13they may not find out until they're on the clock.
08:15Do NFL teams think that wide receivers are more commoditized now
08:20because of the proliferation and pro-passing systems in college
08:24and that while the certain elite ones are worth taking very high,
08:28that there's a lot of guys that end up being third-rounders like Terry McLaurin
08:33that are really, really good?
08:34Do they believe that, or is the thinking still the best or still the best?
08:41I think it depends on the year, really, and the player.
08:44I mean, I feel like, you know, there are some that are next-level players.
08:48And then, like Terry, I think he was miscast coming into the draft.
08:53Like, he was viewed as a special teamer, and he's a damn good receiver.
08:59And I think that's what contributed to his status.
09:02But I think that was even after he pulled it up with his performances
09:07in the senior bowl and everything like that.
09:09So, I don't know.
09:10I think it kind of goes by demand and by the players each year.
09:13I do think there's – I do think they're generally viewed as more valuable
09:18than running backs still just because, like you said, it is a passing league.
09:21But, again, it depends on the player.
09:23I mean, do you – is Carnell Tate more valuable than Jeremiah Love?
09:26I don't know.
09:29But, like, when you look at this team, look at them last year.
09:32All right, go to 2024, go to 2025.
09:35What you think needs to change systemically to make sure that this team
09:40get back to what they were in 2024?
09:44The defense needs to clean up.
09:47I mean, just like the fundamental things were sort of baffling over the last year.
09:51I mean, they missed – how many tackles?
09:53I'm scared to go back and look.
09:55So, things like that.
09:57I mean, and they had so many injuries that, like, Frankie Louisville was out of position
10:01most of the season out of necessity.
10:04But just, you know, guys getting on the same page.
10:07I felt like, you know, seeing Mikey Sanders still, seeing Quan Martin take a significant
10:10step back last season was really disconcerting.
10:13So, getting them back up to speed and really starting to develop talent back there because
10:19I felt like after year one, those two were on the path to becoming sort of staples on the
10:25defense.
10:26But after year two, you start to question, like, okay, well, what did they really have
10:30on this roster outside of Jaden and Perry for a couple years?
10:34So, they really need to start to develop, like, their longer-term pieces.
10:39And then on offense, I just think they need another playmaker.
10:43You know, especially with Zach Ertz gone now and, like, he was one of their primary pass
10:48catchers, especially late in the season when so many guys were injured.
10:52You know, you hope that the new tight end, Shag, can, you know, really step into that role
10:56and be an impact player.
10:57But they need sort of that playmaker, that another threat, you know, outside of Terry.
11:04All right.
11:05We'll see if anything shakes free in the final two weeks here.
11:08But I think the cake is mostly baked on people's opinions.
11:12And we don't know who they really like.
11:14We'll find out in about two weeks.
11:15I'll be in Pittsburgh to try to see what they're going to do.
11:18You're going?
11:19Yeah.
11:19What you going to be doing?
11:21Doing some shows and hanging out.
11:23Are you and J.P. going to be there?
11:26Is this show going to be from there?
11:30Well, one day I think so, for sure.
11:32Nikki, you're going, I assume?
11:35I'm not.
11:35I say in Ashburn.
11:36Okay.
11:37That's fine.
11:37That's a better place to cover it.
11:39I went to the draft last year in Green Bay for the first time, and I was like,
11:43God bless all the fans who come to this.
11:44I don't get it.
11:45It is a –
11:46Yeah.
11:47Yeah, wait till next year in D.C.
11:48I know.
11:48Well, you know, it'll be a great spectacle.
11:51And I think a lot of people will love it.
11:52I'm just saying it's not really my thing.
11:55Yeah, I'm the same.
11:56Let's hope the weather is good.
11:57Yeah, I prefer heat and, you know, the comfort and dinner.
12:02Amen to that.
12:03Right.
12:03And ample restrooms within a short walk.
12:06I need to be inside.
12:08That's the only thing I care about, being inside.
12:10All right.
12:10Very good.
12:11Yeah.
12:11Nikki, we appreciate your time as always.
12:14All right.
12:15Thank you, guys.
12:15Nikki Javala from the F-H-O-N-E-C.
12:18That'd be at Nikki J-H-A-B-V.
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