Speaker 1: Good morning, Ben Ruge. It is eight am, our number
two of OTV starting, so you know, sunny outside, beautiful skies,
beautiful weekend, and our number two of OTV. We're gonna
talk some Saints, draft, more l s U news and
that's it. Our number two OTV starts.
Speaker 2: Now I'll start to you to present Off the Bench
with Jacob Hester and T bob Abert.
Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, Off the Bench.
Speaker 2: With Jacob Hester and T bob Abert.
Speaker 4: I got to come off the Bench.
Speaker 5: Now.
Speaker 2: Here's Jacob Hester and T bob Abert.
Speaker 6: Welcome back. In I number two Thursday edition of Off
the Bench.
Speaker 3: Taylor Sharper then the big Boy chair for one more
day for Jacob Ester and Taba bab Bear. We got
Jordan Kitchens. We got Cassie Spazally along for the ride
as well. We got two more hours left for you
here on our work week before we enjoy a nice
three day week, and Jordan, I have an assignment for
you and I want to know if you're willing to
take it on. I'm listening during the next break. There
is a door right here that leads outside. Can you
go walk out the window and like, peep, what the
weather is, because like, look, I don't want to not
take your word for it, Like you get a different
weather update every time you say.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know it's it's kind of like musical chairs.
Speaker 3: Well, and like we don't have any windows we can
really hear outside. We're kind of in a climate controlled
environment right here. But like I'm honestly curious now because
like I go, I gotta know what the actual weather
no for so because I don't know, I would be
I would look foolish if I go outside and it's
dark and cloudy it's been a rain.
Speaker 1: You know that. That would be crazy.
Speaker 3: Look, and I the most accurate weather person when I
sit over there where Cassie is. No, but I at
least try to make it sown, like I know what
I'm talking about. Like the other day, but was like, hey, Taylor,
you said it was only gonna be clouding. It rained,
Like okay, first off, if you're getting your weather reports
strictly from me on OTB, that's kind of on you.
Speaker 6: That's on you.
Speaker 3: There are thousands of places to get your weather. Yeah,
you come to O TB. I appreciate you for coming
to O TB. We're not really a weather station. Yeah,
Like a lot of people are like, hey, what's this
morning show about? Really anything?
Speaker 1: Anything?
Speaker 3: Weather is kind of the only thing we don't talk about.
Speaker 6: But I'm gonna need a little bit more from you man.
Speaker 1: All right, so tell me this as a like you said,
the show is miscellaneous to say the least. Why when
we do talk to sports, that's kind of the problem.
But when we talk about the miscellaneous stuff, everybody's cheers
and jeers or when did that that?
Speaker 4: Not?
Speaker 1: Let you know that dynamic shift a little bit because
you've been on this show for a while. When did
that happen?
Speaker 3: So it's been like that since I've been on the show. Okay,
do you want to know my opinion? Yes, I don't
think people in the chat are going to get mad
about this because we're all friends.
Speaker 6: They understand what they are.
Speaker 3: A lot of the people in this YouTube chat are
on him and Jordan Yeah you got Yeah, they come
to one of four or five ESPN.
Speaker 6: They just kind of want to talk about whatever. I
understand that. I get it.
Speaker 3: See there's a lot of people that are like, Taylor,
you're probably all sports all the time?
Speaker 6: No, not really.
Speaker 3: I can tell you when it's not football season or
there's not like some sort of playoff going on. I
actually watch very little sports at home.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I do, as far.
Speaker 3: As like NBA regular season games, like if there's a
big time matchup, I'll tune in there's a Pelicans big
time game, which there's not any big time Pelicans games,
I'll tune in. But as far as like an average
Major League Baseball game or something like that.
Speaker 6: No, I'm not. I'm not super tuned in.
Speaker 3: I get it, I get it, but I mean, look,
coming to work, we're on ESPN, baton Rouge, you know, Yeah,
a sports radio, you're on a you're on a sports
radio station. You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
But uh, I'm not. I'm not super tuned in to
sports all the time. And people are like, Tyler, when's
your mock draft coming? Okay, Like, guys, Cassie's been her
only Cassie. How many mock drafts have I done this week?
Speaker 5: None that I'm aware.
Speaker 6: Zero.
Speaker 3: We're not doing one today either. It's like, is just
kind of a myth, Jordan, It's just something that doesn't occur. Look,
it's fine, we talked about Sports Weekend. Not look our
number three, the non sports listeners are going to have
a field.
Speaker 1: Yes, okay, hook them out.
Speaker 6: We're doing our Munchie segment with Michael Johnson.
Speaker 3: We're going to talk Easter candy at nine thirty on
our Easter plans for this extended weekend. And then we're
doing Ask the Bench, and that's our number three. Like that,
the non sports listener, they will get. They will get
their moment to shine as well. Yes, to show for everyone. Okay,
right now, we are going to talk some college football
about us.
Speaker 1: Say, guys, relax.
Speaker 3: I teased it before we took that break at the
end of our number one. There are two SEC programs.
They got a lot better in my opinion in the
transfer portal. First team I want to mention is the
Oak Home A Sooners. They added jayden Ott, the Cal
running back. I think this is a really good signing.
You look at jayde Not. He rushed for eight hundred
and ninety seven yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman.
Then his sophomore year that's really when he broke out
thirteen hundred and fifteen yards twelve touchdowns in twenty twenty three. However,
last season, if you remember, you're gonna say, okay, well.
Speaker 6: Cal was okay last year. It's one of the best
seasons they've had. Wow.
Speaker 3: Clearly Jayde not was a big part of that offense.
He actually wasn't three hundred and eighty five yards rushing
four touchdowns last season, just three point three yards per carry.
Now he can catch the ball out of the backfield,
but this is just one of those situations where they
were a little bit more pass happy with Fernanda Mendoza
last year. He kind of fell out of favor in
the offense and they just weren't super productive in running
game all the round. I mean, his first two years
in Cal he had five point three yards average per carry.
Two years in a row, sure was three point three.
Their whole offensive line wasn't that great. It's kind of
why they faltered down the stretch a lot last year.
I don't blame Jade Nod for that. This is a
good signing for Oklahoma, though they were bad on the
ground last year in terms of getting that tough yardage.
I mean the raw numbers, I mean they're not awful.
There's five or six SEC teams that were probably worse.
But Gavante Barnes, which are leading rusher last year for
the Sooners five hundred and seventy seven yards five touchdowns.
He was fine, but you also lose the running of
a Jackson Arno. John Mattier can make things happen. I'm
not saying that John Mattier is some statue in the pocket,
but look, you're in the SEC. This is not the
Big twelve anymore. Texas came in. They played a physical
brand of football. They have a solid running game. Texas
made it all the way to the College Football Playoff.
If you're Oklahoma, you relied a lot on Dylan Gabriel
his first year, and Dylan Gabriel was magic at Oklahoma.
Speaker 6: I mean he made a lot of things happen.
Speaker 3: Once Dylan Gabriel was going on, you broke in an
inexperienced quarterback and a tough conference. You defense wasn't great,
and you didn't have a great running game. That's not
a recipe for success. I really like what the Oklahoma
Sooners have done with the addition of Jade. Not another team.
People are not gonna like this one Texas. Allhorns got
a lot better. They signedam At Moseley, the fifth cool
name out of the portal receiver from Stanford last year
forty eight catches, five hundred and twenty five yards six touchdowns.
This is a good signing because this Texas team. I
don't think people realize how much they lost. Isaiah Bond,
Matthew Golden, Gunner, Helm Silas Bolden, all of them are gone.
That kind of was your offensive year ago, and you
lose your starting quarterback in Quinn Ears.
Speaker 4: I get it.
Speaker 6: Everyone's high on Arch Manning.
Speaker 3: I still got to see it before I go to
buy you into all this hype. You only two returning
receivers from a year ago that played a lot is
Ryan Wingo and DeAndre Moore Junior. As far as Wingo
goes twenty nine catches for seventy two to two touchdowns,
DeAndre Moore thirty nine catches, four and fifty six yards
seven touchdowns, you had to add another receiver. It's gonna
be hard to replace Gunner, Helmet, tight end.
Speaker 6: We know that. I get it.
Speaker 3: Arch is a member of the Manning family. Everybody expects
big things right away, and he showed flashes last year.
The reality is he's never been a full time starting
quarterback in the SEC until this year. There's going to
be a little bit of growing paints. It may not
be weak one, but somewhere along the lines. And next
year he's going to struggle. Texas is still going to
have a good running game. I still believe they're gonna
have a good offensive line. You just need to add
some weapons on the outside with wingo DeAndre Moore and
now Emmett Moseley. I don't think you're going to be
as explosive as you were last year with Matthew Golden
and Isaiah Bond, but.
Speaker 6: I think you got a chance to be really good.
Speaker 3: And if Arch is as good as everybody says he is,
he's going to make the most of that talent wide receiver. Okay,
before we go to break, I wanted to be done
with the Nico iam Aliava situation as bad as everybody else.
There is another development, and I feel that we have
to mention it so that we can finally put a
bow on this whirlwind that was his has been his
time in college football so far. Yesterday afternoon, sources told
he ESPN that Iamaliava wanted at least four million dollars
from Tennessee.
Speaker 6: Well, now he's going to UCLA. Here's the thing.
Speaker 3: UCLA is was prepared to offer him something that isn't
even remotely close to that figure. So for the past
two days, Nico and UCLA have kind of been in
a standoff. Well, yesterday he decided to sign with the
UCLA Bruins. The reported number this is not official. The
reported number is about one point seventy five million dollars.
He was making over two million dollars a year at Tennessee.
So UCLA not only were they not close to the
four million dollar range, Nico lost money by entering the
transfer portal about two hundred and fifty three hundred thousand
dollars give or tap. You're going to a worse program
all the way on the other side of the country
that is a bottom feeder in their conference after leaving
a college football playoff team, UCLA has very little fan support.
I don't know how long DeShawn Falster's even going to
be the coach of that program, don't I don't really
understand the move here from Nico. Also, Colin Cowherd put
out a tweet yesterday and it really just kind of
rubbed me the wrong way. Colin Calherd said, sources close
to me have said that, and Nico's family say that
this is not about money.
Speaker 6: Nico's going to UCLA. He said, it was more about the.
Speaker 3: Tennessee volunteers offense and it didn't matter what the Bruins
were paid.
Speaker 6: Okay, so it is josh Hipel's fault.
Speaker 3: Apparently, the Nico iam Liiava threw for nineteen touchdowns and
five interceptions less than three thousand yards, that's his fault.
Remember the report that some other players were considered sitting
out of a playoff game. It's Joshipel's fault and Nico
wanted to sit out of a playoff game. I will
say that the fact that multiple starters on a playoff
team were considering sitting out of a playoff game, that
does tell me that there is some culture issues at Tennessee.
For Tennessee's sake, though, maybe Nico should have set out
that playoff game. Jordan, did you watch the game between
Ohio State and Tennessee?
Speaker 1: Yes? I did.
Speaker 6: Nico wasn't great in that game.
Speaker 1: Was he? Now? Ohio State smothered him.
Speaker 6: You may not remembered. He was this bad fourteen of
thirty one.
Speaker 3: That's good for a forty five percent completion percentage, just
one hundred and four yards passing, no touchdowns, and somebody's
gonna throw the argument back at me. But Taylor had
two rushing touchdowns in that game. Yeah, on forty seven
yard rushing. Y'all lost forty two to seventeen. You got
smashed by Ohio State.
Speaker 1: If I'm not mistaken. Didn't this helmet get cracked that game?
Speaker 6: Yeah?
Speaker 3: And he had a fumble in that game as well.
I bet that fumble was because of josh Hipel's offense.
It had nothing to do with Niko's poor performance. I
bet every big game last year, the Niko IAmA Liava
struggled in and failed to hit wide open receivers, I
bet that was josh Hipel's offense. The offense that multiple
quarterbacks have thrived in in multiple stops that that josh
Hipel has been at. I bet it's Hypel's offense. No
way is any of this the fault of Nico IAmA leap. Also,
he's not the only quarterback to transfer to UCLA this year.
Speaker 1: What's the guy?
Speaker 3: They got a transfer from Appalachian State, And you can
sit there and say, okay, well they got a transfer
from Happy State.
Speaker 6: Big deal.
Speaker 3: Iamalaiava is gonna gonna win that battle maybe, but maybe
he doesn't.
Speaker 6: His name is Joey Aguilar.
Speaker 3: Let me tell you, guys, what Joey Aguilar did last
year at Appalachian State. I understand he is coming up
a level of competition. Last year Joey Aguilar sixty four
percent completion three thy seven hundred and fifty seven yards,
thirty three touchdown passes, only ten interceptions. That smashes anything
that Nico Iamaliava has done.
Speaker 6: In his college career.
Speaker 1: We bought out.
Speaker 6: I hate to be this way. I hate to be
this guy.
Speaker 3: I hate to actively pull against someone, but every bone
in my body hopes that Joey Aguilar wins this starting
quarterback competition for the UCLA Bruins. Thirty three touchdowns, ten interceptions.
I don't care where your play Apple Watchian State has
been a good football program.
Speaker 6: For a number of years. I mean, I just I don't.
Speaker 3: I don't know what Nico's in game this year. He's
going somewhere where he's not the clear cut starter. He's
making less money. You're in a worse conference and a
worse team with worst fan support. Well, let's go ahead
and blame the offense for all of your struggles and shortcomings.
What happens if he struggles at UCLA. I bet that's
a Deshaun Foster's fault. I bet no way in the
world is Nico ima Lava to be blamed for that. Okay, look,
we can finally put a button on this crazy, insane
situation that is Nico Iyama Liiava and his college football career.
Speaker 6: I'm done with it.
Speaker 3: I just felt we had to mention that he finally
did sign with the school because all the talk had
been where's this.
Speaker 6: Guy gonna go?
Speaker 3: Well, he missed out on three hundred thousand dollars and
he went to a worse football program, and now he's
gonna be in a quarterback battle. Congrats and Nico hoop,
he got everything you wanted.
Speaker 5: All right.
Speaker 6: Look, we're going to take a quick time out when
we get back.
Speaker 3: CBS Sports says that the quarterback class this year in
the NFL Draft not one to be excited about.
Speaker 6: I tend to agree.
Speaker 3: That's kind of been my take on this for a
long time, but CBS kind of takes a deep dive
into why they think that's the case. We'll break it
down next here on Off the bench top the bench, if.
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Speaker 2: Welcome back to the best morning sports show around sort of.
It's Off the Bench with Hester and T Bob.
Speaker 6: Welcome back in Thursday edition of Off the Bench.
Speaker 3: Taylor Sharp's sitting in the host chair for Jacob Hester
and T Bob Abear. We're calling it Disco Day. It's
usually our met Thursday. This is gonna be Disco Day
because well it might be a Thursday, but it's kind
of our DEFECTO Friday, at least for me and Cassie.
As I mentioned earlier, Jordan is being punished for not
knowing the difference between O. TB Mailbag and Asked the Bench.
They are clearly two completely different segments. I don't understand
what the confusion is. They're even named different things.
Speaker 6: I don't.
Speaker 3: I don't know how you could, uh you could, you
could confuse the two, but he did so Jordan is
going to have to work Friday for Live at Launch.
Me a Cassie, We're off. Cassie finally gets to sleep in.
She's been waking up before the sun came up for
a week. Straight and guys, that's just not acceptable. Okay,
that's just not acceptable. She hadn't had her Chick fil
A in over a month and she's having to wake
up at five am.
Speaker 6: I mean, what are we doing?
Speaker 3: Also, not only not only do you get to sleep
in on Monday, not only do you get to sleep
in on Monday, you uh, Friday, well Monday, but like Monday,
you get your Chick fil A also, and you get
to and you get to sleep in.
Speaker 5: I'm gonna stroll in here Monday morning, Chick fil A
in hand. I'm gonna be so happy and I don't
have to wake up early and doing the morning show.
Speaker 6: I'm waiting.
Speaker 3: I'm waiting for like an email, Cyan Taylor, can you
cover on show Cassie took off on Monday and be like.
Speaker 5: You're hosting What's Ound next week?
Speaker 6: I forgot?
Speaker 1: Sorry, I just ruined your week.
Speaker 3: I got one more day, I got, I got an
hour and a half left today, then we got four
days next week. I am not hosting for Hunt next
for a your boy needs some time off to you, guys, Okay,
that's that's actually wait. I'm not even taking off on Friday.
I'm in a wedding at like four o'clock on Friday,
so I can't do hunt you.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I'm not even off.
Speaker 3: I'm not off till like the end of met I'll
tell you what though, Cassie, me and Musso we go.
We gotta take that Christmas vacation this year. We did
every show this year. We gotta take the Christmas vacation. Also,
I have done a good job of not eating Chick
fil A in front of you.
Speaker 6: Okay, I did yesterday. Well I didn't need it in
front of you, but I did text you. But I only.
Speaker 3: Texted you because I asked if you wanted a root beer.
I didn't know if that was against the rules. Is
it only like Chick fil a food or is it
anything from.
Speaker 6: Chick fil A?
Speaker 5: I think I just gave up, Like it's it's kind
of really like whatever I wanted to give up. Yeah,
I just kind of decided to give up Chick fil A.
And like I mean, a root beer is not necessarily
part of Chick fil A. It's really the Chick fil
A food. I just wasn't in the mood for root
beer yesterday.
Speaker 3: Okay, I know that's normally your order. You normally have
the the eight piece nuggets with the re beer. Yep,
I smell it all the time. All right, Look, I
want to do this real quick before we go to
break here. This'll be a little bit of a shorter segment.
CBS Sports over the week or on Monday actually put
this out. They said that this quarterback class could be
one that you could consider a bust. So they said,
there's only four quarterbacks ranked in the top one hundred
of our overall draft rankings this year, including just two
in the top forty. It's not gonna be anything like
twenty twenty four. You remember, in twenty twenty four, six
quarterbacks were taken in the first twelve picks. Here are
their highest rated quarterback prospects for twenty twenty five. Cam
Ward third overall, Schador Sanders twenty seventh overall. These are
overall prospects, not just quarterbacks. Jackson Dart fiftieth, Jalen Milrose
seventy eighth, which is just incredibly high, and Quinn Hewers
one hundred and first. So that's it, they said. It
doesn't mean it lacks intrigue. The supply may be lacking,
but they liked the talent. They did say, though, there's
a really good chance that only two quarterbacks will be
drafted in the first round. The last time there were
two or less quarterbacks in the first round was twenty
twenty two.
Speaker 6: When can he Pickett?
Speaker 3: Win twentieth overall in the twenty twenty two NFL Draft,
the only quarterback from that class that is still with
the team that drafted him. Keep in mind, it hadn't
even been three seasons yet. The only quarterback from the
twenty twenty two NFL draft class that is still with
their original team is brock Perty, who was mister revelevant.
He was the very last pick in that draft. Can
he Pickett? For what it's worth? On his third team?
Speaker 4: Now?
Speaker 3: They put out a list of the fewest quarterbacks drafted
in the first round in the past twenty years. Obviously
twenty twenty two, can he Pickett? Twenty thirteen?
Speaker 5: E J.
Speaker 3: Manuel was the only first round pick. Twenty fifteen, you
had two Samus Winston Mariota. In twenty ten, it was
Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow two thousand and eight, Matt Ryan,
Joe Flacco two thousand and seven, JaMarcus Russell, and Brady Quinn.
All those ten quarterbacks, only two got a second contract
with the team that drafted them. Matt Ryan Joe Flacca.
Both of them had good careers. Matt Ryan threw for
a heck of a lot of yards, made it to
a Super Bowl. Joe Flacco has a Super Bowl victory.
Only two made a Pro Bowl. Joe Flacco never made
a Pro Bowl. Jamis Winston made one. Don't know when
that came from. Matt Ryan made one. Half had twenty
or fewer touchdown passes in their entire NFL careers.
Speaker 6: Can you picktt included.
Speaker 3: So you can look back on that and say, Okay, Well,
whenever there's a quote unquote week quarterback class, yeah, it's
normally not good news. But that doesn't necessarily mean that
the quarterbacks here in the twenty twenty five NFL draft
class are bad.
Speaker 6: No, one hundred percent, I get that joyed.
Speaker 3: Let me ask you this question, YEP, which quarterback in
twenty twenty five?
Speaker 6: It could be one, it could be multiple. Would you
take in round one.
Speaker 1: Cam Ward Shadoor, Jackson Dart You.
Speaker 6: Would take all three of them in round one?
Speaker 1: I think all three will be Round one quarterbacks.
Speaker 6: Not who you think who would you take in round one?
Speaker 1: Oh? I mean obviously I would take cam Ward. Okay,
do min as a Saints fan?
Speaker 3: No, just like if you're an NFL GM, I think
these quarterbacks are worthy of going in the first.
Speaker 1: Ye Yeah, I mean it is because I don't have
the team. I don't know what my team is looking like.
But I'll definitely take all three. I think all three
if I was a GM, Yes, those are the three
quarterbacks I would take in round one.
Speaker 3: Yes, I'm not taking any of them. I'm not taking
any of these quarterbacks around one. If I need to, Cary,
I'm just waiting until next year. I love I might
love the fourth quarterback on next year's board better than
I love cam Ward. Look, cam Ward is a great player.
This is not cam Ward's fault. The only thing that
I worry about with Kim Ward is what big games
he played in in college. Guys, it's not his fault.
It's his fault.
Speaker 6: But if you want to, if you want to poke holes.
Speaker 3: Into every quarterback in this draft class, you can't. Okay,
cam Ward had a really good season thirty nine touchdowns,
only seven interceptions. He played in a week conference, and
it was a conference where he got to avoid Clemson
and SMU he did not play either of them. The
toughest game that Kim ward played last year in Miami
was Iowa State. It was a forty two to forty
one loss in their bowl game. Kim Warden was all
right in that game. He threw for one hundred ninety
yards and three touchdowns. It wasn't bad. But look, I
just look at it. Are you gonna draft that guy
number one overall?
Speaker 5: Now?
Speaker 3: If you're the Tennessee Titans and you're desperate enough, you're
going to do it. Kim mord is a good quarterback.
I'm not saying he's not. But if I am looking
for a guy and I am not absolutely desperate for
a quarterback, I might wait one more year. Kim ward though,
far and away to me, the best quarterback in this class,
at least when you're looking at negatives, a ton of negatives. Again,
this is not cam Warden's fault. I just look at
the ACC was bad. Outside of SMU and Clemson. He
didn't play either one of those teams, and his team
still lost three games last year.
Speaker 6: That's what I'm looking at. As far as Shadoor Sanders goes,
he didn't play in a ton of big games. Either.
Speaker 3: However, I have a big concern about the sacks that
Shador took. I get it, his offensive line wasn't good.
He took fifty two sacks, forty of them. He held
the ball four seconds or longer.
Speaker 6: It's weird.
Speaker 3: He almost holds the ball like Lemanzel or at Kyler
Murray or somebody that's back there running around, except take
away the ability to run.
Speaker 6: Now.
Speaker 3: I have heard the argument, is Shador holding onto the
ball that long because he has trouble processing and trouble
reading defenses? Or is he holding onto the ball that
long because he doesn't feel like he has to get
rid of it because he feels like he can get
away with it in college. I understand that that's a
perfectly acceptable argument to make. The only problem with that
a argument is he's not getting away with it. He
was sacked fifty two times. He's not getting away with
holding the ball that long. So you can say, okay,
well he can get away with it in college, can he.
Shador Sanders was thirteen and twelve as a starting quarterback
in at Colorado. I understand they did not win a
game before him. Dion Travis Hunter got there. I get
that he was thirteen and twelve as a starting quarterback,
and he was sacked fifty two times, just as past season,
and held onto the ball four seconds or longer for
over seventy five percent of them. To where we're out
with Shador's and there is no question that once the
ball leaves Shador Sanders his hands. He's one of the
most talented guys in this draft. People question his arm strength.
I think he's got plenty of arms strength. He's one
of the most accurate quarterbacks we've seen come out. He
doesn't make a lot of dumb mistakes and throw a
bunch of crazy turnovers between the snap and getting.
Speaker 6: Rid of the ball.
Speaker 3: That's where I worried with Shador Sanders. Now, as far
as Jackson Dart goes, he did play in big games.
He was just kind of hit and miss in those
big games against Georgia, he didn't have to do much,
but he was efficient. They beat Georgia twenty eight to
ten one hundred and ninety nine yards passing. He did
have a touchdown completed about sixty percent of his passes
against LSU, though not great fifty seven percent completion percentage
of touchdown and a pick against Kentucky again two sixty one,
just one touchdown. But there were games last year where
you had a great game against Arkansas, five hundred and
fifteen yards passing six touchdowns, no picks. And we know
about Jackson Dart's ability to run. Another good thing about
Dart is his numbers got better in every single year
he was.
Speaker 6: With Lane Kiffin.
Speaker 3: Now, is that Jackson dark getting better as a player.
Is that Lane Kiffn's offense being very QB friendly and
Jackson Dart getting more familiar with it. I think there's
a chance it could be a little bit of both.
I'm not saying don't take these guys. What I'm saying
is if you're not absolutely quarterbacks starved and you don't
absolutely need a guy, you don't have to. This mainly
applies to the Saints with Chador Sanders. Me and Jordan
we're talking about this the other day. Would I take
Schador Sanders nine overall?
Speaker 5: No?
Speaker 6: I would not. Would I be absolutely upset if the
Saints did it?
Speaker 8: Nope.
Speaker 3: I understand you don't know who your starting quarterbacks are
going to be next year. My only point is, don't
panic draft. Don't draft Schador Sanders or Dart or Kim
Whart's not gonna be there. But whoever, whichever quarterback you
like the best, don't draft them at number nine overall
because you feel like you have to at number nine overall.
If you want to draft a quarterback, draft them because
you actually think it's the quarterback of the future. I
don't know if Schador Sanders is I think he can
become that. I don't know if he's ready. I don't
know if Jackson Dart's ready to step in and be
a starter year one. Problem is if the Saints draft
Schador nine overall, he's probably going to have to be
the starter of year one.
Speaker 6: What is that going to look like?
Speaker 3: The good news is he would play under Kellen Moore,
who has had success with Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts.
All three pretty different style quarterbacks. Herbert runs a little bit,
Dak doesn't run much but does have the big arm.
Jayalen Hurts pretty much a run first quarterback. He's had
success with all three of those guys, So I think
if anybody can make it work, it's Kellim Moore. But look,
CBS Sports not super high on this quarterback class. I'm
not super high on him either.
Speaker 6: I like him.
Speaker 3: I think there's potential. I just don't think as far
as year one, limit your expectations on all three of
these guys. All right, look, we're going to take a
quick time out. When we get back. Grant Sachree of
Crescent City Sports is gonna hop on. We're gonna talk
to New Orleans Saints NFL Draft coming up next week.
That's coming up on the other side here on Off
the Bench, Off.
Speaker 2: The Bench, you know, I was, you know, could keep
them because.
Speaker 1: He's got a lot of power.
Speaker 5: It makes me feel like that.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to the best morning sports show around sort of.
It's Off the Bench with Hester and t Bob.
Speaker 3: Welcome back, Yeah, Thursday edition of Off the Bench Taylor
Shelby with you filling in for Jacob Ester and Taba Baby.
Right now, we're gonna go to the phone lines. Grant
Sashary Crescent City Sports hopping on with us. Grant, how
are you this morning?
Speaker 8: I'm doing pretty good, Taylor. Taylor, I just looked at
that last seen I kind of disagree with you, okay
more just because if you look at that Miami defense,
I mean, if they actually has an average defense, they
would have gotten the playoffs. The b the bulge is gone.
I would say one hundred and ninety yards and three
touchdowns came in the first half in not play in
the second half. So he's a dog. But the rest
of the quarterback class, besides the Door Sanders, you know
by Groosy there.
Speaker 6: All right, let's let's dive into it.
Speaker 3: I mean we'll we'll start with the quarterback that is
currently on the New Orleans Saints roster, but for how long?
Speaker 6: Nobody really knows?
Speaker 3: What's your belts on the Derek Carrs shoulder injury news.
Speaker 8: Yeah, man, you know, speaking of quarterbacks could be a
quarterback heavy you know, seconds. But yeah, I just just
told Derek Carr it's very very fishy, like you know,
when he restructs his contract. Now we do now now
that it was without his permission. But then also just
the whole shorter injuries is kind of weird, right, Like
we all thought he was healthy. You know, there was
a photo of him with his family and parish brands
that it looks like he was fine, and all of
a sudden, just oh, he has a shorter injury exceeds
had his shoulder injury and stuff like that. Of course,
we now know that he hasn't right now, had had
some beef with the space organizations. At this point with
Derek Carr, like, it just seems like it's not gonna
work out. You have to find a way to get
rid of him, whether it's by trade or cutting them.
It's just a really bad situation overall. And really it
shouldn't have never restructed him, right because once they restruct him,
then they own even more money if they if they
had not, If they just catch the contract the way
it is, it would actually save them a decent bit
of musk. That's not a whole lot, but just enough
where it doesn't financially cap.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 3: Let's go with the future of the quarterback room in
New Orleans. If they if they move on from Derek Carr,
which I agree with you on that, where do they
go at quarterback?
Speaker 8: You know, the thing is, if Shudor Staying is still
available at number nine, I would take right The reason
why I say that is because even let's say Derek
Carr is out for the year, the States are probably
gonna bring in a better quarterback regardless. So you know,
if you do drop the guy like to door Sanders.
The goal is not to play him right away. We've
seen that happen with the Colts and Anthony Richardson, and
although stands a little bit more experienced than Anthony Richardson,
we also what happens when you playing quarterback right away.
I think with a guy like Keller Moore, he's great
with working with young quarterbacks throughout his entire career. That's
really what he's worked with is really young quarterbacks. I
think Door Sanders will benefit will benefit a whole lot
learning under Keller Moore and also sitting out of a year,
right We've seen them way past Mahomes, He's sat the
whole year. We've seen that with Jalen Hurts. He you know,
he didn't really become the starring quarterback to like very
late into his work of season. Lamar Jackson the same thing.
I really think that Sir dor Shanders can be a
guy like that run on. He can be the guy,
but you know, I think he's beneficial for him to
kind of wait and see and maybe you know, when
you bring a better quarterback he can learn under him.
Because we still know that Sir dor Standers has a
lead on you.
Speaker 1: Know, his good arm.
Speaker 8: We know he's a great leader and has confidence to
be the quarterback is the one sense he gets more
confident than Derek Carr, just the way he cares himself.
But we do know, like he said in the last segment,
that he takes loves back, and that's something that could
be worked out under a guy like Kelimourning. That's a
very fixable thing that you know, especially when you have
a guy like Kelimore.
Speaker 3: So as far as the first round goes, grant like
next next Thursday night, and should door your guy? And
if the Saints have decided not to go, should door
number nine? Like where where do they go?
Speaker 8: But you know, the last time appears in the show
us and mentioned how important it is that the fans
get a pass catcher. That was before we knew that
Storstan Anders could fall into the Saints, right, So I think,
you know, a guy like kender Rod van Millin and
who I know is also apparently might fie slipping as well,
So it's a great possiblity you can get him. You
need another big body, wide receiver and he's that. But
then also guy like Tyler Warren, right, he could play
anywhere on the He's a tight end, but you can
play anywhere on the field, even as wild back quarterback,
right because you know he could kind of be your
Stays and Hill's boy in this because in case you know,
Dick Nate, I'm not sure if this is what the
Saints are with the stats and switch would takes some
hills right now, but you can fill that role. I
think both those guys could come in the Saints and
play right away and be impactful players. But I just
think that it looks like they don't draft the past catch.
I think it's gonna be an. I think you're gonna
drop the opposite player in the first round because it
is Calum morris first year and I think he wants
one if he is offensive guys to be dropped in
the first round.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and you know most most people want offense in
this in this draft. Did it makes sense if you
look at the Saints free agents and you know offseason signings,
they they leaned it towards the defense, it would make
sense they went offense in this draft as far as
the defense goes, like, maybe what's the biggest hole on
that side of the ball you want the Saints.
Speaker 6: To go after?
Speaker 8: Uh, definitely, the secondary spot. I think that both those
areas are gonna need UH players a safety of course,
you know you have to you know, I think both
those specific can be drafted laying around maybe a fad
too late rounds. And of course Andrew mccooba from Texas,
we know that the faints are heavily invested in him.
Of course, Terry Judson was his uh pasified coach back
at Texas and he had six to nine tackles photograts
well lost and led the SEC and then exceptions for five.
And he also has a great player pass coverage eighty
nine points seven coverage, greater acre in the CFF and
also had a twelve point one also allowed passes to
only have a twelve point one passer rating when he
was targeted. So he's an excellent safety, said safety. But
also if you want to look up the deeps the line,
I think they're going to look towards, you know, one
that edge positions, just because Cam Gordan's betting the older
and you could probably and probably you want Brandon Sayley
wants somebody that kind of fits his defense. A couple
of guys second fit dead will be David Walker. He's
a little undersized, but he's not only a good run stopper,
which you definitely need with the Saints run defense last season,
but he's also an elite pass rusher, although I think
he'll be more of a situational pass rusher when he comes.
When he comes to the NFL, he had twelve sacks
last year for such an artistall and he averaged had
an average pass rush straight PFF passus straight of ninety two.
All three years who was in college, he had an
over ninety pass rush grade. Actually, Giloup, it's more from Louisville,
more of a run stopper, and I think he would
definitely definitely be an impact for player come come when
he gets well be a get jobs about it since
because I think he fits Brandley's Brandon Stays defense in
the three four and then also Antoine Powell Rylan. He's
gonna be a late round pick with someone I've been seeing.
He was an All American last season in Virginia Tech.
He brings third in the FBS with sixteen sacks and
six with NAT and tacks pulled off, and he had
five games of the last two seasons warrior two or
more sacks. He's an elite pass rusher. I think that
could be a big pickup for the Saints if they
do trust late round, because you know, in a late round,
it's just a bunch of chaos. He don't know what's
going to happen.
Speaker 3: Maybe not necessarily a specific position here, Grant, but like
late round. I know you just mentioned like a lot
of pass rushers, a lot of secondary guys there, but like,
is there a late round target regardless of position, And
you're like, hey, if that guy's there, I want the
Saints to jump on him.
Speaker 8: Yeah, you know, of course I mentioned Andrew Raccouba. That
would be a great pick up. He's gonna be kind
of a midn around like maybe a three, four or
five type of guy. You know, I think that'll be
an excellent pickup. I also mentioned David Walker. Although he
might not be a starter right away, he could definitely
be in the rotation and create cause he'd already have
a huge impact when he comes to the Saints. I
also really like a dam And Martinez, the running back
from Well, he wasn't organested. He went to Miami last year.
He was came more teammates the last few seasons to
over one thousand yards. He could be more of a
three down back. He had you know, throughout the time
last season hit up the average four point four to
six yards after contact for capt and that was third
among NFL of dropped running back.
Speaker 7: Uh.
Speaker 8: He also had a ninety four point three PFF rushing grade,
which was third behind Ashton Johnty and Camp Scatada. So
he's definitely somebody that defense could pick up maybe in
the mid to late rounds, you know, pre probably a
fourth fiftron pick. But I think that's somebody that could
come in and be an impactile player right away, because
like I said, he is a three down back. You
need somebody in the rotations that can go along with
Alvin Kamar because you know, Ata tomorrow will be thirty.
Just before this season starts.
Speaker 3: Step away from the NFL Draft here real quick, Jalen
ran He announced he won to a trade from Miami.
A lot of people thought the Saint should jump on that.
What are your what are your thoughts on possibly that pairing?
Speaker 8: You know, we do. What I do know is that
Jalen Ramsey Brandon Daily art close right.
Speaker 6: We do know that.
Speaker 8: Brandon Daily was Jayleen Ramsey Stephen's coordinator when Brandy Stay
was with the Rams before he took the head coaching
job at the Chargers, and he had a lot of
stuss there. And so you know, I think that Jolson
Jayalen Ramsey to fit what Brad is that he wants
to do. We've already seen that work when they're about
with the Rams. And we also and also I do
know that Jalen Ramsey tweeted out I saw a tweet
when Brandon Staley got hired. He was all four. He
was all for the hiring. He actually created out my
guy uh so the same because Public put the trade
in for him. However, they would take on about twenty
one point one million dollars in new salary. They have
about twenty million in cap space, which is good to
adore Bramson's salary. But the issue is what what's the
long term deal here? Right? I think that's kind of
the issue. It just really depends on what Brandy Sally
wants them right away. But then also what are the
plans for the future. I think that we're still don't
know what they're trying to do. We know Micky will
much what's the win now, but we're looking at a
station like you have to start building for the future,
So I don't. So you know, there's a lot caveatsa
go to that and but and do you think again,
Jaleb Ramsey does get is on this answer to trade.
I think that'd be a huge pick up, But then again,
we have to think about the longs are here for
the Saints.
Speaker 3: Grand Sagery, Crescent City Sports. Grand thanks for hopping on
with us today.
Speaker 8: No, thank you, Taylor, I'm glad to hop on.
Speaker 6: Yep.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, Grand Satury, right there, Crescent City Sports. All right,
we're going to take a quick time out. The lasher
gymnastics team will be in action tonight, the semi final
round of the NCAA Championships coming up. Will break that
down on all next here on off the bench, off
the bench.
Speaker 1: Uh oh.
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Speaker 2: Welcome back to more sports talk. What's some other stuff
mixed in Off the Bench with Hester and t Bob.
Speaker 3: Welcome back in final segment our number two Thursday edition
of Off the Bench. A little bit show update. We
weren't sure if we were gonna get this done. LSHU
baseball coach A. Jay Johnson will join us at nine am,
so we will have Coach Johnson at nine am. Then
we'll do our Munchie segment at nine fifteen. Then we'll
be a little lighter hearted to close out the show.
I want to mention this real quick, only have a
few minutes, but the stages set for the Nationals as
far as the twenty twenty five NCAA Gymnastics Championship goes
Thursday night. There will be two semi final showdowns that'll
eliminate the field from eight to four.
Speaker 6: The first group pretty heavy SEC.
Speaker 3: It's gonna be Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, and Alabama, so all
four SEC schools. However, in that second group, your LSU
Tigers actually the only SEC team in that group. So
it's gonna be the Tigers along with Utah, who they
saw in that Final four just a year ago, Number
six of UCLA, and then the Michigan State Spartans. All
of those teams are battling for a final four spot. Look, Utah,
obviously we see them here a lot. The Tigers just
saw them there last year along with Florida in that
national final. I like the Tigers chances this year. It's
it's weird to say, like maybe top to bottom talent wise,
this lation gymnastics team might actually be better than they
were a year ago, if you can believe that. I mean, look,
you have Haley Bryant, you have a Leah Finnegan. They
were instrumental to your team a year ago. But freshman
kaylen Chio, I mean, she has been phenomenal. It seems
like every single week, we have seen oh, National Freshmen
of the Week, gymnasts of the week, YadA, YadA, YadA.
Speaker 6: It's kaylen Chio.
Speaker 3: Like it's weird as citizen to say, like is dominant
and as great as Hailey Bryant has been in her
college career here in bat Ruge, like she might not
even be the best gymnast on the team this year.
Speaker 6: That might be.
Speaker 3: I think that this team, top to bottom, there's not
a ton of weakness. As you have seen how many
times this team has put up a one ninety eight
this year. I mean they it seems like they were
setting record after record every single week. It's gonna be tough.
The good news is, like you're facing Utah. The top
two teams from that bracket are gonna come out. So
I think LSU and Utah out of the top, and
then UH in that second group I mentioned SEC heavy.
You have Oklahoma number one, and you have Florida Missouri Alabama.
I hate to go chalk here and pick the exact
same four as last year, but these teams have been
so dominant. I think it's gonna be LSU in Utah
out of one group, and then Oklahoma Florida out of
the other. I think we're gonna we're gonna run this
entire final four back that we saw a year ago.
And uh, I like the Tigers to get this done. Cassie,
I know you follow LSU gymnastics probably closer to anybody
in this building.
Speaker 6: You like the Tigers, Oh, I do.
Speaker 5: I agree with you. I think that they're definitely better
than they were last year. Kail, and she has been
like a very very great addition to it. They've been
like comparing kylen Chio to Haley Briant, like her freshman
year and like her scores are higher than Haley Brian's
her freshman year.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, like any any freshman record that could
be set, like kylen Chio has done that this year,
and it's like it's not a one off. It's not oh,
she was excellent in this meet, or oh she had
an off meat Like it's meat after meat after meat.
Kaylen chioh has been dominant on every single thing. I mean,
she is one of those pure all around gymnasts that
people like to talk about. So good luck to the Tigers.
They will be in the semi final group tonight again.
That field will be cut tonight from eight to four
and then that final four for the national championship will
take place on Saturday. So good luck to j Clark
and the LSU Tigers as they try to repeat as
national champions. All right, coming up in hour number three,
as I just mentioned, coming into this segment, we will
have LSU head baseball coach at Jay Johnson. We're gonna
get his thoughts on the Alabama Crimson side, what he
needs to do to bounce back, and nazee us I'm
the result from what he saw last weekend. One of
everybody's favorite segments of the week, our Munchie segment with
LSU executive chef Michael Johnson. That's coming up in ninth
fifteen at nine thirty. We're gonna have a little bit
of fun. We're gonna talk about the most popular Easter candies.
We're gonna give you our favorite. Then we're gonna talk
about what we're all pigging out on this weekend. I
know we talked about Cassie's excited she gets Chick fil
A on Monday, But what are we all doing for
Easter Sunday? And then we're gonna close this thing out
like we do every day with ask the Bench. That's
all coming up. Stay tuned one hour left here on
this work week on o TV off the bench.
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