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105.7 The Fan Ravens reporter Cordell Woodland breaks down what he learned from Eric DeCosta and the Ravens in today's press conference ahead of next week's NFL Draft.
Transcript
00:00Joining us now to talk about what happened this afternoon out at One Winning Drive with the Liars Luncheon.
00:06How many lies were being told? How many truths were part of the equation from Fresh Take Sports?
00:12He's our colleague here on 105.7 The Fan. Let's welcome back to the show.
00:16Window Nation guest hotline, Cordell Woodland.
00:19And Cordell, first of all, what's happening?
00:21What's up, Bob? What's going on, man? I'm good.
00:23The weather broke. I got on shorts today, man, so I'm good.
00:27Hey, Royals just tied it up, too. Two to two. Jeremiah Jackson, RBI single, baby.
00:32Now, it was Jesse Minter's first go-around in this Liars Luncheon kind of thing.
00:36Was he just kind of along for the ride?
00:39Because, you know, just looking at some of the quotes, I don't see any from him.
00:43So what was that like from a Minter perspective, just sitting around staring at stuff?
00:48I mean, it was, as you can imagine, pretty dominated by questions for Eric DaCosta.
00:55So Jesse Minter, he got a few.
00:58But, you know, even he acknowledged that he's going to let Eric DaCosta kind of run the show when it
01:05comes to the draft.
01:06He'll be there as support.
01:08Very mild-mannered guy, you know.
01:11So he's not the most enthusiastic, I guess, when you talk to him.
01:16But I think right now, you know, this is Eric's season.
01:20And so a lot of the questions were for Eric because he's going to be the guy that's hitting the
01:25button during draft weekend.
01:27What did he say, DaCosta, Cordell, about draftable players?
01:31I mean, the Ravens have 11 picks throughout the seven rounds here.
01:36What did he say?
01:36How many draftable players are on their board as we're eight days away from it?
01:41Yeah, he said a little under 200.
01:43If I remember correctly, I think he said about 197 or something like that.
01:48So, you know, I think he said that's around maybe where it's been in the past for them.
01:55But, yeah, I mean, you know, under 200.
01:57And the board will dictate how many of those guys will be available for them.
02:01They do have multiple fifth-round picks, but you've got to hit on a lot of these early picks
02:08and definitely get some of your bang-for-your-buck type of value picks in the middle to late rounds
02:14as well.
02:14But he also talked about just how the percentage, which you would imagine,
02:18the hit percentage on some of these draft picks as you get after the fourth round, it drastically drops.
02:24So that's why scouting is so important.
02:26And that's, you know, also why other teams making mistakes on draft night is important, too,
02:34because it allows you to be able to get a guy that maybe you thought wasn't going to be there.
02:39But he also talked about just the importance of, you know, hitting on these picks.
02:44And he talked about challenging his scouts to be able to find some of those gems in the mid to
02:49later rounds
02:50that they can, you know, get production out of as early as this year.
02:54Is he inclined, maybe, based on what you heard today, Cordell, to keep the 11 picks?
02:59Because he used any of those as chess pieces, 14th pick overall, but only one second-round pick,
03:05one third-round pick, one fourth-round pick.
03:08Is he just hell-bent on keeping the 11 that he has right now?
03:11Well, he didn't committee the way he did.
03:14You know, he said they have 11 picks.
03:16And come draft weekend, they could end up with 14 picks, or they could end up with six picks.
03:21I mean, so, it lets you know that he understands the options that they have at their disposal right now.
03:28I think they're going to be their typical selves, though.
03:31You know, I wouldn't expect there to be a ton of movement.
03:34I am intrigued to see, though, and Vinny did ask him about, you know,
03:38the potential of maybe moving up in the first round if there's a guy that falls out of the top
03:43ten
03:44that you didn't expect to be there.
03:45So, you know, I'm intrigued to see what happens if maybe, like, a Reuben Bain falls to 11 or 12.
03:53Like, are they willing to make the call and move up and go get that guy?
03:58Or if it's a lineman, you know, one of these guys, one of these guards end up falling out of
04:04the top ten,
04:04or maybe there's a receiver there and there's a run going on a receiver and they really like one of
04:09them.
04:09You know, they make a move.
04:11I'm not sure.
04:12But I am curious to see what happens if there's a guy that they love that's sitting there two to
04:17three picks away.
04:18They already showed us they're willing to move off of these first-round picks with the Crofton trade.
04:23And DaCosta has said that he is still looking for another edge rusher to pair with Mike Green and Trey
04:30Hendrickson.
04:31So, I am kind of, you know, prepared for anything when it comes to the first round
04:37and depending on who falls out of the top ten to see if maybe they do break tenancy again this
04:42offseason
04:42and maybe move up.
04:44Cordell Woodland joining us here.
04:45Bob Haney, Nolan McGraw talking about the Liars' luncheon, which was completed about a half hour or so ago
04:50at one winning drive.
04:52We know that Isaiah likely's gone.
04:54Charlie Kohler's gone.
04:55They did keep Mark Andrews, extending him at the end of the season.
04:59He said, how prominent is tight end possibly going to be?
05:02Maybe, probably, Cordell for the Ravens in this year's draft.
05:06Yeah, I mean, I think without a doubt they're definitely going to take a couple of tight ends.
05:10I mean, when DaCosta came on the first take about a month ago now,
05:14he said that they could take two tight ends in the draft.
05:18And today he said he feels like the tight end class is really good.
05:21Of course, King and Sadiq has kind of been mocked to them in a couple of these mock drafts at
05:2614.
05:28That's kind of like become the dark horse pick for me.
05:31I'm not expecting that to be the pick, but would it shock me if it was?
05:35Not as much these days.
05:37So, and I think they understand how important the tight end position has been for them.
05:42And they've earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to drafting tight ends,
05:46no matter where they draft them.
05:47They have become kind of tight end you, so to speak, because they know how to draft these tight ends
05:54and they know how to develop them.
05:55And the tight end position is such a focal point for their offense, both in run blocking and also as
06:01a receiver.
06:02So, we know they gave the extension to Mark, but I think we can all agree it doesn't seem like
06:08athletically
06:09Mark is trending in the right direction.
06:11I still think Mark can play, and I think everybody on the offense is capable, more capable of what they
06:18showed
06:19outside of what they showed last year.
06:21But no doubt, I think they need to start preparing for the future,
06:24and it wouldn't hurt them to go get a tight end that maybe has the upside to where they can
06:31surpass Mark Andrews
06:32as early as this year.
06:34Cordell, what did Eric have to say about the best player available mentality for this year's draft?
06:39Is that still kind of how the Ravens are going to roll right now?
06:43Yeah, I would expect so.
06:45I mean, he talked about trying to, you know, pair that with a need as well, which is what they
06:51all try to do.
06:52But, you know, obviously, I think Jonas asked him the question about it.
06:57Like, he's not going to go draft Caleb Downs, understanding that he has Kyle Hamilton
07:02and they have Malachi Starks and Jalen Hawkins as well.
07:07So, you know, I think within reason, best player available will still be a part of their mantra.
07:13So if Ruben Bain is the best player available at 14, I would see them going there.
07:18If they think Kenyon Sadica is the best player available, I could see that happening.
07:25If Ione is there, like, they could go with the linemen, like, any receivers.
07:29I just don't think any of those types of positions are off the table when it comes to the first
07:35-round pick.
07:36Now, only the things I feel comfortable saying that they're probably not going to draft in the first round
07:41is quarterback and running back right now.
07:44And probably linebacker unless Sonny Stiles ends up falling down to them.
07:49And I don't see that happening.
07:50No, that would be a have to trade up significantly to get a guy moving Sonny Stiles.
07:55All right, anything about Lamar's contract brought up today?
07:59Shockingly, no.
08:00Shockingly, no.
08:01Everything was...
08:02I think that's kind of a situation where it just is what it is.
08:07They're probably not going to say much about it anyway.
08:11I think people are kind of just letting that play itself out for now.
08:15They said their piece on that at various points this offseason.
08:19So today actually was 100% just about the draft.
08:23And as you were there, you know, and I'm sure you were doing a little research,
08:27anything about the new uniforms, which will be busted out tomorrow.
08:31And as we've said, if they're having a big to-do out at Merriweather, this isn't tweakage.
08:36This might be kind of a significant overall going on here.
08:39Yeah, I mean, look, to their credit, they've been really tight-lipped on, you know, what's going on with these
08:45jerseys.
08:46But I've seen some things a little bit.
08:49I haven't seen any pictures.
08:51I'll say that.
08:52I haven't seen any pictures or anything of the jersey.
08:54But, you know, I've found out a little bit of nuggets in terms of maybe some of the details in
09:00it.
09:01So I'm curious to see what it looks like tomorrow night.
09:04Of course, they'll have the big event out at Merriweather.
09:06We'll be on air, me and Ben tomorrow from 6 to 8.
09:09So as soon as they showcase them, and I'm sure the pictures will be all over social media,
09:14we'll definitely have a lot to say about them.
09:16You see your commanders brought the spear back.
09:19And their alternate helmet there.
09:21Well, they could only go up from how the jerseys have looked in the last few years.
09:26Every time I buy a jersey, they come out with a new one.
09:29So I think I'm going to give this one a couple of years to breathe and see if they change
09:34it again.
09:35But I love the spear.
09:36I like the throwback ones that they wore.
09:38I think back in, like, 2000 or 2001, they just went straight burgundy with the spear on their helmet.
09:44So anything's better than what they've had here the last couple of years.
09:48He's Cordell Woodland.
09:49Remember, as he just said, tomorrow night, Fresh Take Sports.
09:52He and Ben Hall talking about the Ravens breaking out their new uniforms.
09:55And who knows what the Orioles are going to be doing tomorrow night.
09:58Taking on the Cleveland Guardians.
09:59Cordell, appreciate the time as always.
10:01Enjoy the rest of your Woman Crush Wednesday.
10:04Yeah, appreciate it.
10:05And also, quick nugget on our show tomorrow.
10:07We'll have a new safety for the Ravens.
10:09Jalen Hawkins joining the program tomorrow.
10:13So haven't gotten to talk to him since he's joined the Ravens this offseason.
10:17So we'll get to hear from him tomorrow night.
10:18All right, man.
10:19Sounds awesome.
10:19By the way, Arizona just took the lead 3-2.
10:21All right, Cordell, we'll talk to you.
10:23Thanks.
10:24Thanks, Bob.
10:24You got it.
10:25You got it.
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