- 14 hours ago
John Keim joins The Junkies to break down the Commanders' draft class and the latest news around the team!
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00:00What up, guys?
00:01John, good morning.
00:02What's up, brother?
00:02Before we get into day two and day three, I actually want to go back to day one.
00:06I wonder if you found anything more about their selection of Sonny Styles.
00:10Were they targeting Delane?
00:12Do you think if they had the choice to take Delane, who the Chiefs, of course, traded up, took him,
00:18they would have taken him instead of Styles?
00:20Or was Styles their number one target?
00:22Do you know?
00:23Styles was the guy.
00:25But there was absolutely interest in Delane, too.
00:28I know they liked him.
00:30And that's who I picked for them in our ESPN mock.
00:33But in our ESPN mock, Styles wasn't there.
00:36Because if he had been, that's who I would have picked.
00:38Okay.
00:39So they loved Styles.
00:40Yeah.
00:40So, yeah, they really did.
00:42And going into it, I felt like the top two for them, the top two that they would have looked
00:49at would have been Love and then Styles.
00:52But they knew Love.
00:53I mean, the chances of Love being there were very, very low.
00:56So, John, they seemed really genuinely surprised that Styles was there for them at number seven.
01:03And there were two factors to that.
01:05Tate went number four to the Titans.
01:07And we just mentioned Mansoor Delane gets picked at six.
01:12So, Styles fell to them.
01:13They really seemed just thrilled that he was available to be selected there at that point at seven.
01:21Absolutely.
01:22And there was always a scenario where I felt like he could fall because, you know, you do some of
01:26these mocks.
01:27And, like, there were one or two places like, okay, this can change it.
01:31And certainly when the Titans took Carnell Tate, that was when I felt like, oh, my God, they're going to
01:37get him.
01:38And then the Giants didn't take him, too.
01:40That was another team I wondered about.
01:43But, yeah, that was a little bit of a surprise that he fell there, but not a shock.
01:51I would have been shocked if Jeremiah Love had been there with Styles.
01:54Then it became, you know, where they wanted a couple other spots.
01:58But, like, the Carnell Tate one surprised me going four.
02:01Do you think if Love had slipped to seven and Styles is still out there, they'd take Love over Styles?
02:09I think so.
02:10I don't know for sure, but I think so.
02:12But that was never going to be a scenario where those guys would both be available.
02:16Right, right.
02:17I know.
02:18Yeah.
02:18But, yeah, you know, if they had been picking four or, I guess, third, you know, that would be different.
02:24But that's the only place.
02:26But, yeah, I think that would have been the case, but I don't know that for sure.
02:31Right.
02:31I just know that those were the two.
02:32So, it's certainly the vibe I got would have been, like, all right, the one offensive guy you take at
02:42seven probably would have been Jeremiah Love.
02:45And then, otherwise, you know, keep building that defense.
02:49John, I like the nugget that you put on ESPN.com about Sonny Styles that you got from one AFC
02:54defensive coach who said,
02:56you can plug Styles into the middle for the next ten years.
03:00Right.
03:01Just a safe pick.
03:04I mean, yes, very safe.
03:07But, you know, it's funny because a safe pick because I think he's a good player.
03:11I don't like, you know, it's funny.
03:12Over the years, I've never liked that safe pick term because a lot of times those guys, those safe picks,
03:18like, oh, he's really not that good.
03:20I don't think that with Styles, clearly.
03:22Right.
03:23He was a guy that I – so, let me back up a second.
03:28And there was another guy, too, I talked to, another NFC executive that was like, I loved him.
03:32He's like one of his – he goes, it was my favorite player in the draft, favorite person in the
03:36draft.
03:37So, it's just the whole package.
03:39I think the other thing, too, I talked to somebody else before the draft, and their thing was, like, I
03:44hope he goes somewhere where they're going to be creative with him.
03:47Not because he's limited – not because there's questions about where he can play, but that there's a lot that
03:53he can do in that role.
03:55So, instead of, like, a traditional middle linebacker type, he can do a little bit more, and he can play
04:01inside.
04:01He can play outside.
04:02He can – I think there's a feeling that he can rush the passer more as a blitzer and maybe
04:08in some other ways, too.
04:09So, that's – that versatility, you know, I always felt like would make a really good fit in this defense
04:16with not just Dan Quinn,
04:18but Durante Jones, who's coming from a system where they liked – they really tapped into that versatility and the
04:24speed as well.
04:26He seems like a good dude, too.
04:29Yes.
04:30Yeah.
04:30When we were at the combat, yeah, and, you know, obviously as an Ohio State fan, I watched him a
04:34lot.
04:34I didn't know just, like, all the other side of him, right?
04:41But at the combine, when he was addressing the media, I was like, oh, my God, this guy's really good
04:46and just very, very clear communicator.
04:49And as a middle linebacker, that's obviously a very good trait because, you know, you could see why he'd want
04:56– they'd want him as a captain.
04:57You could see why he'd wear the green dot because those are the skills that he has.
05:02And I remember after that point, I thought, well, there's no way he's getting to that at seven now.
05:07Like, I think the Giants are going to take him, right?
05:08He was that impressive.
05:10And you already knew what he could do on the field.
05:13So, yeah, there's a lot there with him.
05:17And he's also – the other thing, too, that I came across to me in his presser is just the
05:22maturity level.
05:24He does not come across like he's 21.
05:27And I think it's like it's also like who he's learning from.
05:32His dad was a player and he had James Laurinaitis as a coach, but he also taps into their knowledge,
05:39you know.
05:40And so I think it's not just a, okay, I am really talented.
05:44It's a talented plus the knowledge.
05:47And I had James Laurinaitis on my podcast and he was talking about just like how teams would tell him
05:56that Stiles could draw up all 11 guys on the field when they put them up on the whiteboard.
06:02And, you know, as a middle linebacker, you need to know a lot.
06:05But like that at 21 doing that, that was pretty impressive.
06:08So that's – yeah, so there's a lot there.
06:11And, you know, it's funny because I told someone else with the commanders, like, this is like the perfect Dan
06:17Quinn type guy, you know, as far as like the versatility, the habits, the mindset, et cetera.
06:26The leadership traits, the communication, all of that.
06:29Yeah, all that, all that, all that.
06:30JK, do you think that there was any thinking, did they ponder possibly taking his brother, Lorenzo Stiles Jr., who
06:36ended up going the fifth round?
06:38They didn't draft to safety, but Stiles went in the fifth round to the Saints.
06:43Yeah, and he's a very good athlete too.
06:45Oh, yeah.
06:46I don't – that I don't know.
06:47Yeah, I don't know if they did or not.
06:50But, yeah, I don't know.
06:52I don't know that they would have – I don't know.
06:55Yeah, yeah.
06:55That wasn't – that didn't come up.
06:56What – so in the third round they take Williams.
07:00Out of Clemson, Antonio Williams.
07:03And we all thought that receiver was certainly a target outside of the first round.
07:08Was there any thought that they might go to a bigger receiver?
07:13Because, you know, there was guys like Malachi Fields who was drafted right after him.
07:17Jacoby Lane from USC, 6'4".
07:19The kid from Tennessee, 6'4".
07:21But they went with the smaller guy.
07:23Now, he played a lot of college football, and apparently he's a great route runner, good hands.
07:28But he did have some injuries in a couple different seasons at Clemson.
07:33But any thoughts on Williams in the third round?
07:36Yeah, and that – you know, I had someone else too wondered about Ted Hurst as well.
07:41Right.
07:41And, like, because he had, you know, outside guy, sides, and all that.
07:47But, you know, but I think the one thing that jumped out when they talked about him too is that
07:53route running.
07:55And when you watch him, he's very, very crisp.
07:58So he's able to create some separation with that.
08:02So I think it certainly seemed like a guy who was ready to come in and help you now as
08:08well.
08:09And, you know, that's not to say he's not going to develop.
08:11I don't know what it goes.
08:13But he can come in and help you now.
08:14I think I wondered about some of the other guys.
08:17Like, would they – you know, could they do it at the same level?
08:20Well, probably at some point, right?
08:22You know, I go back to Hurst because I know that they liked him too.
08:26He's a little bit more raw to come in and maybe provide the same immediate help maybe.
08:33But with Williams, again, the route running was really, really good.
08:36He's not going to necessarily – he's funny because he runs a 4-4,
08:41but he wasn't really a downfield guy as much as he was creating yards after the catch.
08:46And I think, you know, I think in this offense, I think he can be a good fit for it
08:51in Blau's play-action system.
08:55So I think that also fit into it.
08:57I think that fit into it very much as well.
08:59That's when the run on receivers really started because there was only –
09:03There was only three receivers taken in the second round.
09:06There were nine.
09:07I was surprised.
09:08Nine in the third round.
09:10I was surprised that only three went in the second round.
09:12I thought there was going to be a little bit of a run at the end of the second.
09:15And I wondered – because I had people that – when I talked to people,
09:18like that's where they thought it would be.
09:20I mean, a number of people like, yeah, I think this guy's going to go in the second.
09:22And a few of them went in the third.
09:24And so I thought that was where the run would go and that I wondered would they –
09:30because then I started wondering, well, what if they don't get a receiver there?
09:33What if a guy they like isn't there?
09:36Yeah.
09:36You know, so – because all along it's been – and I know I've said it in others,
09:41like, hey, if you don't get a receiver in the first, you get him in the third
09:43because it's a deep draft, then you start to think, well, what if there is a run
09:46and what if you don't get your guy, then what?
09:49And then how do you solve this hole?
09:51So they draft a center.
09:53They draft – they actually drafted a quarterback.
09:58They drafted the running back.
10:00Another edge guy.
10:00From Penn State.
10:02You posed this question, John, on ESPN.com.
10:05Have they done enough around Jaden Daniels?
10:08Will you answer your own question?
10:15Yeah, I think – I think I would like to see maybe another veteran piece as a receiver.
10:25Yeah, I agree.
10:25Maybe he's going to be out there soon.
10:27Right.
10:27So I think I would go there because – so the reason I say that, first of all,
10:32I think they've done a good job building their roster,
10:34and that's going to help Jaden Daniels.
10:36So you can look at the defense and say, okay, well, if the better that defense is,
10:42you want to take pressure off them.
10:43Look at the playoffs last year.
10:44All those teams that went far were defensive-led teams.
10:48You know, Drake May had a really good regular season.
10:51He was carried in the playoffs by a defense.
10:54If they were relying on him, they would have been out in the first round.
10:57You know what I mean?
10:57And I think, like, Denver almost gets there even after Bo Nix gets hurt
11:01because they still own the game because they're defense,
11:03and Seattle wins because it's defense.
11:05So that is going to take pressure off him.
11:08So if you can get that defense a lot better, then that will help.
11:12But offensively, you know, with Oconquil like that, the running back room,
11:17like, you know, how does Krosky and Merritt develop?
11:19Do they have enough there?
11:21Do they have enough explosion there or whatever?
11:24You know, I think you can be as good as productive as you were two years ago.
11:27Right?
11:29But receivers, where are you wonder still?
11:31Because, all right, McLaurin, as long as he's healthy, fine.
11:34But I think last year is going to be in that, like, well, this is the one year he wasn't.
11:39What happens from here on out?
11:40You don't know.
11:41And if something does, who can take over?
11:45You're not going to have, like, another number one guy,
11:47but who can be a consistent threat outside, which is what you need.
11:51And that's the one thing I would still wonder about.
11:54I do like, like I said, I like Williams.
11:56I think he's going to help.
11:57But after that, there's, like, there's, what can Luke McCaffrey do?
12:01What can Jalen Lane do?
12:02What can Traylon Burks do?
12:04You know, I think there's a lot of questions after that if they had to elevate their role.
12:08And, again, like, when you lose your number one receiver, it's going to always be tougher.
12:13But you'd like to have another guy outside who can, like, okay, this guy can at least give us this.
12:18And that's the one thing I still wonder about.
12:21But the other thing, the thing that will help Jane Daniels is being healthy.
12:25And he does have, like, there is enough there for them to go win with.
12:29And they had a really good two years.
12:32I always go back two years ago because there was unbelievable on many levels.
12:36And you look at the receiving core, like, I mean, who was the number two guy then?
12:42And Olamide went into the season.
12:44Nobody expected that from him.
12:46Can Williams provide what he did?
12:48Even, right, slot and outside.
12:51And then it was Noah Brown.
12:53And he kind of emerged when they got him right before the season.
12:57So, like, there's still time to find that guy.
13:00And, obviously, there's a guy out there potentially soon or at some point.
13:04But that's the one area where, like, can you get another guy there just to throw in the mix
13:09and to be maybe a more consistent guy outside?
13:14Talking to John Kime, ESPN.com, Commanders Reporter.
13:19So, back to Sonny Stiles.
13:22They brought in Chanel, right?
13:24Are these guys going to be on the field together?
13:27You still got Frankie Louvoo.
13:29I thought McGee, you know, showed some flashes last year.
13:32What is their defensive formation going to look like?
13:37Good question.
13:37But, yeah, so, no, man, like, one thing, this is where I go back to the Minnesota stuff,
13:42where you see the speed with the linebacker, what they like to do.
13:45And a lot of times, like, you know, are they blitzing or not?
13:49They're mugging the A-gaffs, right?
13:50Like, that's, you know, are they going to come or are they going to not?
13:53Are they going to drop?
13:53So, if you're going to drop, you better have some speed.
13:55And both those guys have that and drop into the right area.
13:58So, I would be, you know, I don't, it would be hard to see too many scenarios where they're
14:04not on the field a lot together.
14:06And also, if you have linebackers who can run and cover, then it allows you to stay with
14:14a bigger lineup and then, in theory, be better against the run, in theory, right?
14:22So, I think, like, they give you an advantage because they have some size and they can run,
14:27like, Sonny was a 4-4-6 guy in the 40.
14:31And, again, like, the 40 time doesn't always equate to play time.
14:34But if you play, you know, Chanel, it was a 4-5-3.
14:37If you play to that speed, you're going to be okay.
14:40So, you know, I know they're going to, you know, it sounds like they'll be probably more
14:45of a 3-4 base, but how often are they going to use how many linebackers?
14:49I don't know.
14:50I was looking at Minnesota's stuff on Next Gen Stats earlier, and they had a lot of,
14:58formations listed as four linebacker sets.
15:00However, I don't know how they're counting, how they're viewing certain players in that.
15:06So, it's hard for me to say, like, well, they use it 80% of the time or whatever, because
15:10I don't know who were those linebackers.
15:12Who was being, was it a safety coming up in that role?
15:15Was it, you know, so there's a lot of questions I'd have with that.
15:17But I would be shocked if they don't find, if they're on the field a lot together, because
15:22they wanted to get faster.
15:24They wanted to get younger.
15:25Here's two guys that fit that description.
15:28Yeah.
15:29All right, John.
15:30Thanks, JK.
15:31Appreciate the time, bro.
15:33Thanks, guys.
15:33Yep.
15:34Talk to you soon, man.
15:34Yeah, it'll be interesting.
15:35We always talked about their linebacking core being a weakness.
15:38And then, if you look at some of these depth charts, they now list, like, Owe as an outside
15:46linebacker, Chason as an outside linebacker, and then Chanel and Sonny Stiles, and then
15:49all of a sudden, Lou Vu's a depth piece.
15:51They completely revamped that part of the defense.
15:54They needed to make it younger, faster, more athletic.
15:56Yeah, they did that.
15:57And it seems like mission has been accomplished.
15:59I mean, think about it.
15:59They added 13 guys in free agency in the draft.
16:0413 guys on the defensive side of the ball.
16:06They needed to, because the defense was horrendous.
16:07It needed a complete overhaul.
16:10We'll continue to converse about the commander's draft picks.
16:15Which one was your favorite pick?
16:17We want to hear from you.
16:181-800-636-1067.
16:21We just talked to John Kime about it.
16:24They take a receiver in the third round.
16:27They get an edge guy a little bit later, a center.
16:30They even drafted a quarterback late.
16:31Sam Hartman's going to be in a battle.
16:331-800-636-1067.
16:36What was your favorite pick?
16:38Who's going to make the biggest impact for the Washington Commanders?
16:41What was your favorite pick?
16:41Let's see.
16:411-800-636-1067.
16:412-800-637.
16:414-800-640-9.
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