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Steve Czaban joins The Sports Junkies to break down Sonny Styles to Washington.
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00:00All right, let's check in with our pal Steve Zabin, see what he thinks about what the Commanders did at
00:05number seven.
00:07Zabin, are you with EB who believes that Sonny Styles is a project?
00:13I saw that from EB, and I was like, wait, what? Where did this come from?
00:18I guess you guys had on somebody who pretty much said project this past week.
00:24Is that where it came from?
00:25I don't know if it came from, we did have one guy, Daniel Kelly, first-round mock, who's very controversial.
00:31He thinks Caleb Williams is a bust.
00:33He's got a long lines of controversial takes.
00:38Zabin, Daniel Kelly thought that Spencer Rattler was the best quarterback of the class two years ago.
00:43And he thought Carson Beck was the best quarterback in this one.
00:46He's got some wild takes.
00:47I don't think he thought Kelly was a project, but Eric has a couple of friends who are big Buckeye
00:54fans.
00:54Yes, they're in his brain, I guess.
00:56And they told him, you know, Reese and Styles, they could be good, but they're projects.
01:00So that's why he says that.
01:01Okay, yeah.
01:02Well, as soon as I saw that from State King, I dove into the comments because I had to be
01:07like, okay, I'm in the comments section.
01:09What's going on here?
01:10And that's where I sort of sussed out that there was a guest you guys had that turned him off
01:15on Styles.
01:16I think there was some of that.
01:18There was some of that.
01:18Now, EB claims that he watched highlights.
01:22Let's be real.
01:23We know he didn't watch the hours of tape, though.
01:26He said that Sonny Stiles looks like a basketball player.
01:29Right.
01:30I was stunned at 6'5".
01:32When they showed him at 6'5", I was like, damn, that's tall.
01:34He's a big dude.
01:35I feel like that's okay to have, like, a different perspective and, like, a hybrid type of player that is
01:42still kind of learning his craft at linebacker after starting out as a safety.
01:46Like, I'm cool with it.
01:48No, to me, he looks like a great football player.
01:52And if the commanders somehow missed on him, there was a bunch of other teams that were also lining up
01:58to miss on him.
01:59Yeah.
01:59So, I'm perfectly fine with the pick.
02:03The Bain thing is interesting because I thought he plummeted just a little bit.
02:07I don't know why that is.
02:08Or the mocks were just totally wrong on him because I don't think anyone had Bain lasting to, what did
02:13he last, 14, 15?
02:1415.
02:1515 to Tampa.
02:16Yeah, Zabe, I heard you, as I was driving into honor, I heard you do your pick for Grant and
02:21Danny.
02:22And you said the commanders are going to take Reuben Bain.
02:26Was that because you just thought that they liked Bain or was that because you liked Bain?
02:30That was just showbiz.
02:31You know, I said to Darius, I go, look, somebody's got a rep for Bain.
02:34I don't think they're going to take him.
02:36But I also am not smart enough to know who they might actually pick because I was expecting perhaps a
02:42bit of a wild card pick.
02:43I was prepared for a wide receiver.
02:45I was prepared for, you know, the kid who went to Tennessee.
02:51Thank God he went early because I just don't think he's that good.
02:54Like the best wide receiver is coming out next year for Ohio State.
02:56So why spend on this year's best Ohio State guy?
02:59Yeah, you know what?
02:59I'm glad you brought that up.
03:01I felt like there was a lot of smoke around Carnell Tate possibly being the pick at seven.
03:06I just feel like this wide receiver group in 2026, there aren't any huge difference makers.
03:12There's no Justin Jeffersons here.
03:14There's no Jamar Chases in this class.
03:16Like, I feel like you're overpaying, especially if you're Tennessee, like at four.
03:20I understand why they did it because they want to provide a weapon for the board.
03:24But I just feel like this entire class, there's a lot of wide receivers.
03:28There's not a lot of potentially great wide receivers.
03:31Yeah, so there's a couple wrinkles early and, you know, Reese falls to the Giants.
03:36I'm not thrilled about that.
03:37But, you know, the commanders had their pick.
03:39I'm like, all right, cool.
03:40They got Stiles and Bain to choose from.
03:42Pick one.
03:43It's Wagyu Filet or it's Chilean Seabass, whatever you like.
03:46Well, the Seabass wasn't very popular in Bain because he dropped all the way to 14.
03:50And, I don't know, is it short arms?
03:52Is it that late-breaking story that everyone says, well, the scouts knew about this car accident
03:56that unfortunately, you know, claimed the life of a young woman in the back.
03:59So what are you getting all upset about it?
04:01Like, they know about this already.
04:03Something or the mocks were just off on him.
04:06I hope for the commander's sake that Bain doesn't look in the pros like he did in college
04:11because in college he was a one-man game wrecker.
04:14Yeah, true.
04:16You think if the Chiefs hadn't moved up to take Delane
04:20and the commanders had a choice of Delane or Stiles, they would have stuck with Stiles?
04:24Or do you think they might have gone with the corner?
04:26I mean, I think Delane was definitely in the mix.
04:30What's interesting is there's a number of theories now emerging about who should you take high
04:37in the draft based on what they cost to purchase by a free agency.
04:42And that when you take a running back as high as the Cardinals took love,
04:47you are paying a super premium because free agent running backs don't cost nearly as much.
04:55But they're committed to now love for like $50 million.
04:59Corners are another position that cost more theoretically when you draft them high.
05:06So I wouldn't have hated the pick.
05:08I just feel like they need instant chaos in the trenches more than they need a guy who can cover
05:14because even the best corners can't cover for more than four seconds.
05:18So if nobody's getting home in four seconds,
05:20your best corners are still going to be chasing somebody.
05:23Zabe, you mentioned how you hate the fact that Arvel Reese fell into the Giants' lap
05:27at five.
05:28And I feel like they got another really good player in Francis.
05:31I didn't know this is how you pronounce his name.
05:33I thought it was Maui Goa up until yesterday.
05:36Apparently it's Maui Noah.
05:37So he falls all the way to 10.
05:40I feel like those are two really good building blocks for the Giants in year one for Harbaugh.
05:46Yeah, not going to lie.
05:47I saw their draft.
05:48I go, damn, Giants, I think, did well.
05:50And then I said, ah, but they're the Giants, though.
05:53So I'm going to rest more easy on that fact.
05:56I do love when there's a run on Samoans.
05:58It's always like, okay, we got to get a Samoan.
06:00Just get the best Samoan available.
06:04I love the culture, too.
06:06I love the big families.
06:07I love it whenever, like, the bigger the dude is that's balling, I love that.
06:12The big dude's balling on draft night always gets me.
06:16You know, I'm a sucker for that.
06:18So what position did you think the commanders needed at 7 as opposed to the player?
06:25My theory, at least my take, was you don't have the luxury to take a wide receiver or Jeremiah Love,
06:33which they didn't have a chance to, thank God.
06:35You don't have that luxury.
06:36You don't.
06:37Like, did you not watch the defense last year?
06:39And I don't like the whole trade down to get cute, more picks, could have had him here.
06:43This guy's just as good.
06:45The best players all live in that top 10 to 12 in the NFL, and they need at least one
06:51best player.
06:53So take the best defensive player you can.
06:55And it looks like Peters and company did.
06:57So I think it was good.
06:58How much do you think the defense can jump this season?
07:01I can?
07:02I think they can jump a lot.
07:04They're a lot younger, a lot faster.
07:07You know this RAS score?
07:09The relative athletic score?
07:11I think that's what they call it.
07:13You know, the number on that for Styles, as you guys know, was like pegged almost at 100.
07:18It was a perfect 10.
07:19Right.
07:20The highest linebacker ever recorded.
07:22Yeah.
07:22Yes.
07:22And then they said that Leo Chanel, who once jumped up from a standing stop onto a parade bus,
07:29is also nearly peaking on RAS.
07:339.9.
07:34He's right there.
07:34So they're younger, they're faster, they've got guys on defense.
07:38I think now with this pick, you know, Peters and company has successfully triaged the defense.
07:45But triaging the patient is only the first step.
07:49Because sometimes it still isn't right after that.
07:52So what could they jump?
07:54I think they could jump, you know, 15 spots.
07:56And if they could just get somewhere in the middle of the pack on defense, it'll feel so glorious.
08:04Because it'll be an actual functioning defense.
08:07So what do you want them to do at wide receiver?
08:10Because a lot of people thought, hey, you got a number seven pick.
08:14They should probably fill that number two spot.
08:17What I've said is, right now, currently, the receiving core is similar to what it was two years ago
08:23when they had a prolific offense.
08:26I say no.
08:27You're going to have to go hungry on wide receiver.
08:29You're going to have to take day three picks at best or some undrafted free agents.
08:33Hope somebody pops.
08:34Look, you got McLaurin.
08:35Let's assume health on him.
08:38That's not chopped liver right there.
08:40That's a really good wide receiver.
08:42You're going to have to figure out a way to make it work with what you got.
08:46Because I just don't know if you...
08:49In theory, yeah, you want more weapons.
08:51But the best weapons are going to be taken by the time they get a chance to turn around
08:55and address wide receiver.
08:57And I want no part of Brandon Ayuk.
08:59I don't know where you guys stand on that.
09:01What about bringing Debo back?
09:03I feel like the moment has passed.
09:06It's weird because he was so productive, right?
09:08So you're saying to yourself, well, he was very productive.
09:10Why not bring him back?
09:11I think he was productive in a way in which didn't really tilt outcome of games, you know?
09:17Well, he had a backup quarterback thrown to him for nine games.
09:22That's a very good point.
09:23I don't know.
09:23If Jaden throws to him for 17 games, his production numbers go up.
09:27You should.
09:27And the threaded Jaden running.
09:29Yeah, yeah.
09:30But does Debo still turn defenses inside out like he did in his prime?
09:36Probably not.
09:36No, he's not in his prime anymore.
09:38But Zave, I'm okay with them signing a Band-Aid like Stephon Diggs or if they could just wait out
09:44Jawan Jennings.
09:45He's still available.
09:46There are options.
09:47Yeah, I'd be much more into Jennings.
09:48Yeah.
09:49He's younger, too.
09:50Yeah.
09:51Come on, alert.
09:52You're the Niner guy.
09:53Would you endorse Jennings?
09:54No, I like Jennings.
09:55I mean, he's, you know, he's not an athlete.
09:59He's not the athlete that some of these guys are.
10:01But, yeah, he's good.
10:02He's got good hands.
10:04Taller guy.
10:06But I think they're going to go receiver in the third round.
10:09What if they don't go receiver in the third round and they go corner or they go safety?
10:13Yeah.
10:14You know what I mean?
10:14If they keep going defense, I'm okay with it until deeper into their selection of picks.
10:21Yeah.
10:21It would be my opinion on that.
10:23But, you know, just one man's opinion.
10:25Did you like the pace of it?
10:26Yeah.
10:26I did love the pace of it.
10:28Well, I was going to say how quick it was.
10:30Yeah.
10:30It was brilliant to go from 10 to 8 minutes.
10:35It was a three-hour show.
10:36And many of us are like, okay, I can actually watch this.
10:41One thing that we do know from their free agency ventures is they initially targeted Tyler Linderbaum.
10:48Then they were out on him.
10:49So they wanted to upgrade at center.
10:51And they made a push for a couple of receivers that they didn't get.
10:57So, yes, they could go all defense.
10:59But at some point, they wanted to address a couple of offensive spots.
11:03Right.
11:04Yeah.
11:04The instinct is there.
11:06And I concur with the sentiment that in today's NFL, you can never have too many weapons.
11:14So it's a weapons league.
11:16And so I'm not against the theory.
11:17It's more of a matter of, do you have that luxury?
11:21And until the defense gets at least 15 clicks better in terms of, you know, where they rank, I still
11:28want to address that side of the ball.
11:30I mean, if they got 15 clicks better, they'd be really good.
11:34Yeah.
11:35But I mean, they'd be middle of the pack.
11:37But I'm saying as a team.
11:38Is that too much?
11:39As a team, if Jaden stays healthy, if they go up 15 spots defensively, they're going to have a good
11:44year.
11:44They should be a playoff team if Jaden stays healthy.
11:48Correct.
11:48So I got a question for you guys about this purported 330,000 people last night.
11:54Obviously, it was packed.
11:55Mm-hmm.
11:57Where do they come up with that number?
11:59Like, I'm just, I'm sitting there staring at it thinking, all right, Heinz Field holds how many?
12:0560, 65?
12:06Yeah.
12:07You're telling me that there's six times the amount of people, close to six times the amount of people?
12:15I mean, it looked like a million people.
12:17It did look like a million, but I'm just sort of like trying to figure out.
12:20I have no idea how to get the numbers.
12:22And then I'm thinking about next year when it's here.
12:25Yeah.
12:25How many people do we have to bring to this thing to not get the, oh, yeah, I guess D
12:31.C.'s not a football town.
12:32Is the 300?
12:33At least half a million.
12:34I mean, that's probably the right number, Kix.
12:37Like, if we don't pop half a million.
12:40You've got to be big, Zane.
12:40You've got to be big.
12:42Yeah, especially because it's on the mall, for God's sakes.
12:45Is the 330,000 from last night, were they saying that was a lower number than they expected?
12:51No, no, no.
12:52It was a new record.
12:53Oh, it's a new record.
12:54Yeah, they claimed it was a new record.
12:56I would have thought that some of these other cities had more than that.
13:00It looked more than that, anyway.
13:03Well, Nashville.
13:05Nashville looked ridiculous.
13:06Well, Nashville ruined a lot of bachelorette parties.
13:10I know that much.
13:11But I don't know if it was big enough to have as much as that.
13:16They're getting, the NFL's getting more sort of sophisticated with where they stage it, with that giant shell for the
13:23stage inside.
13:25And, you know, Green Bay turned out, you know, big last year.
13:28But it's still the state of Wisconsin, so there wasn't as easily, as many people you could get there as
13:34Pittsburgh.
13:34Pittsburgh killed it.
13:35I mean, this thing is just, it's so funny because I look at it and I shake my head and
13:40I go, you know you can't hear or see anything when you're standing there, right?
13:45People love listening to you.
13:47When can they listen to you next?
13:48I know you're often on Sports Sundays.
13:51I'll be on Sports Sunday 10 to 1.
13:54And then I'm filling in for B. Mitch, who I'm sure is on some fabulous golf junket next week.
13:59So I'll be with J.P. Tuesday through Friday.
14:02Very good.
14:02Oh, good.
14:02We'll see you here.
14:03Yeah, and congratulations on the proclamation from the mayor.
14:06That's awesome.
14:07You know, to survive 30 years in this absolute snake pit of a business is no small feat.
14:13And now you've got that.
14:14Did it come with free parking, though, anywhere in Chinatown?
14:17No.
14:18In a six-block radius.
14:19I did want to ask her if we could get, like, parking or, like, ticket amnesty.
14:23But I think you're right.
14:24Like you would have thought.
14:25Yeah, a couple ticket amnesties would have been nice.
14:28Diplomatic plates, Valdez.
14:30That's next level thinking.
14:31Zabe, it came with nothing other than a frame.
14:35It came with the honor and the privilege of such a recognition.
14:39Okay.
14:40Zabe, good stuff.
14:42Have a good weekend, bud.
14:43Talk to you soon, man.
14:43Steve Zabe, and you can listen to him on Sunday.
14:46Sports Sunday right here on 106.7 The Fan.
14:48And then he's going to be filling in for B. Mitch next week.
14:51Always love talking to him.
14:53Chris Russell, the Rooster, is going to join us coming up at 825 as we talk NFL draft.
14:59Let's switch gears and let's start focusing on day two.
15:03What do you want the commanders to do?
15:06We'll take your calls, too.
15:07You can call us at 1-800-636-1067.
15:10They don't have a second-round pick, but they'll have a third-rounder.
15:14Do you go receiver?
15:15What do you want the commanders to do?
15:16We'll take your calls next here on The Junkies.
15:18We'll take your calls.
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