GM MIKE BORGONZI:
Good morning, good to see everybody. Before we get started here today, I just want to take a moment to speak on Coach Mac (Dave McGinnis) and the passing of Coach Mac. He had an impact on so many people in the National Football League, so many people within this organization, so many in this room. He was passionate about this team, this organization in general, the city of Nashville. I had a lot of good conversations with Coach Mac over the past year, particularly on the practice field last year. Just talking about life, football in general. Learned a lot from him, team building, culture, doing it with the right type of people. He's certainly going to be missed by a lot of people here. And I just want to thank him for everything that he did for us. So thanks, Coach Mac.
We're about a week out here from the Draft. Excited here, I think the process has been really good, especially with the new coaching staff that we have here. I think the communication, collaboration between the scouts and the coaches has been phenomenal. Just discussing players and how these players are going to be used in our scheme now, the right type of players we want in here to continue to build in this locker room, to build the culture. A lot of people to thank; the scouts have done a tremendous job here over the past year, putting in all this work. Coaches, during the spring here, put so much work in evaluating these guys, and we had finished up meetings here the last couple of weeks with our scouts and coaches. Going to wrap up here and meet with our medical staff again today. So feel really good about the process we've had. I want to thank a lot of other people too, the IT department, our analytics for all the support that they've given us as we've gathered this information here over the last couple of months. When you feel good, you feel prepared. We could draft tonight if we had to. So I'll open it up for questions.
(on if a running back with a special profile like Jeremiyah Love would be worth the fourth overall pick)
I certainly think there's a cluster of players up there that we really like. But in particular Jeremiyah (Love), I think he's a special player. I've talked about this at the combine before, the speed, he can do things out of the backfield as a receiver. But there's also a group of edge guys up there, that are really good too, so I think we'll have some really good options there at four.
(on how the slotting of salary comes into play with who they pick or the position they pick)
I think you have to have all these discussions but at the end of the day, we always talk about taking the best player available at that point. So those discussions, premium positions versus non-premium, I mean those are always talked about because you're always looking at your roster and your salary cap that we have to work with and forecasting your roster for this year, next year, the years coming. So certainly those are discussions that we do have.
(on how much inside linebacker is a premium position in Robert Saleh's defensive scheme)
Well, he certainly had a lot of success with linebackers he's had in San Francisco, the Jets, even his time back in Seattle with those guys. And like I said, I think there's going to be a cluster of players up there. You're looking for impact players when you get up there, when you're taking that high in the draft. And who's going to have the most impact? Who's the best player really available? But certainly, there's a linebacker there that's pretty good as well.
(on if they are opening to trading the fourth overall pick and how far he believes they can trade back and still select a premium player)
It depends, and I think—to answer the first question—I think we're going to remain flexible and fluid where we're at, because I do think there's a handful of players that we really do like at four. And now, we've already started the discussions, but just in terms of scenarios, if we move back a few spots, if we went back 10 spots, where would that leave us with players? So those are the discussions really over this—that we've been having really over the last couple of weeks, but certainly that's one of the options.
(on how much of a feel he has for what the Cardinals and Jets will do at picks 2 and 3 and if they are prepared for any scenario)
I think we will be ready for any scenario. If you listen to everything that's out there now, though, it's a lot of smoke screens. I think you do have to pay attention to it, right? But certainly I think that we're going to have options there at four, no matter what the team does in front of us.
(on how much of an upgrade a player has to be at a position that isn't a need to justify selecting a player at that position over a position of need)
That's always the challenge of the draft and that's why you always stay true to the board, because you can make mistakes if you're trying to force a need and you're taking a player that's of lesser value. So I think we always go back to 'take the best player.' You never know what's going to happen this year or next year just because we have a need this year and how we can acquire players. The draft and free agency obviously is a big part of it, but there's certainly other avenues to acquire players throughout the year. So you never want to make a rash decision and just force a need for a player on draft night. I think that's really why we always talk about taking the best player available and everybody rolls their eyes. But I think, that's important though.
(on if there is panic that someone will they "his guy" if they trade up to the third pick or they have enough players they are comfortable picking at the fourth pick)
Well, like I said, I think there are enough guys that we feel comfortable at 4 even if there was a player selected before us that we had in there that we'd feel good about taking at 4.
(on who Sonny Styles reminds him of)
In terms of the testing, not really anybody. His testing numbers—I think he broke every testing number for a linebacker. He's tall, he's rangy, he's a former safety, so he's got great feel in coverage. His length can take up a lot of space on the field. Tremaine Edmunds was a linebacker that comes to mind that was a similar size, I guess. But even he wasn't this athletic, so it's a tough comp.
(on if it would it be difficult to take a left tackle early knowing they would either be sitting Dan Moore or sitting a high pick given the other positions of need on the roster)
The big guys are hard to find. As you know, there's not too many guys that are that big and athletic. I think that's why those guys get taken so high. When you have a chance to acquire those type of positions, I think you have to do it regardless. And then however it shakes out, whoever wins the position battle—to have an opportunity to get a young tackle here to develop, no matter where we take them, I think you have to certainly think about doing that.
(on Arvell Reese)
When you look at the physical tools for Arvell (Reese), I mean, he's one of the more explosive players that I've ever seen in terms of his burst, his ability to close, his explosion on contact. So he has all the tools to do it. They were using him so much off the ball, on the line of scrimmage, and with a player like that, you can do a lot with early. You can use them in that Spinner position, Joker, however you want to call it. But you certainly see the flashes there of him being a dominant pass rusher. So, I think you're looking at the tools and the upside there.
(on if Rueben Bain's involvement in a 2024 auto accident an issue for them or other teams)
We've known about that information for a while. We've researched it, discussed it, we talked to Rueben (Bain) multiple times. We've had multiple touch points with Rueben and feel really good about the person. People make mistakes, but we really enjoyed having him in here and discussing a lot of stuff that had happened before. But we feel good with Rueben.
(on if Rueben Bain was forthcoming about information regarding the accident)
I think you have a series of questions when you first meet with somebody at a touchpoint. I think we might have asked the question first at the combine, but we certainly knew about it. A lot of teams did during the summer.
(on what he learned from his first time drafting as a general manager last year that he has changed this year)
I think it changes year to year, but certainly you're always looking at ways to improve. I think we've done a tremendous job this year just in terms of working, I guess, the bottom of the board and the backboard between our scouts and coaches. So that's one thing we maybe changed up a little bit this year just in terms of stacking some of those players and starting on those players earlier.
(on what the draft room will be like on draft night)
It's exciting, but when you put in all the work, it's just like before a game if you're a coach and you feel really good about it. So there's a sense of calmness, but you're excited for draft night. But you feel confident where you're at because you put the work in.
(on the depth at interior offensive line in this year's draft)
I think there's good depth in this draft at interior offensive line. Day 1 and even 2 and 3. Those guys, you can find guys in those middle rounds that have, especially those interior offense line, it's a lot of intangibles that you're looking for. Smart, tough guys. And some of those guys maybe not have tested well, and that's why they didn't get taken higher, but a lot of these guys play in the league, so I think there is some good depth in this draft there.
(on if the change from 10 minutes between first round picks to eight minutes affects him at all)
No, I'm actually happy about it. It gets Round 1 going faster, so it won't have much of an effect.
(on if it is like starting from square one as soon as rookie offensive linemen get to the NFL because of the difference from the college game)
Yeah, that's a good question. I think there's two things. I think the game has changed obviously so much. I remember even going back to 2013, we had the first pick with Eric Fisher and so much guys playing out of two-point stances because of the pass game and quick game. But it certainly is another element now with these guys moving school to school and not having consistency with coaching. With consistency comes, you have to have fundamentals. So I think that's a big part of it. A lot of these guys have to come in here and get back to the basics with fundamentals.
(on the melding between coaches and scouting during the evaluation process)
I think you're always going to have healthy discussions and no one's going to—if you agree on everything, it's not good. So you need to have those healthy discussions before the draft, whether it's between the scouts or between the scouts and the coaches. And sometimes they can bring up things, too, that we may have not seen. So I think you always have to have an open mind and you can't be stubborn when you first evaluate a player and say, 'This is the grade I gave them.' Now, you want to stand strong on what you really think of the player. But if you feel like, 'Yeah, maybe I missed that,' and that's the biggest thing, having humility in the process. But that part of it has been great with the coaches. We've had a lot of communication here over the last couple of months, even dating back to free agency. They've been really good to work with.
(on how big this draft is in furthering the vision and plan he set out after being hired last year)
These opportunities—the draft is the lifeblood of your organization when you're bringing in players that you can develop and develop your culture. So every draft is really important. I think we added some really good players, I think, in free agency that helped us. And I've talked about this before, just in terms of some guys that had played for some of the coaches we have here, coach (Robert) Saleh and coach (Brian) Daboll. So that has helped us, but every draft is vital when you have an opportunity to acquire young players that you can develop and really build your culture.
(on what would happen if there was a player he loved that Robert Saleh did not like)
Yes, you would never take a player that a coach does not want. It's happened over the years, I've seen it. I've been in the league for a long time. That's how you develop friction in the organization. You need buy-in when you're taking these players. So whether it's a position coach or it's the head coach, that's why you have so many of these discussions headed into the draft. And you never want to force a player onto a coach that they don't believe in.
(on making the head coach and coaching staff see things the way he and his staff see them)
You have those discussions heading into the draft, but if you can't come to an agreement on a player. Like I said, I've seen it happen before, it's not good for the relationship, it is not good for player either when you don't have buy-in from the coaching when you take them.
(on how much of this draft will be tailored to supporting Cam Ward)
I think you're always looking to support the quarterback and certainly protection is one. You know getting him playmakers is another thing. So to answer your question, yes, I think that is important.
(on how Cam Ward is looking in the rehab process)
Good. He's been out there, I'm sure you've seen some of the videos online and throwing and he looks good, he is trending in the right direction.
(on if he anticipates Cam Ward will be throwing during minicamp)
Right now, I think he's trending that way. So, yes.
(on Robert Saleh's theme in the early gatherings with the team)
Yeah, I think it's been great. You can feel the excitement and the energy in the building. When they first came in, I was in that first team meeting. Robert (Saleh) does a very good job of laying down the expectations and standards, and you felt like everybody knew where they were going when you left that meeting in terms of what he wants for this team, this football team. And that's a big part of leadership. But you can feel the excitement just walking around the building with the guys and being in here over the last couple weeks.
(on the possible smokescreens and how much attention he pays to them)
It's just part of it. I mean, you have to listen to it. You do hear scuttle whether it be on social media or people you're talking to in the league. You're trying to collect information and you're trying figure out what is the right information. But at the end of the day, you have stay true to your board, know what you have there. Like I said, we've put a ton of work in right now, so we feel really comfortable headed into the draft, no matter what happens.
(on if he has to participate in the smoke screening)
Sure. That's the game within the game.
(on if there are more top-level players at non-premium positions in this draft)
Yeah, you could say that. Certainly the Ohio State guys—the safety, linebacker—they're really good players. And it's just one of those drafts where it just so happens there's a lot of non-premium positions that are impact players, yeah.
(on the top end of this draft's class of wide receivers)
I think it's a deep receiving class, and I think the top end is really good. I feel good about the options that we have up there in Day 1, and even 2 and 3. I think there's some really good options there.
(on if Jordyn Tyson's medicals concern him)
We take all (the) medical information. It wasn't concerning to us at the end of the day. But every team might see it differently though.
(on how much easier it is to trade down from pick 35 than pick 4 because there's less separation between the picks)
Yeah, it depends. Really, draft to draft, it really depends. Some guys you don't expect sometimes that come out of Round 1, you think they're going to get taken in Round 1. Everyone's draft board's a little bit different. So, I think you have to look at the cluster of players that you have in there. Sometimes when you're picking high in the second, there's a player that you really like and then you just take the player. Now if there's two or three players that you like at the same value and you think you move back a little bit and still get one of those players, then you do that. So I think it varies year to year sitting at the top of the that second round.
(on older players coming out of college in the draft)
It is part of it now. I think there's a lot less juniors coming out since COVID. I think it might be, I forget the exact number, it's probably half the players of juniors that have come out. So the draft has become older, especially, I guess, on Day 3. A lot of guys that will come back for NIL money, that's just part of it. I do think there is an element of guys having more maturity, though, when you're taking them there. Some of the guys are more fundamentally sound, but certainly you're balancing that of a younger player that still has a higher ceiling too. So you do have to take that into account though, especially if there's injuries to an older player.
(on where NIL money and players staying in college has affected the draft most)
I would say on Day 3 because a lot of guys will get projections after the season and where they go if they don't—they feel like they can go back if they get a lower round projection and they feel they can back and still make money in NIL, they'll go back to school. So I think you've seen it more in the later rounds, for sure.
(on what the night before the first round of the draft is like for him)
I mean, it feels like as a player it feels kind of like game day. This is our game day. So you do—that's always natural, I think, to have some, call it nervous energy sometimes. But that's a good thing though.
(on Hendon Hooker)
He obviously had a great career at Tennessee, and he's had some unfortunate injuries. But we brought him in here to work out, and he had a really good work out. And he's a high character kid. So I think he's been a great addition to the room so far.
