 This is the OTP presented by Farm Bureau Health Plan celebrating 77 years of providing Tennesseans with high quality health care at an affordable price. Visit FBHP.com today to learn more about their history in Tennessee and to get a quote that's FBHP.com. I'm Mike Keith joined by our Titans Radio Draft Duo, Rhett Bryan and Coach Dave McGinnis and this is going to be the Coach Mac and Rhett Five. We're going to take you through various positions on five different editions of the OTP and we're going to get the top five players that Coach Mac and Rhett have rated at each spot that we feature in each edition and like this edition is going to be quarterbacks and running backs and then they'll throw out a couple other guys that they like and provide some details. So we're excited to do this. The culmination of a lot of work for you gentlemen. How many players have you evaluated, Coach? Probably 230. 230. It's nearly seven full rounds worth. Wow. And you know, and various degrees because as you start going through this various degrees of work on these guys, clearly the lower that you get down, you just like to kind of get an idea and you know, you know what I do, Mike, I have a lot of conversations around the league, starting at the senior bowl, then going to the combine and then, you know, I mean, I've been in constant phone communication with a lot with most all of the guys that go to these workouts because some of these things, you know, come through from the workouts, guys that weren't able to work or guys that go back to the combine for rechecks and just, you know, Rhett and I are a two man draft program and most teams have 28 or 30. So he's plugged in is what we're saying. He is super connected and he does not tell me with whom he is having these conversations, but I guarantee it's people in the know and people that we would know. What did we learn in eighth grade science class? What a hypothesis is and that is an educated guess. It's not just a guess. It's an educated guess. It's an educated guess. Yes. So this would be Coach Mack and your hypothesis. Oh, that's that's such a great word. And now we're going to we're going to be in the final stages of putting our final draft board together that will that will have because some of these things will change. Oh, sure. Because that's what's happening right now. That's what's happening downstairs, you know, in this building right now. That's what's going on. And just to clarify, I don't ask Rand Carthon a thing, right? You know how close I am with Rand Carthon and I would never ever broach, you know, that line to ask him anything because I've worked with him. He says, if to when when I talk about draft things, people tend to think, oh, with his eyes, he's telling us, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, it's like, no, I'm speaking cryptically. But if you read the tea leaves, yeah, I don't ask. I don't either. I don't ask because plausible deniability. Well, but because professionally, it's just not a line you cross. And it's not a line you cross professionally because when I was doing it for three decades, I wouldn't want anybody. I wouldn't divulge anything. And the fact now that I can talk to a lot of people around the league that I've talked to for years is because I don't divulge anything. Right. Because once you ever break that bond of trust, it's over. But it does give you a good background for the OT people. A background for the OT people, and that's the only thing I want. And when we're talking about putting these boards together and the one that we will set in the next few days will be our fourth and final one. We've had some flips and places, guys going up and down in pods of these things. But to kind of underline what Max's saying, I don't ask him things. He will tell me things. He will not tell me the source of it. And it's only pertaining to where we think guys are trending to be able to go. But he's very clinical that way. He does not. And I don't ask him either. I'm just, you know, I can, if he brings something up a couple of times, it's like, OK, I should probably pay attention to this. Let me make a note. And here we go. So, yeah. So here we go. Here we go. Let's take a look at the quarterbacks. Let's go five to one with the quarterbacks. Coach Mack and Rhett Bryant's top five. At quarterback number five, Michael Penex, Jr. Washington at number four, J.J. McCarthy, Michigan at number three. Jaden Daniels, LSU at number two, Drake May, North Carolina. And at number one, Caleb Williams, Southern Cow. OK, I have questions. Why May over Daniels, coach? Well, and this is going to be purely an issue with all the clubs. And this is the same conversation they're going to have. A lot of it is what kind of offense you're running, because there are two very different quarterbacks. They're very different quarterbacks. Rhett is my stats guy. But Drake May is 6'4, 223. And Jaden Daniels is 6'4, 210. But they're different athletes. They're both space athletes. But the space athlete that Jaden Daniels presents is a lot different as far as structurally things you want to run offensively. And so we've got them in that order just to begin with. And to me, the top of this order after Caleb Williams. I think I can say this. And if it's true, then I think we're all three will agree. The Bears are going to take Caleb Williams. After that, depends on who trades up into those next spots. Because those next spots, to me, two and three are still kind of up for grabs, things going on. And so you ask why May ahead of Daniels. It could have been easily Daniels ahead of May, depending on what draft room you're in. And Mike, I'll give you an example of what he's talking about hypothetically since we're hypothesizing here. Drake May. All right, let's think about this in a scenario. So the Denver Broncos are sitting there in the early part of the round, right? But they're not at the top. They're at 12. They don't necessarily have the capital they need because of trades they made previously. But Drake May, in my opinion, would be a fantastic quarterback to use in Sean Payton's offense because of the layered throws that he makes. And I could see where he might want to see if they can move up to get a guy like that. The Broncos wouldn't be the only club in this. I mean, obviously, the Minnesota Vikings traded for the Tuesday Texans 23rd overall picks. And they had 11 and 23. They have the ammunition. But Drake May, you're right. They're both athletes, but they're different kinds of athletes. Jayden Daniels, I mean, a ton more starts. What, 56 career starts at LSU. But his game's a little different in the way it's executed. And the only thing about Jayden Daniels that is bothersome is he takes unnecessary contact when he's trying to extend a play with his body. You see him get rocked by guys in his last couple of years at LSU. And Drake May's a little more, he's slick now. He can get rid of the ball and deliver. Let me just say this, too. With Cliff Kingsbury now being at the commanders, and they're sitting there at number two, Cliff Kingsbury, I mean, they got rid of Josh Rosen at the Cardinals when they hired Cliff Kingsbury. And he came in there with a wide open and wanted a mobile quarterback. So if they stick there, then I could see Jayden Daniels going to the commanders very easily. Are you as impressed with JJ McCarthy from Michigan as everyone else? I'm impressed with him. And the further you got into the draft process and just started narrowing it down, just watching in a tunnel as far as a quarterback skill set. And then when you talk to people that are pretty much in the know, and when I talk to people, I listen. I don't interject a lot. I listen. Is that his command of a huddle, his command of the team. And the offense that he played in, Mike, he wasn't asked to just be the guy to spin it everywhere. But when he needed to, he could do that. And then you go to the combine and you watch him throw. And again, there's a lot that goes into mechanics of throwing. I sent you an article that was really good as far as mechanics of throwing with quarterbacks. But this guy, I think, has everything that it takes. In my eyes, he rose. And game manager is not a derogatory term. It's not a derogatory term at all. In fact, all quarterbacks are game managers. It's just how they manage differently. But yes, he's risen in my eyes in this draft. What's funny is a game manager is normally a winner. Well, that's a great point. I mean, you're 100% right. I mean, he doesn't lose the game for it to start with. Well, let me say this about J.J. McCarthy, especially as it pertains to the 2023 national championship team. His mastery of the short to intermediate part of the field is really good. I mean, think about this. Nearly 50%, 48.1% of his pass attempts on third or fourth down resulted in a first down chain move. Bo Nix is not in your top five. The Oregon quarterback who formerly played at Auburn. How do you see young Mr. Nix? Bo Nix is a possibility, I think, to go in the first round. Wow. In the middle to the bottom. Because, and I know you said this a lot on all the podcasts that you've done. And I know you say this a lot because we all agree with this. The quarterback draft is separate from a positional draft. So if people need one, they're gonna come up. There's some guys on this list that don't have to necessarily be in the top five to be able to be first round picks in the quarterback draft. The quarterback draft is a separate isolated issue from anything else that happens in the draft. So Bo Nix is not in our top, you just wanted five. It's not in our top five, but I can see a team moving up to get him because here's the thing. He went to a completely different offense when he went to Oregon. He was very successful there. Not as successful at Auburn, for whatever reason, all of that was. But the physical skills and the field of the general ship are there. Mr. Mock, the ever reliable Rhett Bryant. You believe he loves to sit online and do those mocks like Craig does. Well, I drag him into one everyone. I'm the only person that can drag him into one. You are Mr. Mock. So the question for you, you do believe he goes somewhere in the first round and may be higher than others believe, correct? Bo Nix, and I'll say the same thing about Michael Pinnick Jr. Because of the quarterback draft part of this, I wasn't sure of this, but as we get closer and you start seeing Michael Pinnick Jr.'s name start to heat up in Bo Nix, it would not surprise me at all if there are six quarterbacks taken by the middle of the first round. I don't think that's out of the realm of possibility. It wouldn't shock me. And Michael Pinnick Jr., he's arguably the best deep ball thrower in this draft. Has the most armed talent over all of the group? I think you're right, Mike. I mean, and when you just watch him, now, when you're watching a left-handed quarterback, it's always a little bit strange for everybody, even people looking and especially, especially when they are throwing to their left because they have a tendency to open up and not step into the, you know, because it's coming from, it's different. You know, a quarterback, you know, from the right side is gonna have to, you know, work its hips, so, but when you just watch the throws and ret's right, the deep balls are beautiful, but he has got the armed speed to get it to anywhere on the field. All right, myth or not a myth. Some NFL teams are afraid of having a left-handed quarterback. I think that's a myth. Okay. That's a myth. I mean, if he can do it, he can do it. You know, I mean, there's been some pretty good ones. They're half. I mean, the biggest thing with him is the medical checks. Yes. Both knees, both shoulders. And I think he had four seasons that were season-ending injuries at Indiana before he ever went to Washington, but the guy has serious talent. And he has a local tie, too. His father was a very accomplished running back at Tennessee Tech, right up the road in Cookville. Well, and he was originally committed to the University of Tennessee. Yes, he was. Yes, he was. See, that's why this crew right here digs a little deeper just because. Yes, I'm aware of him. I didn't mean to break up any sort of words. I'm sorry. Rhett Bryant, who is your sleeper at the quarterback position for the 2024 NFL Draft? It's a guy that we saw at the senior bowl and continue to see rise in this process, Michael Pratt from Tulane. And if we want a testimonial, we got one in the building named Tajé Spears, his running back. Michael Pratt, he's a little over 6'2. I forget 200 and change. He had good measurables in this. And if you saw how he operated at the senior bowl and at the combine, too, the moments don't seem too big for him. He plays with a confidence. He's not a riverboat gambler. Now, he doesn't have the arm and the deep ball talent that Michael Pinnick Jr. does. But the production is there. And the know-how is there. I mean, he's the all-time leading passer at Tulane. Look, threw a touchdown in 44 of his 45 games at Tulane. And you look at what they've done the last couple of years. I mean, he and Tajé Spears made that happen when they beat Southern Cowell in the Cotton Bowl a couple of years ago. Coach Mack, who is your sleeper at quarterback? Well, she's not here. So in her honor, I'm going to do two. Because Amy Wells always, anytime he played the game. First of all, the guy that has played that I think will get some attention, especially in the second round and even down for, is Spencer Rattler, just because he's got an arm. He's got an arm. He's played enough quarterback. But the guy that really intrigues me, Mike, is what are they going to do with Jordan Travis? Jordan Travis at Florida State just got the boot off. And when he was 6'1", 2'12", 4'6", 2', the guy, he fractured his leg. He got his walking boot off. But this guy's got talent. He has got talent. So will somebody be willing to say as we get into the third day of the draft, you know what? This kid was kind of motoring with a team that didn't lose a game and continue to win games once he got hurt, would somebody take a chance on him? SeatGeek is now the official ticketing partner of the Tennessee Titans, whether you're buying or selling tickets to Titans games or any other event in Nashville. SeatGeek is the place to do it. SeatGeek, the official ticketing partner of the Tennessee Titans. So Titans fans? Ken Fan. Thank you, Rhett Bryant. Can we move now to the running back position for Coach Mack and Rhett Bryant's top five? In the top five at running back, number five, Bucky Irving, Oregon. Number four, Braylon Allen, Wisconsin. Number three, Jalen Wright, Tennessee. Number two, Jonathan Brooks, Texas. And number one, Trey Benson, Florida State University. How do you summarize the top of the running back class for 2024? Not as talented as what, you know, there will be no first round pick in the running back this year. There will be none of them. I think there's some very serviceable backs. And I also think this might, there's gonna be a run on these backs. Probably starting in the middle of the second round through about the fourth round. There will be a run on these backs because when you start looking at them and separating them, you notice that you didn't mention Blake Corham, who is a definite guy that's gonna be drafted. I think he'll probably be drafted, you know, on the second day, you know, early on. But they're kind of lumped together. And the way running backs are now, the bigger backs kind of stand out. And when I talk about bigger backs, I'm talking about six foot 216. You know, that's, there's not any just huge hammer guys anymore. We don't have a STEMI on here from Notre Dame. That's a thicker back, but he will be drafted. So I look at these backs as being serviceable, but I don't think that you've got any complete franchise backs like we had last year. You know, two of them that were taken in the first round that have proven to be pretty good. How did you come to the decision that Trey Benson from Florida State would be number one over Jonathan Brooks in Jalen Wright? Well, first of all, Jonathan Brooks got an injury. Right. All right, he's got an injury. But just watching them play, Trey Benson and the thing that stands out to me about him, he's a rat of 439-40 at six foot 216. And he's got, he's not got enough make and miss in him. And you can see when he gets in the clear, they're not going to catch him. That's kind of what separated that for me, you know, when I was looking at him. I think, I think if Jonathan Brooks would have stayed, would have stayed healthy, it'd have been a really, really close. And, you know, there'll be two one, one two, depending on what people want to do with Brooks injury, but he ran a 445. So you're not talking about somebody that's pulling a piano, you know, when you're talking about, you know, that guy. So, but that's why, that's why I did it. Jalen Wright has a little speed too, doesn't he? Oh man, is he explosive. One more thing about Trey Benson. He is, has a little bit of experience as a kick returner. And so with the rule changes, you're going to see some of these things, especially in the day three part of this draft, where you're going to consider those things in a kick returner or a punt returner. And Trey Benson overcame a major knee injury at Oregon before he came to Florida State and had two very productive years. I think if Jonathan Brooks were healthy and hadn't had a torn ACL back in November of last year, he might be back number one. Jalen Wright, I think he is probably the most explosive running back in this draft. When you're talking about five, 10, two, 10, hands nine and three eighths, but he ran a four, three, eight, 40. He had a 38 inch vertical leap. He had a broad of 11, two. We saw what he can do. And I mean, you give him any space at all and he's gone. And I think you'll do that for somebody at this next level. Great track athlete who was actually disappointed in the four, three, eight. Well, nobody else was. Nobody else was. That was plenty good. That was plenty good. And the other thing, to me, he has improved his draft stock more in this pre-draft process than any back on the board. Why? Well, because the offense there at Tennessee that is wide open, a lot of times when you've got backs that are running against light boxes, as when you're looking at them, you wanna say, well, is a lot of this clear space yardage because that's what you talk about. How much clear space yardage are the numbers that he has? Well, when you really dig in and start looking at it, then you watch it in a confined space. He can make people miss. He's got enough same foot, same shoulder in him to be able to run through people. But the explosion part of that, and that comes, he's a compact build. He's a compact build, but a 39 inch vertical jump and an 11 too broad, that is power packed from the waist down. Power packed from the waist down. And plus he got home run speed. And we saw that, you can see that. When you get clear view with him, he's got home run speed. I like this back a lot. All right, let's talk about favorites. Coach Mack, your favorite among the running backs outside of the top five. Marshawn Lloyd. I like Marshawn Lloyd, you know, from USC. You know, 5'9", 192 pounds, 4'5", 5'40". I just think the guy has got a lot of abilities. He's got a 36 inch vertical jump, right at 4'4", 6". And for a bigger back, you interviewed him at the senior bowl. He just looks like an NFL back. And when you watch him play, you can see that. Again, I'm going to do one more Amy Wells here, because, well, we looked at a lot of players. So I know you don't care. No. Roshina Ali from Marshawn, this guy, he's got a ruptured bicep at the senior bowl. You remember that? I do. When we were down there. But this is a 4'4", 0 guy that his third down ability, 36 inch vertical jump, I like this player. Did not miss an assignment last year in pass protection either. See, now that's what brings to the table that we like is somebody that has done homework. Well, I'm not with you guys. Yes, you are. That's the only fact I have the entire day. I got to throw it in. That's not true. Shoot your shot. Let's go. And you made it. All right, Rhett Bryant has favorites. Last year, Tajé Spears was his favorite. Not only at running back, but at every position. So I'm interested to hear who is your favorite at running back this year outside of your top five. It's a gentleman that we had the pleasure of interviewing at the senior bowl. He was on a previous OTP. Ray Davis from Kentucky. The off the field story just grabbed my heart. Homeless as a small kid in San Francisco, was taken in by a teacher of his and got off the ground. And my goodness, what a career he's had in college football. You're talking about, he had one of the most explosive years ever in the history of Kentucky football. Yeah, the 21 all-purpose touchdowns altogether. Only two fumbles in three years in the SEC. That's doing something. He may not be the biggest, the fastest, the strongest, but the heart in there and the want to because those survival skills are innate in him. Really like what he could be able to do to help somebody at the next level. This was one of the most mature guys that we interviewed. Oh yeah. Just straight up, I mean, you would want this guy in your locker room. The real deal. Temple, Vandy, Kentucky. Just like what Rhett says, he's got no quit at him. None. I really like this kid. You actually stay in the Commonwealth for your sleeper at running back? I do. His name is Isaac Guerrero. And he was a transfer portal to Louisville in 2023. He spent his first five years with the Wisconsin Badgers but because Braylon Allen, who was in our top five was there, he wasn't really allowed to do a whole lot. In fact, I think he had less than 100 carries, a little over 500 yards. So he transfers to Louisville, 132 carries 810 yards, that's 6'1 to carry. 11 rushing touchdowns, he's good. And here's the thing that's sneaky about this guy. So first of all, he's six foot, 221 pounds. He goes out and runs a 4-3-3-40 at the combine. One of two players in combine history in the last 20 years at that mark of that weight. DK Metcalf being the other one to hit that. 1-5-4 in his first 10, a 41 and a half inch vertical leap, almost 11 foot broad jump, a three cone drill, 6'9 for a short shuttle just over four seconds. And he's sneaky good out of the backfield as a catcher. I'm telling you, this guy's gonna make somebody a potential starter eventually. Let me give the OT people a little behind the scenes. We're all there together at the combine and then you had to come back for the groundbreaking for the new stadium. Then Rhett and Ramon and Amy and Ashley, they loaded up and went, I stay the whole time. I stay the whole time in the stadium. Well, you get to go into the stadium to watch the work. That's what I do. But when I do that, I sit around position coaches. So I'm sitting there and people will come up and just, I don't know, because. Because you're Coach Mack. Well, why? And then so this guy, I'm sitting there with the secondary coach from Louisville and all of a sudden, the running back coach from Louisville comes up and he says, come over here and meet Coach Mack. And I went, you're the running back coach from Louisville, I said, just a minute. I dialed Rhett. I said, here's a guy that really likes your running back. Tell him about him. And then I just hand him the phone. And so. That's pretty good intel. Very cool. Very cool. But yeah, Isaac Garendo, remember that name because he's, and the thing is, I mean, he's a thumper back who's got skills and he's got home run speed. He can hit the gaps inside and be physical and get down there. But he's got enough speed to beat you on the outside on zone runs and you get him past one level and he can take it. All right, Coach Mack, you're sleeper. This book's got names everywhere. Jaden Sherdon from Monmouth. From Monmouth? Yes, sir. Jaden Sherdon 58187. Okay. 44534 and a half vertical 99 broad jump 1510. So the guy can get out of there. His numbers are ridiculous. Okay. Are ridiculous. As a sleeper, way down on the third day, Jaden Sherdon from Monmouth. And let me say this about Jaden Sherdon. And you're going, wait. His mom called you? Wait, absolutely. Miss Sherdon, how are you? 58187, you're going, wait a minute. But let me, he's Mack is so on with this guy. He has rocked up and ripped up to be that size. 14 of his 26 rushing touchdowns were runs of 50 yards plus. 16 100 yard rushing games, six career 200 yard games. It's there. So to summarize the running back class, not spectacular at the top, but you can find help and you can certainly find help on day three, maybe even laid on day three. I think so. Absolutely. And what you'll find on day three, Mike, you'll look for one trait that they do well. And if you need that one trait, say you need somebody with this new kickoff thing that's going on, or if you really need somebody to be your second, or maybe you're in reserve third down guy, or somebody that has returnability, both punt and kickoff, absolutely yes. Good start to our OTP top five with our Titans radio draft duo, Coach Dave McGinnis and Rhett Bryan. Tomorrow another OTP drops. And this one, these two will give us the tops in the defensive back positions. That's next on tomorrow's OTP. For this OTP, for coach Mack and Rhett Bryan, Mike Keith says, thanks for joining us. Where the legends go, everybody knows it's our house.