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Henry Orbit
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Editor’s note: This is Will Sammon’s final Florida story before he takes on a new role with The Athletic. Our dedicated coverage of Gators football will continue.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — At 8:18 a.m. outside the front door of his office, Dan Mullen held a low-calorie, strawberry-kiwi smoothie in one hand as he autographed footballs and helmets with the other. He beamed as he answered questions from his wife, Megan, who was on speaker phone. With a steady flow of words through smiles, he chatted the way a person does when good news isn’t just received but also captures the complete attention of the mind.
Early on National Signing Day on Wednesday, Florida’s head football coach found his happy place.
“I’m in a good mood right now,” Mullen said. “I’m excited.”
It was a few minutes earlier when he appeared from his office wanting to know the answer to one question.
“Do we have it?” he asked.
Mullen had just ended a FaceTime call with four-star defensive end Princely Umanmielen, who was on the phone from Manor, Texas, when he stepped outside.
Before it was Mullen’s turn to talk to him, Umanmielen first notified Florida defensive line coach David Turner that he intended to sign his paperwork with the Gators during the FaceTime call. The conversation was celebratory, but tame; Turner told him Florida would wait for him to publicly announce his decision during his ceremony at 3:30 p.m. It was still only 7 a.m. where Umanmielen lived, and the high school senior was understandably sleepy. Florida recruiting director Lee Davis then walked 15 steps from the end of the hallway where Turner was standing to Mullen’s office. She put Mullen on the phone.
Mullen’s laughter and words to Umanmielen could be heard from outside his office.
“Were you able to shut the phone off last night or what?” Mullen said before laughing. “Hey, congrats, welcome to the family. Is the family all excited? We’re going to go win that national championship.
“I got to get some more pepper soup. I’ve been clean. I’ve been clean and eating healthy. But, hey, tell mom, I heard she didn’t make it that spicy for me, though … What time is your event today?”
With the logistics of the remainder of Umanmielen’s day established, Mullen told his new prized defensive addition goodbye, congratulated him one final time and ended the call. He then turned his attention to making sure the paperwork was actually in.
“Do we have it?” he asked.
Davis told Mullen that Umanmielen was currently signing the paperwork, that there was nothing to worry about over the situation.
“I’m paranoid until we actually see it,” Mullen revealed with a smile.
While many guessed Umanmielen would pick Baylor, people inside Florida’s program started to firmly believe earlier in the past week that he would choose the Gators.
Relieved when the signatures were received, Mullen said, “Good surprises.”
“That’s a big freakin’ one right there,” he added.
“Heck, yeah,” Davis said. “You need to text Kyree, too, because he did a heck of a job with him.”
Umanmielen bonded with Florida defensive tackle Kyree Campbell and the rest of the Gators’ line during his official visit on Jan. 24. That helped Florida’s chances. So did circumstances, and, perhaps, Mullen’s willingness to eat pepper soup and goat. Baylor’s chances with Umanmielen dwindled when Matt Rhule went to the NFL. Former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda replaced Rhule, but the Tigers had stopped pushing for Umanmielen while Aranda was in Baton Rouge. Meanwhile, Mullen and Turner experienced what some considered a turning point in Umanmielen recruitment when the coaches ate dinner with Umanmielen’s parents at their Nigerian restaurant, effectively winning over the family.
“I think I was able to eat the pepper soup,” Mullen said jokingly, “so that got me on their good side.”
Umanmielen is rated at the No. 9 defensive end in the 2020 recruiting class, per the 247Sports Composite, and he joins a Gators class ranked No. 8 overall. Internally, Florida views Umanmielen as one of the three best at his position.
“I think he’s a special player,” Mullen told The Athletic.
For Mullen, words weren’t enough. Inside his office, a framed photograph of former Mississippi State Fletcher Cox defensive lineman resides on a shelf to the left of his desk, serving as a fitting reminder that Mullen, a noted offensive play-caller, is also defensive-minded. With a clicker in hand, Mullen pressed play. Umanmielen’s highlight film suddenly appeared on the large screen in the middle of the room facing Mullen’s desk.
“Watch,” Mullen said. “You see the hands get off the block? The ability to run? The quickness for a guy ….”
On the screen, Umanmielen laid out a quarterback.
“Here he is,” Mullen said, “boom.”
In the next clip, he chased down a running back from behind to make a tackle.
“He’s got some athletic ability for a guy who is 6-4, 280,” Mullen said. “You don’t usually see guys that size run that well. That, to me, is one of the things that gives him an opportunity to be a special player. I can’t teach you to be that big and athletic. God gives you that, and we try to hone it in.”
When Mullen’s mild paranoia over Umanmielen vanished, he walked into a silent room across from his office. That’s where defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, the person in charge of developing defensive players, sat surrounded by graduate assistants, all staring at film on their computers.
“You may have just gotten smarter,” Mullen said. “Princely.”
Upon exiting that room, Mullen walked into assistant director of player personnel David Cooper, who, like Turner and others, played a major part in recruiting Umanmielen. Despite Umanmielen telling Florida before Wednesday that he would sign with the Gators, Cooper told Mullen he still couldn’t sleep. At that, Mullen laughed.
“Hey, here’s the key, if you don’t know, it’s definitely not you,” Mullen said. “If you know, maybe it is you.”
That was a common theme for Mullen, something he would repeat on Wednesday often.
When Megan, his wife, spoke with him over the phone, he stressed the message again.
“Do you feel like you’ve done a day’s work already, hun?” Megan said. “It sure seems like it. It seems like you left at midnight.”
“Well …” Mullen said.
There was a pause in Mullen’s answer because he knew the workday still had several hours left.
“We got a chance to go four-for-four today,” Mullen said.
“You’re really loading up, dude,” Megan said. “I’m so proud of you.”
Mullen replied, “We’re trying.”
Megan then asked what Mullen would be doing next. The only remaining uncommitted target for Florida was four-star DeLand (Fla.) safety Avantae Williams. He wasn’t set to announce his decision until 12:30 p.m. He had recently told Florida staffers that he would be choosing the Gators. But Miami made a late push and wasn’t relenting. Megan asked Mullen if there was any way Florida would receive Williams’ papers before his announcement. That was preferred, of course, but it wasn’t happening.
“Honey, who knows,” Mullen said. “It might not even come. You know what I mean?”
The first player to officially sign with Florida on Wednesday was former five-star prospect and Penn State transfer Justin Shorter. Davis received an email from Shorter at 7:48 a.m. while sitting in a black leather chair in the hallway outside of Mullen’s office. To her right, Charlie Skalaski, assistant director of player personnel, sat in another black leather chair. Mullen occupied the one on the left of her. They had been sitting there for 33 minutes before Shorter’s email arrived.
“You feel great about two,” Mullen said, referring to Florida’s chances of adding talent on Wednesday. “Two others we’re not sure about.”
“A great day is four,” Davis said.
On the television in front of them, ESPN broke down the blockbuster MLB trade involving star outfielder Mookie Betts moving from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mullen, a Red Sox fan from New Hampshire, stared at the screen and wished for insight on who Boston was receiving. All he got was more noise focused on Betts’ departure. During a commercial break, Mullen picked up the thick, stapled copy of Florida’s media notes. On the bottom left corner of the cover, the number 67 appears. It caught his attention. That’s how many penalties the Gators committed this season. It was the first time since 1986 that Florida was penalized fewer than 80 times, the notes read.
“That was good,” Mullen said.
December has replaced February as the most frenetic month on the recruiting calendar. Florida signed 21 prospects in December. There wasn’t much left to accomplish for this class when Wednesday started. Florida failed to sign a running back in December, but it added former five-star prospect and Miami running back Lorenzo Lingard last month. After that, Florida added high-end four-star Xzavier Henderson as a commit, addressing a concern at the future of that position. Then the Gators landed Shorter.
Xzavier Henderson made his commitment to Florida official on Wednesday. (Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP)
Florida can still add talent to its 2020 class, but it’s unclear if it will. Four-star verbal commitment Marc Britt, who can play safety, is someone who still may find his way into the class, but he is also weighing his options with Ole Miss. Uncommitted five-star running back Zach Evans is expected to visit Florida in March. Evans’ recruitment has mostly been a mystery, but with Lingard, Florida isn’t in desperate need of adding another running back for this class. Four-star running back Jahmyr Gibbs was someone good enough for Florida to take, but he told the Gators earlier in the week that he was sticking with Georgia Tech, the school he was long committed to and signed with on Wednesday. No surprise there.
At 8:30 a.m., something else predictable occurred: Henderson sent Florida his paperwork. Upon sharing the news from the hallway, wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales said, “I like our wide receiver class.”
“Oh, we rolling,” quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson said.
The only prolonged wait on Wednesday was for Williams. Around 9:30 a.m., a staffer said, “I’m starting to lose confidence in him.”
Around 12:15 p.m., staffers started to gather in the large meeting room next door to Mullen’s office. The mood was light. There hadn’t been much communication between Williams and Florida throughout Wednesday. Mullen had messaged with Williams on Tuesday, though. Miami, after adding Ed Reed as chief of staff, suddenly posed a threat to a recruitment Florida had chased the entire 2020 cycle. Still, there was a cautious optimism internally that Williams would probably pick Florida. Florida assistant director of player personnel Keiwan Ratliff, someone who has known Williams for years, ate pretzels from a bag as he sat at the table, and someone joked that he wouldn’t be able to eat if he wasn’t confident.
At 12:29 p.m., a staffer cued up a live feed of Williams’ announcement on the large screen inside the meeting room. From his office, Mullen shouted, “Tell me when it’s on. How are we lookin’ in there?” Mullen appeared less than 30 seconds later.
Williams’ high school coach briefly spoke on the screen first. Then it was Williams’ turn. It didn’t take long for Williams to reveal his selection.
Miami.
The footage was blurry. The message was fast. Was that him? Did that really just happen? Inside Florida’s meeting room, a hushed silence existed. Safeties coach Ron English, who recruited Williams hard for several months, asked incredulously, “Did he say Miami?” Visibly ticked, English then promptly got up from his seat toward the end of the table and became the first person to leave the room.
Mullen sat with his arms folded on his chest. For a few seconds, he didn’t say anything. Then, he said he knew he didn’t feel great about the situation when he learned no one had spoken with Williams since Ratliff did around 10 a.m. More importantly, and to the point, Williams never sent his papers in, a fact that always concerned Mullen throughout the day. All day he had said if a team didn’t know, then a prospect definitely wasn’t picking that team, and that if a team did know, then maybe the prospect was picking that team. For a while, Florida thought it knew. Until it didn’t.
In the end, Williams’ longtime relationship with staffers from Miami, a school he was once committed to, won out. It was fair to wonder how much Reed, the Hall of Fame safety, had a part in steering the No. 1 safety prospect in the country. Regardless, it was over. Short conversations inside Florida’s meeting room turned to the only question that still mattered: What now?
“Three out of four,” Mullen said after most of the room had scattered. “We got Princely. He wins games.”
Florida’s 2020 class should help it win games in future seasons. Including transfers, the Gators added four five-stars. Florida also took a significant and necessary step toward roster balance.
But recruiting is just one part.
Wednesday wasn’t just signing day for the Gators. It was also the first day of mat drills.
Just after 5:30 a.m., players entered Florida Gymnasium. Inside, there were six blue mats on the floor. At the center, there was a station for battle ropes.
By 6:15 a.m., Campbell’s gray Florida T-shirt with the words “Earn it” on the back was drenched. He wasn’t alone. Players went from station to station, receiving instruction from coaches at each step. Starters were mixed with walk-ons in a line for reps. Experience, talent and history meant little when it comes to punching and slamming bone dummies or whipping battle ropes.
Mullen participated, too. With freshman Lamar Goods without a rotating partner behind him, Mullen filled in, thrashing the battle ropes, barely breaking a sweat. And he was still coaching, too. In the corner of his eye, he saw defensive lineman TJ Slaton growing tired, loosening on the amount of intensity as he whipped the battle ropes nearby. Seeing Slaton, Mullen shouted in encouragement, “Let’s go, TJ.”
“It puts Orange Theory to shame, doesn’t it?” Mullen said when the nonstop workout ended.
One assistant coach said it was the best first day of mat drills in the three years he has been at Florida. As players huddled around him, Mullen then spoke more forcefully, trying to relay a message he hopes sticks for months to come.
“It’s not easy,” he told his players. “It’s not easy to be great. It takes unbelievable mental and physical toughness.”
On the walk back to his office to start the agenda for signing day, Mullen saw edge-rushers Mohamoud Diabate and Lloyd Summerall and linebacker Tyron Hopper lifting weights in the gym near the Gators’ locker room. Apparently, they were not yet tired. Diabate joked with Mullen that he planned on heading to his house to eat after the day. There was a connection there. Mullen kept walking. Then Mullen popped his head into the athletic training room and saw quarterback Anthony Richardson, who was sick. Mullen joked with Richardson, telling the four-star freshman whom Mullen is high on that he missed the comfort of being home (Richardson lives in Gainesville). There was a connection there, too. Before walking up the stairs to his office, Mullen stopped at the locker room. It was loud. Music blared. Players talked. A loud locker room, Mullen said, is a good locker room.
It was the end of the initial part of what would be a long day featuring a first on the calendar for a program many predict to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. One of Mullen’s final obligations on Wednesday was his press conference for signing day. It was there, on the final question at around 2:40 p.m., when he was reminded of those growing expectations.
“We want to develop a consistent winner, and if you do that, then you have a chance at a title,” Mullen said. “Whether this is the year or not, we’ll find out.”
But recruiting is just one part.
Wednesday wasn’t just signing day for the Gators. It was also the first day of mat drills.
Just after 5:30 a.m., players entered Florida Gymnasium. Inside, there were six blue mats on the floor. At the center, there was a station for battle ropes.
By 6:15 a.m., Campbell’s gray Florida T-shirt with the words “Earn it” on the back was drenched. He wasn’t alone. Players went from station to station, receiving instruction from coaches at each step. Starters were mixed with walk-ons in a line for reps. Experience, talent and history meant little when it comes to punching and slamming bone dummies or whipping battle ropes.
Mullen participated, too. With freshman Lamar Goods without a rotating partner behind him, Mullen filled in, thrashing the battle ropes, barely breaking a sweat. And he was still coaching, too. In the corner of his eye, he saw defensive lineman TJ Slaton growing tired, loosening on the amount of intensity as he whipped the battle ropes nearby. Seeing Slaton, Mullen shouted in encouragement, “Let’s go, TJ.”
“It puts Orange Theory to shame, doesn’t it?” Mullen said when the nonstop workout ended.
One assistant coach said it was the best first day of mat drills in the three years he has been at Florida. As players huddled around him, Mullen then spoke more forcefully, trying to relay a message he hopes sticks for months to come.
“It’s not easy,” he told his players. “It’s not easy to be great. It takes unbelievable mental and physical toughness.”
On the walk back to his office to start the agenda for signing day, Mullen saw edge-rushers Mohamoud Diabate and Lloyd Summerall and linebacker Tyron Hopper lifting weights in the gym near the Gators’ locker room. Apparently, they were not yet tired. Diabate joked with Mullen that he planned on heading to his house to eat after the day. There was a connection there. Mullen kept walking. Then Mullen popped his head into the athletic training room and saw quarterback Anthony Richardson, who was sick. Mullen joked with Richardson, telling the four-star freshman whom Mullen is high on that he missed the comfort of being home (Richardson lives in Gainesville). There was a connection there, too. Before walking up the stairs to his office, Mullen stopped at the locker room. It was loud. Music blared. Players talked. A loud locker room, Mullen said, is a good locker room.
It was the end of the initial part of what would be a long day featuring a first on the calendar for a program many predict to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. One of Mullen’s final obligations on Wednesday was his press conference for signing day. It was there, on the final question at around 2:40 p.m., when he was reminded of those growing expectations.
“We want to develop a consistent winner, and if you do that, then you have a chance at a title,” Mullen said. “Whether this is the year or not, we’ll find out.”
Kevin Garnett is a headliner of arguably the most epic Hall of Fame class ever.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo described it as such in January, the day after one of the greatest players in NBA history, Kobe Bryant, passed away in a tragic helicopter accident with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
Garnett, the No. 5 overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft straight out of high school, was elected into the Hall of Fame along with Bryant and Tim Duncan on Saturday and is scheduled to be enshrined on Aug. 29. The induction class includes four-time National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton, two-time NBA-champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich and 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings.
In 21 seasons, Garnett’s accomplishments were endless: 15 All-Star game appearances, nine first-team All-Defensive teams, an MVP award, a Defensive Player of the Year award and the elusive NBA championship with the 2008 Boston Celtics. For Garnett, joining Bryant, his close friend, in the Class of 2020 is the most fulfilling and emotional of all.
“The fact that we’re all being congratulated and honored, not having Kob’ is going to affect everybody,” Garnett told The Athletic. “He had such a pivotal part in the game itself, not just influence, but creation. I’d like to think that Kob’ created inadvertently an originality about himself. Timmy is the same thing. They both are unprecedented, not only athletes, but people. I feel more than honored to go in with these two, but Kobe not being there is going to be super emotional for everybody. The fact that the three of us actually pushed the other two into whether it was awards, All-Stars, battles, rings — we all three pushed the lines.
“To go in with these two guys, I couldn’t ask for two other people to go in with. And shout out to Tamika Catchings too. I’m a huge fan of Catch; Catch has put that grind in, she’s put that work in, and it’s dope to see all of us right here.”
Garnett spoke to The Athletic in a one-on-one to discuss his Hall of Fame election, his most notable stops in Minnesota and Boston, his revelation for the most difficult task ever in his basketball life, his deteriorated relationship with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, and much more.
To be going in with this vaunted class — with Kobe and Duncan — how special does that feel? It’s perhaps the most star-studded Hall of Fame ever.
The achievement itself is supremely over the top and the culmination of the things I’ve worked on, the countless hours you’ve put into a craft. It’s something special. The way I came in: Not going to college, taking a real bet on myself and betting on my work ethic and pushing myself night in and night out, being a professional and doing it the right way. Never taking shortcuts. Going hard as I can, you want to be able to look back on it and say that it was worth something.
To meet Kobe early, we had a friendship and a real bond. To go up against Timmy and the countless battles, it’s just … I couldn’t put this story, with all the minor details … I couldn’t make this story more compelling than it already is. This is the perfect way to end a dope story.
You had a rivalry with Tim throughout your career, mostly because of the beast that was the Western Conference and the power forwards across the conference, including him, Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber. How ironic is it now that you and Tim are going in together?
Yeah, man. In the sense of having a career, you never know how long it’s going to go. You don’t even know if you’re even going to have one. So to have one, and be pretty good at it and you can look back at accolades and won some things and most importantly, left your print on the game … Timmy, for me, him and Rasheed were always the pinnacle. They were always the more tougher matchup for me personally. Lot of times going into matchups, I had a lot of upside when I came in. I can say that these two were one of the difficult ones for me.
I always think if you’re going to be something in life, you’re going to have that one nemesis or that one or two nemesis that are going too push you to another level. I consider Timmy and Rasheed to be that for me. It’s dope for us to be ending our careers at the same time. It’s all dope to be at this point … to battle, battle, battle and then finish it together.
Starting off in Minnesota, you guys went to the West Finals in 2004 — looking back, how much do you wish that group got a championship, especially if Sam Cassell didn’t get hurt in the playoffs?
I don’t play should’ve, could’ve, would’ve. I don’t play if I would’ve said something to her, I could’ve got her. I don’t play if I didn’t go out that night, this wouldn’t happen. I don’t play should’ve, could’ve, would’ve’s. It would drive me crazy. I would sit here and be in a depressed stage.
If I could actually go back and change anything, I would’ve left Minnesota a little earlier, knowing that the management wasn’t as committed as I was. Or wasn’t committed at all. I probably would’ve went to Boston or changed the situation earlier. I would’ve been a little younger and that means less wear and tear on the body. Teaming up with Paul (Pierce), I should’ve done that earlier. Who knows — I’m probably sitting here with another ring or two. But, yeah.
My days in Minnesota were great days, bro. It was a huge part of my progression. Flip Saunders and Kevin McHale were huge parts of my progression as a player. I had to put the work in and put it all together, but having those influences around me, having Kevin McHale as a great teacher all those years and pushing me and giving me the lay of the land … and me having a crazy ass appetite and imagination of what I want to be in the league … I’m very grateful for those days. Those are the days that actually made me to the man that I became and took to Boston.
Those days in Minnesota were basically like R&D (research and development). I’ll never forget them.
You played the point guard position out of nowhere a lot in those Conference Finals in 2004 against the Lakers, because of Cassell’s injury. At almost 7 feet tall, how did that feel?
From the fan’s perspective, sitting there watching it, it’s dope. But from having to sit there, be in it and have to play, it was the fukking worst. I grew a crazy amount (of respect) — I already had a crazy amount of respect for all of the positions in sports, period — but the point guard position might be the hardest from a consolidation aspect. You don’t understand. The quarterback has to lead everybody, he has to get everybody the plays and make sure everybody is in the right places. Then you got to get to your spots while somebody is hounding you. It was just too much. Not that I couldn’t do anything on the court, but man, as far as preference I would have never played it. Ever.
I was so fukking hot when Flip told me I had to play point guard. It ain’t too much shyt I’ve been pissed about when it came to basketball. I was pissed about that. Like, ahh. I gotta bring the ball up, pass it, give it to myself, and da da. It was just a lot, but it was something that pushed me. I’ll never forget that, playing point guard.
You may have trended on social media for a full day if you played point guard for most of a game in today’s game.
(Laughs). Ain’t that right!
A lot of people didn’t know: I had a one-on-one that I never really got to show. Face-ups, like ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh. I had a bit of handle that’ll get me from A to B, and I was … man. People that play the game know that one-dribble, two-dribble pull-ups are very difficult moves to do at 6-11 and do at tall statures. Those moves are built for more smaller, athletic guys. The step-backs, the crossovers, all of that. I had a one-on-one game that I never really got to display other than when I played in the summer or when I played on Team USA. But for the most part, I’ve always wanted to be a team guy and be within the team. People may be so shocked to see my one-on-one stuff, but my own personal crew know that I had other parts that I never displayed during the year.
The Celtics announced in February that they will retire your No. 5 jersey during the 2020-21 season — but your jersey still isn’t hanging in the rafters in Minnesota. How soon will we see that take place and where do you stand on it?
(When Garnett returned to Minnesota in 2015, a move brokered by Saunders, he had discussed his desire to one day join the ownership group succeeding Taylor and/or being a key decision-maker in the franchise. When Saunders passed away, Taylor charted a course forward and hired Tom Thibodeau to take over the franchise, which Garnett felt was going back on the plans he and Saunders had discussed. League rules prevented Taylor from having ownership discussions with Garnett while he was a player.)
Glen knows where I’m at, I’m not entertaining it. First of all, it’s not genuine. Two, he’s getting pressure from a lot of fans and, I guess, the community there. Glen and I had an understanding before Flip died, and when Flip died, that understanding went with Flip. For that, I won’t forgive Glen. I won’t forgive him for that. I thought he was a straight up person, straight up business man, and when Flip died, everything went with him.
There’s no reason to complain. Just continue to move on. My years in Minnesota and in that community, I cherish. At this point, I don’t want any dealings with Glen Taylor or Taylor Corp. or anything that has to do with him. I love my Timberwolves, I’ll always love my guys, I’ll always love the people who fukk with me there. I’ll always have a special place for the city of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota in my heart. But I don’t do business with snakes. I don’t do business with snake mu’fukkas. I try not to do business with openly snakes or people who are snake-like.
How much gratitude is there for you with your Celtics teammates and former personnel?
Super appreciative of them. Danny Ainge, the ownership there, Wyc (Grousbeck) and Pags (Steve Pagliuca), Doc Rivers. Celtic nation, man. Anybody who understands the Celtics culture, it’s a nurturing culture, it’s a real fraternity, and it supports each other. To be part of it is something special. I’m glad I’m part of it, and I’m glad I was able to experience the better way of the NBA and seeing how winning franchises really do things. That left a huge, huge impression on me that I’ll take to my grave. I’ll be forever appreciative to the city of Boston, the ownership and everything Celtic nation. I’m honored.
The normal mock drafts, borderline ridiculous before free agency, are easy enough. You think about your team’s needs, project which players will still be available, offer some insight and you’re done — it’s so easy that everybody on the internet does one.
This bad boy, the seven-round mock draft (or five rounds, in the Raiders’ case) for each team, is stressful. All the other stuff, plus you have to plan out a strategy as to where you’re going to find some value at certain positions, while trying to hit all of the Raiders’ remaining areas of need — receiver, cornerback, safety, defensive tackle, running back.
The cornerback need was underscored Thursday afternoon when ESPN reported that the Raiders and former Saints corner Eli Apple were unable to finalize the one-year, $6 million contract that they had agreed to two weeks ago. The Raiders were still looking for a No. 1 corner even with Apple, but now only have slot corner Lamarcus Joyner and second-year players Trayvon Mullen, Isaiah Johnson, Keisean Nixon and vet Nevin Lawson at the hot corners.
Doing the mock, I wanted to try and think like Raiders coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock, and not let my own opinions sway anything. I am driving the Brandon Aiyuk train after watching the Arizona State receiver’s game film, but I didn’t pick him for the Raiders.
What was my methodology to slay this seven-headed monster? I’m glad you asked.
I definitely referred to draft simulators. I am not ashamed to admit it like some of our other NFL writers on here. How else am I supposed to know if a guy is available in the fifth round without some bot telling me he is?
But if you think this is where I shout out one of those simulator sites, you’re wrong. I didn’t like any of them, whether it was buffering issues or erasing several of my drafts in progress or just utterly ridiculous selections. I wound up using several of the sites only to try and gauge a neighborhood where the bots thought mid-round players are supposed to be picked.
There were some bot quirks that I can see playing out — like one of the top three receivers falling to the Raiders’ second pick at 19 — and others that have no chance — like Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts still being on the board at 80.
You definitely get an appreciation of the tough job facing general managers. The drop in the quality of cornerbacks and safeties after the first couple of rounds is hair-pulling stuff. And when a linebacker I was saving for the fifth round was picked 10 spots before me, I nearly flung my laptop across the room.
So, as I have done from time to time as the Raiders make the move to Las Vegas, I am borrowing Sin City’s shtick.
The high-stakes poker players there like to “run it twice,” meaning that when one of two players is all-in, they deal the remaining cards two times. This divides the large pot into two halves and reduces variance, reducing the odds of the best hand getting unlucky.
In this case, running it twice reduces some of the variance of me making bad picks.
Oh, and I made a trade. Without further ado, the seven-round mock:
First round, pick 12: Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
The Raiders’ whole draft hinges on how they feel about the top three receivers on the board — Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy, Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and Ruggs. If they love one of them, there is a good chance they can get him here, thanks to all the quarterbacks, tackles and (four) defensive studs going in the top 11. And they could also trade down and one of the receivers will likely still be there even at 19.
The only hint we really have is Gruden’s fixation on being like the Chiefs to beat them. He has said more than once that he wants his own Tyreek Hill. That is a lofty bar, but the player in this draft who has the best chance of clearing it is Ruggs. He has explosive speed and good hands, and can simply run away from defenders on slants and jet sweeps.
Running it twice: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
The second-best cornerback on the board after long-gone Jeff Okudah of Ohio State, and in my mind the only other one you can feel comfortable about picking and playing right away. Henderson is 6-foot-1 and is a physical, sticky press-coverage corner. The ball skills and tackling need a little work, but if they didn’t he wouldn’t be available at 12. As it is, I don’t think he will still be there when the Raiders pick again at 19.
There is also a tiny chance that Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown falls here, in which case he would be an immediate pick. In our first beat writers’ mock draft in February, I had the Raiders taking South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, but I heard after that they think he is too raw, among some other concerns.
*TRADE*
We called the Vikings and mentioned all the great tackles still on the board. Bada bing bada boom — the Raiders traded the Nos. 19 and 81 picks to Minnesota for Nos. 25 and 58. Mayock loves the second round and now he has a pick in that round, with two left still in the third.
First round, pick 25: A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
The cornerbacks on the board get average quick, so you kind of have to reach for one here. Terrell has the size (6-1) and speed you want but doesn’t have the loose hips that Henderson has, plus he was absolutely destroyed in the national title game. The Raiders do love Clemson guys and after Terrell sits for a while, he and former Tigers teammate Mullen could be the starters here for a long time.
Running it twice: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
The other Tyreek Hill comp in this draft. There actually might be some value here since the quarterback play was so bad at TCU last year. Reagor is 5-10, 196 and ran a 4.42 40-yard dash (compared to Ruggs’ 5-11, 192 and 4.32). He can work all three levels of a defense and gets to top speed very quickly.
Second round, pick 58: Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne
Duggar will become the first player drafted from Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University since 2000, thanks to his size (6-1, 217) and speed. He played everywhere for the Bears, but he has great range and ball skills and could develop into more than just a big hitter. He also returns kicks. Erik Harris and Johnathan Abram would start at safety, with Duggar learning from them and veteran backup Jeff Heath until he is ready. And he would help immediately on special teams.
Running it twice: Same. I really didn’t like any of the next 10 safeties on the board, so I may have forced the Duggar pick. Twice. My honesty would be refreshing at the post-draft news conference.
Third round, pick 80: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
Hurts kept showing up on the simulators at 80, even though I think there is almost no chance that he gets out of the second round after he threw and interviewed so well at the NFL Scouting Combine. But still, I took him. Just like I never turn down the cookie that Bakesale Betty throws in with my chicken sandwich. (Tip of the cap, by the way, to Betty, who is taking time off to make pies and cookies for Oakland health care workers during the pandemic.)
Hurts needs some seasoning with his decision-making throwing the ball, but he has the leadership skills, arm strength, accuracy and playmaking ability with his feet to make coaches think he could be starting by 2021.
Running it twice: Michael Pittman, WR, USC
A few of the bots had Hurts going earlier. Luckily, there are so many interesting receivers in the first three rounds and Pittman is a 6-4, 223-pound playmaker who can bully cornerbacks. He doesn’t have top-end speed but is hard to tackle after the catch and is an elite special teams player.
Third round, pick 91: AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College
The 6-0, 247-pound Dillon is compared to the Steelers’ James Connor and was the Eagles’ bell cow last season with 318 carries, 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns. Some scouts are concerned about the wear and tear, but the Raiders only need him for four or five carries a week, backing up Josh Jacobs. Dillon would replace DeAndré Washington in the Raiders’ running back room, joining Jalen Richard, Rod Smith and fullback Alec Ingold at training camp.
Running it twice: Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU
The third round might be a little high for a team with two running backs atop the depth chart to grab another one. If so, Gruden lets defensive line coach Rod Marinelli do some more shopping, after the Raiders added Carl Nassib, Maliek Collins and Daniel Ross to the front line in free agency. Lawrence is a high-character guy with quick hands who can play against the run and eat up blocks if need be.
Fourth round, pick 121: Leki Fotu, DT, Utah
We would have liked to trade down here and add a sixth-round pick, but the simulator bots really frown on late-round trades. And by frown we mean refuse and laugh at you. Fotu is a pretty good athlete for 6-5, 330 and is just another new toy for Marinelli to play with, and another in a seemingly long list of players gunning for 2018 second-round pick P.J. Hall’s roster spot.
Running it twice: Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado
See next pick.
Fifth round, pick 159: Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami
Taylor is a guy I really wanted, a player I have heard some serious buzz around, and I thought I was being clever waiting until the fifth round to grab him. The evil bots took him an average of 10 spots before 159 and I yelled and paced around for a good bit.
Taylor is an extremely raw, explosive player whose religious beliefs prevented him from playing football in high school. He has the ever-important loose hips and is fearless and will be able to play special teams while he develops. With Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkoski and Nicholas Morrow locked in, Taylor would likely beat out veterans Marquel Lee and Kyle Wilber for the other linebacker spot.
Quarterman, meanwhile, was a team leader and a downhill player with limited range.
So I definitely went back and ran it twice at 121 and made sure we got Taylor.
Running it twice at 159: Patrick Taylor, RB, Memphis
Locking up Taylor at 121 allowed us to take a running back with our last pick. Taylor missed half the season with an ankle injury and needs to run as big as he looks at a muscular 6-1, 217. He does have good footwork for a big back and while he didn’t run over opponents as much as his coaches would have liked, he did do well in short-yardage situations.
I am glad the bots didn’t let me acquire a sixth-rounder. Because this drafting for seven rounds stuff is mentally draining, and I wonder if GMs resort to throwing darts at the board in the last rounds.
Third round, pick 80: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
Hurts kept showing up on the simulators at 80, even though I think there is almost no chance that he gets out of the second round after he threw and interviewed so well at the NFL Scouting Combine. But still, I took him. Just like I never turn down the cookie that Bakesale Betty throws in with my chicken sandwich. (Tip of the cap, by the way, to Betty, who is taking time off to make pies and cookies for Oakland health care workers during the pandemic.)
Hurts needs some seasoning with his decision-making throwing the ball, but he has the leadership skills, arm strength, accuracy and playmaking ability with his feet to make coaches think he could be starting by 2021.
Running it twice: Michael Pittman, WR, USC
A few of the bots had Hurts going earlier. Luckily, there are so many interesting receivers in the first three rounds and Pittman is a 6-4, 223-pound playmaker who can bully cornerbacks. He doesn’t have top-end speed but is hard to tackle after the catch and is an elite special teams player.
Third round, pick 91: AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College
The 6-0, 247-pound Dillon is compared to the Steelers’ James Connor and was the Eagles’ bell cow last season with 318 carries, 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns. Some scouts are concerned about the wear and tear, but the Raiders only need him for four or five carries a week, backing up Josh Jacobs. Dillon would replace DeAndré Washington in the Raiders’ running back room, joining Jalen Richard, Rod Smith and fullback Alec Ingold at training camp.
Running it twice: Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU
The third round might be a little high for a team with two running backs atop the depth chart to grab another one. If so, Gruden lets defensive line coach Rod Marinelli do some more shopping, after the Raiders added Carl Nassib, Maliek Collins and Daniel Ross to the front line in free agency. Lawrence is a high-character guy with quick hands who can play against the run and eat up blocks if need be.
Fourth round, pick 121: Leki Fotu, DT, Utah
We would have liked to trade down here and add a sixth-round pick, but the simulator bots really frown on late-round trades. And by frown we mean refuse and laugh at you. Fotu is a pretty good athlete for 6-5, 330 and is just another new toy for Marinelli to play with, and another in a seemingly long list of players gunning for 2018 second-round pick P.J. Hall’s roster spot.
Running it twice: Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado
See next pick.
Fifth round, pick 159: Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami
Taylor is a guy I really wanted, a player I have heard some serious buzz around, and I thought I was being clever waiting until the fifth round to grab him. The evil bots took him an average of 10 spots before 159 and I yelled and paced around for a good bit.
Taylor is an extremely raw, explosive player whose religious beliefs prevented him from playing football in high school. He has the ever-important loose hips and is fearless and will be able to play special teams while he develops. With Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkoski and Nicholas Morrow locked in, Taylor would likely beat out veterans Marquel Lee and Kyle Wilber for the other linebacker spot.
Quarterman, meanwhile, was a team leader and a downhill player with limited range.
So I definitely went back and ran it twice at 121 and made sure we got Taylor.
Running it twice at 159: Patrick Taylor, RB, Memphis
Locking up Taylor at 121 allowed us to take a running back with our last pick. Taylor missed half the season with an ankle injury and needs to run as big as he looks at a muscular 6-1, 217. He does have good footwork for a big back and while he didn’t run over opponents as much as his coaches would have liked, he did do well in short-yardage situations.
I am glad the bots didn’t let me acquire a sixth-rounder. Because this drafting for seven rounds stuff is mentally draining, and I wonder if GMs resort to throwing darts at the board in the last rounds.
From the GM’s Eye: A look at the free agent quarterback market, from Tom Brady to Philip Rivers
By Michael Lombardi Feb 6, 2020
Over the next few weeks, there will be more Tom Brady rumors and sightings than we ever even imagined possible. Tail numbers on airplanes will become the new reporting norm for football coverage. And once Brady makes his decision, there will be breaking news across all sports platforms and deep-dive analysis into how it might all work out. This year, it’s clearer than ever that the offseason in the NFL is never off. And with all the potential movement of established quarterbacks, along with other high-value free agents, this particular offseason is going to be electric.
Before any general manager decides on entering the free-agent market for quarterbacks, he must have a short- and long-term plan for fixing the position. The 2020 quarterback market offers no long-term answers. (Yes, Dak Prescott will become a free agent; however, the Cowboys will most definitely franchise him, thus making the chances of acquiring his services rather small.) Teams like Miami, who are in complete rebuilding mode, would have no interest in investing in a player like Brady because they are only thinking of the long term. “We’re a team that is now rebuilding, and I don’t know why he’d really want to come to the Dolphins,” their owner Stephen Ross said, via Daniel Wallach of The Athletic. “He’s been one of the fiercest competitors there is and we’re at the stage with the Dolphins trying to really build a team for the future.”
When it comes to understanding how to solve the problem in both the short- and long-term, look no further than the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. When they traded with the 49ers for Alex Smith in February 2013, they did not think he was their long-term answer. Smith was what we call in personnel a “bridge player.” The player is good enough to help a team win games, stay competitive and perhaps even win playoff games, but his presence alone isn’t enough to push through to win the title. Primarily he serves as the bridge to finding the right player, the player who is capable of transforming a franchise, of winning it all. Smith played five years in Kansas City and all of them made the Chiefs a competitive team. At the same time, his capability allowed them to search for their long-term answer at the same time, which came during the 2017 draft when they found Patrick Mahomes.
There are three categories of quarterbacks playing in the NFL right now:
- Elite (The smallest group — usually around 2-4 in the NFL at a time)
- Workable (The majority of NFL QBs)
- Wasting Time, Bust. (About 10 to 15 percent of NFL starters)
The bulk of the starting quarterbacks in the NFL are in the workable category. They need a strong supporting cast around them to help them reach their full potential; they need all three phases (offense, defense, special teams) to play well. They appear at times to be an “elite” player, but in reality, the system helps showcase their skills. As a result, these players tend to get paid as though they’re elite, which is a killer for any general manager. (For example, the Rams made Jared Goff a top-five paid player at his position.) Paying the workable quarterback an elite salary has become the norm in the NFL as many teams ask, “how could we find anyone better?” They won’t find anyone better if they never look. Of course, some workable quarterbacks have won Super Bowls, but the general manager and head coach still must know precisely the difference between elite and workable. The Chiefs clearly understood — and never stopped looking.
And then there are the teams that are lying to themselves, the ones playing with quarterbacks who have no real chance to win games on their own. They spend too much time holding on to these ‘busts’ to either stubbornly prove they were correct in their evaluations or because they are so vested in the decision they see no alternative. In order to maintain any chance of success, a “bust” must be in the right system, with the right special teams and defense and a soft schedule. “Busts” can look serviceable at times, but only when they play against a defense that cannot exploit the system or their style of play. Often teams with “busts” as their starting quarterback might not be in the market for another, as they believe more time and patience will improve the situation. Usually, teams come to the realization that their quarterback is a bust once it’s too late — they fire the coach, the general manager and then a new staff rebuilds, casting aside the quarterback everyone had such high hopes for.
So, what will teams looking for a talented bridge quarterback among this group of high-profile free agent quarterbacks do? Before any team calls Brady or entertains trading for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, they need to understand their present-day situation and correctly define the player they might be acquiring. Most teams won’t spend high assets for a “bridge” player, yet making sure you have the “good” before you can find the “great” is vital. A look at the teams who might be pursuing either Brady, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers this offseason:
—The Chargers are going to walk away from long-time quarterback Rivers and most surely will use their sixth overall pick on a quarterback this year. Rivers would be a great bridge player for a team like the Colts, who want to pick a quarterback in the first round and then give him time to develop. Rivers could have a great year behind a stellar offensive line, which the Colts have. He still can make plays with his mind and arm, even though he has no mobility. Rivers needs a tremendous line to offset the fact he will always throw the ball from the same launch point on every single play. The defense knows Rivers will be in the same spot on every throw; therefore, they can plan their rush accordingly. But Rivers would fit well in Indy. They have the cap room to pay him — and he allows them time to find a younger player for their future.
—As for the Chargers? Entertaining Brady would be a colossal boost to their sagging ticket sales as they enter a new stadium. But would Brady leave New England and play for a team that does not have a great offensive line nor a coordinator he has worked with in the past? Doubtful … but money does talk at times. The Chargers have Tyrod Taylor to serve as their bridge player in case they cannot or do not enter the Brady sweepstakes.
—Meanwhile the Raiders, for all their messages about loving Carr, have been working behind the scenes to find a replacement. I have written several times about the disconnect between Carr and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden and this quarterback market is too tempting for Gruden to ignore. Carr has trade value, which is why everyone from the Raiders always says beautiful things about his future when speaking publicly. But Carr has no future in Las Vegas and Gruden will do everything in his power to fix the position. Will Brady entertain Vegas? It’s hard for me to see Gruden and Brady co-existing even though both men have a competitive drive. The Raiders’ offensive line would be appealing to Brady, but would he be willing to run the West Coast offense after so many years in his offense? Call me skeptical.
—I could see the Raiders making a move for Ryan Tannehill if the Titans do not franchise him. Tannehill would give Gruden the athlete he covets at the position, a player capable of making something out of nothing when the play breaks down. Would Tannehill serve as a good bridge player? Yes, though that’s nothing to get too excited about in the long term, because to beat the Chiefs and Mahomes in the AFC West, Gruden is going to need to find his elite player of the future, not just a bridge.
—The Bucs have the ultimate 30 for 30 player in Jameis Winston. If they franchise him, he will serve as their bridge player. If they don’t, they need to explore the market for one, which could be tricky as the Bucs must franchise Winston before they search. Either way, the Bucs, like the Raiders, know they need to improve at the position and have serious doubts about their current starter. For the last five years, everyone, including Winston, has talked about cutting down on his mistakes and sometimes lackadaisical play. Yet, once the season starts nothing changes. The Bucs are naïve if they think 2020 is going to be a new year for Winston. Would Brady play in Tampa? I am sure Jason Licht, the general manager of the Bucs who spent time in New England, would love having him…but Brady in pewter and orange would never look right, and it wouldn’t be a particularly great fit, either. The Bucs’ offense under Bruce Arians loves to take shots down the field, loves to hit the home run ball on every drive, which is not an area that highlights Brady’s strength. Brady only attempted 52 passes over 20 yards all season, completing 20. Meanwhile, Winston attempted 90. Brady is best when he can use his mind, his mid-range passing game to highlight his skills — which is not what the Bucs do well.
—New Orleans was one of the teams that secretly wanted Mahomes but fell a pick short — they’ve said that if Marshon Lattimore had already been gone from the board, they would have selected Mahomes with the 11th pick if the Chiefs didn’t take him at 10. Drew Brees, of course, has been playing — and remains capable of playing — at an extremely high level, but he’s 41 years old, and as a result, he’s been the Saints’ “bridge” player for the past two years. Like Brady, Brees, who is now an unrestricted free agent, has operated in the same system under the same coach for a long time. Any change might be problematic for him — and at this point in his career, why learn something completely new? Brees offers the Saints another year to be competitive while grooming Taysom Hill for the starting position if that’s the direction the Saints want to go. Hill certainly seems like the Saints’ future right now. Sean Payton, the Saints head coach, will re-invent the Saints’ offense to highlight Hill’s skills as Brees continues to operate in the old system. It’s hard for me to imagine Brees going anywhere else if he chooses not to retire.
Just like every other team will need to do, Brady and the Patriots will need to sit down and decide what is best for both the short- and long- term, even though Brady feels he is always playing long term. How the offense will be constructed moving forward will also play a huge role in those conversations. One thing is for sure: Brady will be all over the news over the next six weeks. Just don’t believe half of what you hear.
(Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
If anyone would be willing to share this with me, I'd appreciate it greatly.
'The building was shaking': Behind the scenes of the Wolves'...
'The building was shaking': Behind the scenes of the Wolves'...
PortCityProphet
Follow me to the truth
They laid off 46 people today 
DropTopDoc
20/20 Vision With my Buffs On
Boy if you could read the comment section on the Drew Brees article recently written, a lot of white folks are big mad, and still don’t know the total story smdh
Flex Luger
Job Is Finished
They laid off 46 people today
I saw they laid off Pete/Lakers Film Room. Dude was putting out some damn good content.