Title: Move The Sticks episode 271
Date: February 21, 2018
Length: 38 minutes and 41 seconds
Cast: Hosts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks
Extra: You can subscribe on iTunes
Analysis:
With the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns select…
Is the wait driving anyone else but me crazy? Yeah, I figured I wasn’t alone. I openly admit I’m a massive sucker for the NFL Draft. If you have a mock draft, I’m looking at it. If you have a take on Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen or what the Denver Broncos should do with their pick at No.5, you can bet I’m reading it. If there’s a podcast that’s talking about it, I’m listening to it.
Such was the case with the latest episode of Move the Sticks featuring Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks. Let me start with the obvious: Out of all the podcasts that revolve around the NFL Draft, why this one? It’s easy for anyone to throw out an opinion on what a certain team should do when discussing the NFL Draft, but I want to hear opinions from NFL GM’s and staff members. I want to know what they’re thinking and how they’re approaching this year’s draft. I even want opinions from players and hosts that are former scouts, who know how the process works. Move the Sticks doesn’t have just a couple of those advantages, it has all of them.
Quarterbacks are always a hot topic when it comes to the NFL Draft and this year is no exception. You’ve probably heard the hot debate on former Heisman winner and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, and how he translates to the position in the NFL. Move the Sticks approached that story line with a simple, yet brilliant line of thinking – get the most relevant guest they could have on the podcast to discuss it, Sure, Jackson, himself, would be a great get that would capture headlines, but what about the former player he’s most closely compared to? What about the former Heisman winner that’s been raving about him for over two years on social media – Michael Vick!
Jeremiah and Brooks spent the early portion of the episode pumping up Vick as the best guest they’ve ever had on the podcast. It only took me a few minutes to realize that statement was 100 percent accurate. The listener received over 16 minutes of Vick talking about the comparisons between himself and Jackson, what his biggest adjustment as a rookie quarterback will be, how he think he translates as a quarterback and more. They literally could have posted that 16 minutes as the entire episode and I still would have called it a major success. Getting Vick to come on was brilliant, but he backed it up by giving great content that captured the headlines. I can only imagine the fist pumps that Jeremiah and Brooks were doing after that interview.
But as great as hearing from Vick was, the NFL Combine is rapidly approaching and I want to hear the major storylines going into the event. Once again, these guys didn’t disappoint, as they hit that topic immediately after the interview. I previously mentioned how I crave information from hosts that are well connected with NFL teams. Seeing as Jeremiah and Brooks are both former NFL scouts, I respect their opinion on the number of topics that were brought up. However, what I really enjoyed, was the fact they asked five front office executives the exact same questions they were discussing. By giving their own opinion, they could back it up with what the actual decision makers are saying. Again, brilliant move that appeases to the listener.
But let’s also be honest with topics surrounding the NFL Combine. It’s not entertaining to hear how much a particular player needs to bench press, or what kind of time he needs to show in the three-cone drill. What I want to hear, is what’s going on in places that I can’t watch live on NFL Network, such as the interview room. I want to know what coaches and GM’s will ask Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. How they’ll conduct their interviews and the strategy that goes along with it. Take me behind the curtain, where few people are allowed to go. Jeremiah and Brooks did that well. It helped me get a better sense of how certain players are viewed by NFL teams, heading into the combine. Just another big advantage of having two former scouts running the podcast.
Final Thoughts:
The only thing this podcast was missing, was both Jeremiah and Brooks being in the same room. Obviously, that’s not always a feasible option, but there were brief moments in the opening minutes of the podcast where they talked over each other. It was very minor and took little away from the podcast, but the quality would be slightly improved with both guys being in the same location. As far as suggestions moving forward for Moving the Sticks, I’d tell them to not change a thing. The guests are great, the content is great and the inside information is excellent. If you’re like me and crave NFL Draft talk, you’d be crazy to not give Moving the Sticks a listen. This podcast checks all the necessary boxes to be one of the best of its kind.
Tyler McComas is a columnist for BSM and a sports radio talk show host in Norman, OK where he hosts afternoon drive for SportsTalk 1400. You can find him on Twitter @Tyler_McComas or you can email him at TylerMcComas08@yahoo.com.
