April 25, 2025 • 37 mins
The Seattle Seahawks selected Grey Zabel with the 18th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft! Marc shares that he likes the pick but doesn't love it... Grey's high school head coach, Steve Steele joins the show to talk about Grey, where he might play with the Seahawks, and much more. Hitting to all fields, we hear from Earl Thomas catching up with KING 5's Chris Egan, plus Gen Z vs. OG regarding the NBA!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're the eighteenth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
The Seattle Seahawks like Gray Zabel guard North Dakota State.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
So there it is, folks, the Seattle Seahawks your new guard,
Gray's Abel out of North Dakota State. This is MJ
in the Midday Christopher Kidd producing, Wow, what a week
it's been.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Night.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's been so many different things. It has been unfreaking believable.
And I right now this is one of Like I said,
I can't tell you enough, this is one of my
favorite times of the year. And all right, I think
Grayzabel there's a chance he could end up being the
(00:56):
next Slogan Mankins. I really truly believe that, I really do,
and I hope he is. Because this is my first
time in Seattle. I've only been here two and a
half weeks. I mean two and a half months. Feels
like two and a half minutes has gone by so quickly.
Got a chance. First and foremost, I want to thank
and give a huge shout out to the Seattle Seahawks.
(01:19):
You have a first class facility and you treat the
media like rock stars, and it's refreshing because I've been
in other markets New England with the Patriots, Tampa with
the Bucks, Atlanta with the Falcons, Charlotte with the Carolina Panthers,
and not that they don't well except for the Patriots,
(01:39):
but the Seahawks treat the media like first class. And
the chefs, the guys that are making meals for Sam
Darnold and Leonard Williams and Rieq Woland and all the
guys that you're gonna see on Sunday Cooper Cup and
now grays Abel or the one who cooked for us
(02:01):
last night, and it was outstanding, So kudos two the
fine folks over in rented. I was blown away and
utterly impressed. Gray's Abel. They got their guy. This is
the guy that John Schneider wanted, got a chance. Didn't
expect it. Was waiting to get in and checked in
(02:22):
and escort it up to the Meetia room yesterday and
John Schneider came to the lobby and he was talking
to a longtime member of the media. I believe his
name is Get me wrong on this, Dave Bowling spoke
from Spokane. I hope it was. I think it was Dave.
Pretty sure it was Dave. It's not it was Dan
but I think it was Dave and he and John
Schneider came out to shake his hand, and he introduced
(02:44):
himself to me. So I got to meet John Schneider
for the first time. Said, I'm the new guy in KGr.
Nice to meet you. So Gray's abel I like it.
I like it. I don't love it, and I'll tell
you why now. He could end up becoming the next
Slogan Mankins. And I remember when the Patriots took Logan
(03:06):
Mankins in two thousand and five or six. I'm like,
who the hell is this guy? Right? Who is? He
ends up going on to have an all Pro career
one of Tom Brady's favorite O linemen of all time.
With the twenty fourth pick in the twenty twenty five
NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Donovan Jackson, guard slash
(03:36):
tackle from the Ohio State University. You know the team
that just won the national championship, right? You know that team? Right?
I mean the team that you know basically took care
of Notre Dame in Texas in the semi final and
the national championship. Okay, you know that team. Let me
(04:00):
tell you something about Donovan Jackson. He played against the
best talent in the world. Big Ten went into the playoff.
Their tackle Josh Shimmons goes down in October with a
torn pateller tendon. Donovan Jackson comes in from guard and
has to move to tackle, which I might not have
(04:22):
played organized football, but I know enough to know that
that is absolutely especially at that level, that is like wow.
I mean, that's like telling a closer that you're gonna
have to be a starter in Major League Baseball. That's
no easy feat. What did he do? I don't think
(04:44):
he gave up one sack the entire rest of the season,
not one, even the game that they lost to Michigan.
He completely protected the quarterback Will Howard and didn't give
up a sack. He went from guard to tackle. So
(05:05):
it's my job, and I'm not trying to be the
obligatory contrarian here. Why didn't you like Donovan Jackson over
Gray's Abel? I got to ask the question. It's my
job to ask the question. If I'm not doing that,
then I'm not doing my job.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Hugh Millan has the tape, Hugh Millan has everything in.
Hugh Millan was absolutely money, Mama, Mama money. When it
came to the draft last night, including Shador Sanders, who
Hugh called out over a month ago on this very
show and ended up looking like a prophet last night. Okay,
(05:43):
we'll get to him coming up. I like grays Abel,
and I hope he's I hope he is the home
run pick. And he very well could be. He could
be what Zach Martin was for Dallas for a decade plus.
And if that's the case, home run, if I was
in this position of John Schneider, and if that's what
I'm looking for and my guy guys Colston Lovelin and
(06:07):
Tyler Warner off the board and the guy apparently Seahawks
are pretty hot for Tyler Booker, which I wasn't as
big on. I would have taken Donovan Jackson just sing
just saying, I mean so from now on, I from
here on out, just like you will compare cam Ord
(06:31):
to well, there's no comparison anymore to really anybody Jackson
dark because he was selecting the first round. You will compare,
you know, Mason Graham to the guy out of Oregon, right,
you will, you know, you will compare position to be
Matthew Golden versus Tedoroha McMillan. I'm gonna look now and
follow the career very closely of Donovan Jackson in Minnesota
(06:53):
because I think that they got a major, major steel
there and he was only picked six picks after the
Seahawks selected Gray's Abel. But I'm hoping he's the guy.
I like it, I don't love it, just being real
with you, just being honest. If I didn't do it,
I wouldn't be doing my job. So when I you know,
(07:16):
when I went back and I'm like filled in for
Josh Simmons, moves from guard to tackle didn't allow us
sack the rest of the year against that competition all
the way through the Big Ten. Well, they didn't make
the Big Ten championship game. It was Oregon Penn State.
But then they get to the playoff, they faced Tennessee,
whoop that ass they got against Texas beat them and
(07:40):
then Notre Dame. So for me, I'm just gonna that
was mine. That's my sort of initial impression your thoughts.
The voice text line is always opened like a New
York City diner four nine four five one. You can
(08:01):
also excuse me the voice text line. Let me see,
I'm looking at the text line saying the voice text line, No,
the regular text lines four nine, four or five to one.
The voice text is a new improved iHeartRadio app ninety
three to three. Kjar hit the microphone icon button. You
know what to do. You can go on a rant,
you can swear, you can do whatever you want. We'll
beep it out. So but I will say this, from
(08:22):
what all things I've heard that it looks like the
Seahawks got their man. That's the guy they wanted, that's
the guy on their value chart, which is so unpredictable
as all of you know, right, I think Jackson Smith
and Jigba. Is he not the only receiver taken in
the first round by in the John Schneider era, if
(08:44):
I'm not mistaken. So it's very unpredictable, which is I
like that. But right before the Seahawks were picking, there
was talk that Tampa was looking to trade up. I
was like, yes, let's do it, let's trade down, and
let didn't happen. Just didn't happen. So all in all,
last night, it's a good start in the draft. And
(09:08):
here's the thing about it. Whether it was Gray's abel
or the guy that I would have taken Donovan Jackson.
What did they do. They took care of their biggest need,
interior O lineman, a guard that I'm sure Sam Donald
slept very good last night knowing that he's gonna get
(09:30):
this guy that will hopefully protect him for a decade plus.
That's providing that Sam Darnold is not a one year wonder.
Donovan Jackson, oh Man. And believe me, there's nothing I
hate more in this world than Ohio State. But I
admit when those guys, when they produced prospects and this
(09:52):
guy and what he went through, I mean, think about that,
in the middle of a season, you are thrust into
being a moving over from the guard position where it's
extremely tough to do. It's not vice versa, and you
don't allow a sack to Will Howard the rest of
the year and you play. And by the way, do
(10:16):
I have to talk about the difference between level of
competition in Ohio State to North Dakota State. No, I
don't think I do. It's all I'm saying, Donovan Jackson,
that's the guy I would have gone with. I heard
the Hawks are big on Jaden Higgins, So if he's
there at fifty, I'm all for that the wide receiver
at Iowa State six four and a half all for
(10:36):
that one. Oh. I was so relieved when Teed McMillan
went early, Oh, congratulations, Carolina, you just got the Nikhil
Harry of the twenty twenty five NFL Draft. You overdrafted
him at number eight, Tet McMillan. But he was he
was throwing with Bryce Young in LA, so he's still
gonna be great together. We'll see, We'll see. Yeah, Bryce Young,
(10:57):
even though he had a better second year. I don't know,
not a fan of that pick at all, but I
was a fan of this pic which kicked off the
twenty twenty five NFL Draft. We're the first pick in.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
The twenty twenty five NFL Draft. The Tennessee Titans select
Cameron Ward, quarterback Miami.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
My question is, who's Cameron. I've heard a cam Ward.
I've heard his parents call him by cam. I don't
know who Cameron Ward is. Why did we have to
get so formal there? I don't understand that. But regardless, Okay, fine,
congratulations to cam Ward a what a win this was
(11:47):
for the U last night, he you know, and somebody
tweeted out this morning which to me. I gotta give
this guy credit. His name is de Rico, Underscore, Henryo.
He put camwoard dot dot dot. No flashy jewelry, no
flashy suit, no flashy girlfriend hogging the attention. Just a
(12:10):
regular suit, thin chain, Alma mater pin and his parents
by his side. Yeah, he's playing twenty years of Pro
Bowl football. And I love that tweet. So I am
very happy. And how can you have a better recruiting
tool for Mario Christobal going forward and say you could
(12:31):
be the next cam Ward and be the number one
overall pick in the draft and cam moord, what he
did for the University of Miami last night is something
Jeff Bezos, with one hundred and eighty billion dollars or
however much his monolithic empire is worth, couldn't have paid
for an advertisement. By the way, he now lives in Miami.
He's back in Miami where he grew up. Jeff Bezos
(12:52):
I'm talking about, couldn't have paid for a better advertisement
than what cam Ward gave for the U last night.
He wore the U lapel on his suit and as
he was coming down the hallway, he threw up the
you I mean, you can't get any better than that.
That is as great of an advertisement as you can
(13:13):
possibly get. And then, thankfully, while I was in rented
last night, I didn't see the interview with him because
I would have started to cry because I started to
get emotional when I got home and saw the interview
that he had with Molly McGrath where he started to
get really emotional. Zero Star Prospect, zero Star Incarnate Word Pullman, Wazoo.
(13:35):
Thank you Wazoo because he certainly cultivated his talent there
for a couple of years. He had to refine it
came to Miami and he went from a fourth to
fifth round pick to number one overall. And you know
John Mattier, who's at Wazoo this year and the last
couple of years sat behind cam Ward's gonna probably have
a great year at Oklahoma this year. So there was
(13:56):
a big win. I was very happy for him last night.
Kudos to him. Zero Star Prospect documentary coming out on Netflix.
Your thoughts on Gray's Abel? Now we will talk to
grays Abel's high school coach, Steve Steele. We'll find out
everything about him and all we need to know about
(14:19):
the newest Seattle Seahawks. Again, I want your thoughts on
the voice text line right there on the new and
improved iHeartRadio app. Go over the ninety three to three kjar,
hit the microphone icon button and then boom. You can
leave it on four nine, four or five to one
on the text line. All in all, good night for
(14:40):
the Seahawks, good start to the draft. I think they
wanted to trade down. They weren't unable to pull it off,
but they you know. And also, I gotta give one thing.
The biggest winners of the draft last night, the New
York Giants Abdul Carter. Then they try he'd back in
(15:00):
at twenty six to get Jackson Dart Giants. Giants. Man,
this is how futures are built, The future of franchises
are built in the draft last night, tonight, and tomorrow.
So the Seahawks have a lot of work to do.
(15:21):
Fifty and fifty two in the second round overall, and
then eighty two ninety two, and who knows. John Schneider's
a wheeler and dealer. He can make some trades. They
can move up, they could move down. Jayden Higgins is
who I want next for the Seattle Seahawks. That's what
I'm talking about We will speak to Gray Zabels high
school coach Steve Steele right here next on MJ in
(15:43):
the midday ninety three to three KJRFM. Mister Gray Zabel
out of North Dakota State. Steve Steele joining us right now. So, Steve,
we appreciate you taking the time first and foremost tell
everybody in Seattle and throughout the PNW what the Seahawks
are getting with your former guy, Gray's Abel.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
Well, thanks for having me on it. It's an honor
to be able to chat about Gray. I mean, he
is an outstanding human being, a great family, and you know,
I think the two things you're gonna get with him. Sure,
he meets all the measurables that everybody needs. He's got
the tality ability, but he's got amazing football mind. And
I think the thing that's really set him apart is
(16:26):
I mean he hates losing, honestly, more than he like's winning.
I mean even we went golfing on Tuesday and he
has a bad hole and he's got all the pressure
on himself to birdie the next one. I mean, he's
just a guy that he can't stand not being the
best at something, and he just doesn't. He doesn't stop
working until he feels he can do.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
That fair enough. So tell us some things about him
on the field, what you coached that you saw. Okay,
this guy one day is going to be a future
first round pick.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah. I mean honestly, in high school, I mean he
ended up at North Dakota State. You know, a lot
of the big ten schools around here that had chatted
with them kind of felt that he might have been
a little small. You know, he graduated about six four
and two point fifty and you know, so he grew
up a little bit more when he got up there,
not just in terms of weight, but he put a
couple more inches of height on as well. But I
(17:17):
mean his athleticism, his flexibility, and you know, his strength
and leverage with things that in high school we knew
he was going to be our best recruits. Know he
was going to be our best lineman and you know,
probably the best lineman in the state that season. You know,
in a state that you know, we usually we've got
quite a few pretty good linemen up here. And you know,
it's again, I think I go back to his mind,
and he would come in on open periods or over
(17:39):
lunch and want to diagram plays. And you don't usually
see that from high school kids. You know, a lot
of high school kids today especially like to watch the
condensed highlights of games and watch the big play, the
big stiff farm or cool catch. They don't really want
to come and diagram a second and eight where they
got two yards and they could have gotten twelve. You know,
I mean that was just what Gray wanted to do.
And he was a guy that always wanted to find
(18:01):
a way to be creative. And it's maybe something that
we could tweak to help the team out.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
So this is a system. It's an outside zone blocking
scheme with Clint Kubiak. They have a new O line
coach and John Benton and oh, by the way, I
don't know if you've heard this coach. They've got a
new quarterback in Sam Darnold as well. So and the
one thing, and we're speaking of grays Abel's high school
(18:27):
coach Steve Steel here, Coach Steel. The one thing that
and I just got here two and a half months ago,
so I come in right before Great does. Barely they
haven't been able to get right is that O line,
specifically the interior? So can you put any Seahawks fans
or perhaps skeptical sports talk host that Steve I said
(18:48):
this before he came on, and I'm gonna say it
to you. And you're the head coach of Gray's abel
and he coached them all four years in high school. Personally,
I would have gone with Donovan Jackson out of Ohio State.
Why because he played against the best competition in the
world and he was a guy that when Josh Shimmons
(19:08):
goes down with a torn Peteller tendon in October, he
moves to tackle, doesn't give up one sack the rest
of the year against the best competition in the world. Now,
I think Gray there's potential he could be Logan Mankins
two point zero. And if he is, then the Seahawks
got a home run pick. But tell everybody out there, why,
especially Sam Darnold, that he will be part of the
(19:31):
solution that has been a recurring problem here with the
Seahawks for the last decade plus on the interior O line.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, I think that's the
best part of the NFL draft is you know, no
one's going to know until you know, and you know,
I think the big part was Gray, right, now I
mean is he had every opportunity that he wanted, you know,
with the head coaching change when coach ends lefts to
go to USC after his I guess fifty year before
he had his fine a year last year, he had
(20:02):
opportunities to go to the SEC, to go to the
Big Ten, to go wherever he want, you know, but
the overwhelming factor for him was I mean he he
knew who believed in him at the start when he
was six four, two hundred and fifty pounds, and he's
a loyal guy. I mean, he does not he does
not quit on those who believe in him, and he
refuses to let you be wrong. And you know, I
think that's what he did all season. You know, he
(20:24):
he kind of had a bad taste after losing the
state or state Sorr High School talking there about national
title as his junior year, and he wanted to end
out on top. And you know, he made that a
mission and got some other guys to go back there
as well, and they went and ran it out and
won it. You know, I think the competition part, you'll
see he didn't find in the senior ball. Obviously he
did very well there, but I mean his athleticism. You know,
(20:48):
it is just something that I think that put him
above other people just because again, I mean, his arms
might be a little short if you're one of those
people for a tackle, but I mean he he's played
every position he started. You know, he played tackle for
US and then center for his junior and senior year
in high school. He played garden tackle in college. He
could play anywhere. In his mind is what's going to
(21:08):
allow him to do that, because he's got the measurables,
he's got the athleticism, but his mind is going to
let him play wherever you need him to be, and
he can honestly learn every spot and move there flawlessly.
So I think the flexibility of that, along with his
athleticism or things that probably stood out throughout this process
for the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
So do you see him more on the NFL level
as a guard or a tackle.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
I think he's definitely probably more natural inside. Okay, you know,
and I think I think he's definitely more inside. But
I just think that the wild card of him is that,
you know, whenever an injury goes down, if your next
best players at guard and tackle goes down, he could
very easily slide out, you know, and if if your
next best one of the guard and the center goes down,
he can slide in. So I just think he's got
(21:55):
every opportunity to play any of the five spots that
you need.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Do you look at him? And we're speaking to Gray
Zabels High School coach Steve Steel here on MJ in
the midday from T. F Riggs High School in Pierre,
South Dakota. Who do you compare him to all time
or maybe currently? Is there an alignment that you say,
all right, Gray could be the second coming of that
guy or this guy.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Well, it's really funny to say that. So you know,
obviously that a lot of the teams do their research,
and you know, we've had an opportunity to fill out
some of the stuff and chat with some scouts. And
last year I got to work the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
rookie camp in May. You know, so whether it will
be coming up here in a couple of weeks, and
Graham Barton was their first round pick last year, and
(22:38):
that was what I was as soon as I started
out there with them. And you see Graham go down
there and you see him work. There's so many parallels
between the two because Graham was to tackle all through college.
He started at center immediately for the Bucks, and he
had not played center previously to that. So I mean,
but just from the mental side where I mean, he
is a very smart kid down there as well. Well,
(23:00):
he's very athletic. I mean, everything that he does is fluent,
and he's very aggressive. To me, that was the most
natural comparison, I mean, just because again I was able
to see in person both parties. So to me, it
was very much apples to apples, and I think that's
the type of player that Seahawks are did.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
With the stick a great place nine hundred and sixty
one snaps at tackle last year, which is a lot.
You said as well, and we all agree that the interior.
Do you think guard center or does it matter?
Speaker 4 (23:32):
I don't think it matters, you know. I mean, I
think his brain would really lend him to being a
center well, because he's such a strong communicator and he
understands things at such a deep level that you know,
he'd be able to handle the communication aspect of center
very well. But at the same point, I mean, again,
I don't think he can go wrong putting them anywhere
but I think just is what he does best. I
(23:52):
think would blend in probably to the interior, whether it's
guard or center Fairy.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Nice. Yeah, we'd love to see that, especially, I can
I assure you, Sam Darnold, what was it now that
he's been drafted by the Seahawks, What was as you know,
of the interactions between John Schneider and Mike McDonald Clint
Kubiak and when they were talking through Greg throughout this process.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Yeah, I mean it's such a whirlwind, you know, for
these kids that are going through this, and you know,
it's in some ways it's speed dating, and then they
get to fly around and check out different places. So,
I mean, and Gray is such an easy going guy.
I mean he is. He is the absolute easiest going
human being. I think you can meet and I mean
you can put him in a room with anybody and
he'll have people laughing and smiling by the time he's
(24:39):
out of it. I mean, he is such a down
to earth person that I just don't think that I
don't think he's stressed too terrible much. I mean, you
know that there was stress intention there, just to the
unknown of where am I going to be in seven days?
But you know, I think he handled things very very well,
and I know he really enjoyed everything that he had
with the Seahawks in terms of meetings and very even
(25:00):
you know, I think again the overwhelming factor with him is,
you know, he knows they believe in him, and when
when you hate fields that you have that belief in him,
he won't give up.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
You know, the thing I wanted we're speaking to right
now to Grayzabel High school football coach Steve Steele from T.
F Riggs High School in Peer, South Dakota, And I'm
gonna ask you this question, and I can. It's kind
of a question that I already know the answer to
because when you come from Peer South Dakota and then
you go to North Dakota State, you're not you know,
(25:30):
one of these dudes that it was is that usc
getting velvet ropes lifted up for you in some hot
LA nightclub. So I already know, but I want to
hear it from you, coach, from your mouth. How much
does Greysabel love football?
Speaker 4 (25:48):
I mean, that's that's the number one thing he's most
excited about getting to continue his career, is he gets
to keep playing, you know. I mean, and I think
that's kind of a funny. He had a couple of
good stories on the golf course of you know, all
these different meta and everything else, and you know, having
to share. You know, hey, how much aniolo do you get?
You know, what's your biggest purchase? And he's like, well,
you know, thirty thousand dollars and I bought a lot
(26:08):
of corn seed with it, you know. And then it's
you know, because he's actually got a farm that he
works in the off season up here a couple hours
north of here, and I mean he'll he'll still obviously
have it, but he'll he'll be hiring some people to
run it for him when he's out there this summer.
But you know, I said, that's just the it's the
maturity side of it, and just how well put together
(26:31):
he is as a person, you know, not just as
a player.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Yeah, that's what we love. Listen, We've seen a lot
of great college players coach Ali and I mentioned USC
because I just, you know, that's one of the things
I had heard about guys. I'm going back twenty plus years,
but I heard a lot of guys from USC, which
some people will call the University of Spoiled children that
they love the lifestyle that football provides for them more
(26:57):
than the game itself. That's one thing I can assure,
not only hear from just from where he came from, Pierre, South, Dakota,
humble beginnings that we don't have to worry about that
with greys Abel, which is good. Listen, coach, We appreciate
you making time look forward to seeing how he's going
to be here and fit in Seattle. And and like
(27:19):
you said, man, if this guy ends up being they
said he's the best center in the draft, then that's
a win for Seattle and that's a win for Greysabel
as well, and hopefully it'll end up working out.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Yeah. Absolutely appreciate you having me on. I'm excited to
see what he can do out.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
There, all right, Darius appreciate greys Abel's high school football
coach from T. F. Raggs High School, Steve Steele here
on MJ in the midday. I gotta be honest, man,
I'm not gonna you know in this. I mean, I
would have taken Donovan Jackson. That's just me, you know,
like I but it doesn't mean that greys Abel won't
be great. Two things can be true, right, Donovan Jackson
(27:55):
can be great with Minnesota, and Greys Abel can be
bet great or greater here in Seattle. We don't know.
I just I'm always listen. I'm a power for football guy.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
And I.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Heard coach Holmgren on today with Chuck and Buck, and
he was talking about a guy that Green Bay drafted
back in the day, Justin Timberman or Adam Timmerman or
something like that, and he was kind of comes from that.
He compared him to a guy like grayz Abel so
and he said he ended up being a complete total stud,
not only for green Bay. Then he became a free
agent and they could afford him. He went down to
(28:31):
Saint Louis and played for the Rams when they gave
him a big contract. So that's why it doesn't really
matter what you did in college or where you played.
It matters ultimately what you do on Sundays. That's all
that matters. Hitting to all fields. Coming up next, Yes,
Earl Thomas, you hear him the other day with the Mayor.
(28:52):
We have an Earl Thomas clip in og versus jen
z nick Baumgardner, senior writer from the Athletic and should
dure should Dure? Should do the only person in the
world this week right now as after last night who's
(29:14):
having a worst week than should do is Shannon Sharp.
We'll get to all that and then some coming up
on MJ in the midday on Sports Radio ninety three
to three KJR FM hitting to All Fields on MJ
(29:35):
in the mid day. One thing too, I want to
mention Rivals, which has been the original recruiting rankings for
so long. Cam Ward is the first number one in
Rivals history, dating back to two thousand and two that
was unranked in high school, zero stars and he ended
(29:58):
up being the number one overall pick. If you pitch
this to a Hollywood studio for a movie, they would
turn it down. But it actually happened, So it's credible, unbelievable.
All right, let's do the OG versus jen Z. Chris,
you want to set this thing up here? What do
we got here? Yes?
Speaker 5 (30:18):
So, House of Highlights is a U two of them,
two viral sensations huge mostly right, that's all basketball for
the most part, where they do other things as well.
They started a new series where they have gen Z
so younger adults talk to older men about sports and
have debates. So this one is called the OG versus
(30:40):
gen Z debating Kobe Bryant not being in the Goat
conversation and the gen Z's have their opinions on it
and the OG's way in This is how it all
goes down. It's pretty entertaining, But I'm think I'm signing
with the OG.
Speaker 6 (30:54):
Here.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Let's see what you guys think.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
Cut Kobe Bryant to not be top five and to
put Bill Russell over him, to put Will chamberlat over.
Did you see his one hundred point game?
Speaker 2 (31:02):
No, you didn't because it's not real.
Speaker 6 (31:03):
That's how That's how I know he didn't see it. That.
Did you watch Bill Russell? I know he didn't watch
Bill rust because he ain't really much to watch. Let's
start the conversation, walk me through. Will just fake that?
Why would they fake something like that?
Speaker 4 (31:12):
First?
Speaker 6 (31:13):
No? I didn't.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Is it proof?
Speaker 6 (31:15):
Yes, it's proved? Where if your name is O G
you all I wasn't doing what I wasn't. I wasn't
around when that game.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
I was not.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
I was not around when that game. We can find
everything else, yeah, we can, But we can find tape
from World War two and you have They can't find
that a hundred point. Yeah, you can't find video tape,
the audio tape of audio. Yes, to hear it, that's
audio here he had. Yeah, because ers, what the game
was moved.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
No listening.
Speaker 6 (31:38):
I'm just I'm just I'm just trying to bring it down.
All I know is that the game was moved. So
the game was moved to Hershey, Pennsylvani, that right, So
Kersey Pennsylvani, this is where this is where the NBA was.
Since you're talking about, you know, Kobe Bryant, who, by
the way, one of the best, no doubt about it,
one of the best ever. And if you think the
incardinate and if you think that Kobe Bryant is anywhere
between seven seven seven and eleven, you have what do
(32:00):
you have?
Speaker 2 (32:00):
I got him at eleven. That's why what wait did
the og see He's got Kobe Bryant at eleven. Yeah. Oh,
by the way, that gen Z won that one. That
that's just acid. I don't I don't think Kobe's eleven, No,
like eleven, like dude, stop stop stop no, just to
hear his top ten to be honest, no disrespect to
(32:24):
Bill Russell, the late great Bill Ross.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
He was referring to, actually Wilt Chamberlain because that was
the main right right, the words and that.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
But I know that's fair, but both of them, I
mean yeah, even Will Chamberlain was the most dominant player
until Shack came along. And Will Chamberlain, you know, might
have been better than Shaq. Some people would say, Shaq's
got more rings, but Kobe eleven. No, you lost me
at that. I mean there's no way, there, no way. Uh,
the Will Chamberlain one hundred point game, it's great. I mean,
(32:52):
Kobe had eighty one in the game, so what you know,
what does that mean? And one game a player can
at hot? We don't, you know, Devin Booker and like
his second season dropped like fifty five against the Celtics,
So I don't really have as well. I'm gonna go
with gen Z on that one. Surprisingly enough, what do
we got with Earl Thomas?
Speaker 3 (33:15):
I was just so happy that I had just had.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
It my Apaugie.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
Do you want me to set it up?
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Go ahead. So Christy again.
Speaker 5 (33:21):
Caught up with Earl Thomas and the rift between so
basically how the things ended. Do you guys remember the
middle finger he gave to the Seahawks to Pete Carroll.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I get a Sunday night game. Maybe it was a big.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Game against Dallas Cowboys Earl Thomas. He explains how things
went down for the most part and where things stand
today between him and Pete Carroll.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
I was just so happy that I had just had
a conversation with Coach Carroll author because I went off
against Dallas Cowboys, I would had two interceptions. You know,
Dallas Cowboys my dad favorite teams with big sixty family.
So I went off, So I was already happy about that.
So next we play Arizona. Coach Carroll just told me
that we was thinking about getting your new new country.
This has been my third one. But I ended up
(34:07):
getting hurt that next game, so I was just pissed
at I miss miss camp. They didn't try to get
me a deal. Knowing I'm the best feld of defense,
they didn't try to get me a deal. They made
me wait it out. Then I get injured. It sucked.
So I was just like you knew, I was pissed.
I hate being an introvert. It just makes a bad
(34:28):
light around everybody around me because I'm pissed off.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
But now we fast forward to twenty twenty five and
all's good and you're happy to be back home in Seattle.
I didn't a member of.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
This, so I actually heard Coach Carroll do some interviews,
which made me happy just to hear him talk good
about me, cause we didn't speak much after they because
we were so busy trying to leave the team. I'm in Baltimore,
saw him at Pro Bowl, just said hey, but he
just kept it, you know, you know quadrille.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Yeah, and that.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Was that My apologies. I meant against the Arizona Cardinals,
he got hurt and that's when he flipped off. Anyone
says Pete Carroll, but he that middle figure was in
that direction and that's what he was referring to.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Now things are now cool, they're cordial, and it should be.
I mean, you know, time goes by and it should
heal most wounds. Doesn't heal all wounds, but there it is,
so I you know, I could. It was to Earl
Thomas for evolving growing up. And you know Pete Carroll.
Pete Carroll's not a He does an whole vendetta as
the grudges. I mean, especially y'all and former players. I mean,
(35:27):
there's nobody who's a player's coach more than Pete Carroll.
And I'm sure everybody in Vegas, including Ashton Genty, the
newest Raiders pick, will love old p d. All right,
let's get the red pens out. Nick Baumgartner, one of
my favorite NFL draftanos from the athletic Who we get
those red pens out? How did the Seahawks do on
(35:47):
Grey's abel? Did they overdraft him? What do they do
tonight tomorrow? Shaden Higgins baby Iowa State. I'm all for
a wide receiver now, I just didn't want him at eighteen.
So I will say this based on position. With Lovelin
and war not being there, I couldn't have agreed more
with Schneider. Maybe would have gone in a different direction, and
(36:10):
people could say, oh, well, he had a great Senior Bowl.
You know what. You know what Donovan Jackson had. He
had a great national championship in a great semi final,
and a great playoff game against Tennessee prior to that,
and a great career at the Ohio State University. So
don't measure resumes. People don't measure resumes with me. Okay,
(36:34):
Donovan Jackson played at the highest level. Wasn't SEC, but
he played against sec caliber competition. Maybe not every week,
but when they got to the playoffs, you know that
thing that you have to win to win a national title.
He had converted from guard to tackle and he didn't
give up a sack. The prosecution Rest your honor, Nick Bombgardner.
(36:58):
Next on MJ in the midday
We're the eighteenth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
The Seattle Seahawks like Gray Zabel guard North Dakota State.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
So there it is, folks, the Seattle Seahawks your new guard,
Gray's Abel out of North Dakota State. This is MJ
in the Midday Christopher Kidd producing, Wow, what a week
it's been.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Night.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's been so many different things. It has been unfreaking believable.
And I right now this is one of Like I said,
I can't tell you enough, this is one of my
favorite times of the year. And all right, I think
Grayzabel there's a chance he could end up being the
(00:56):
next Slogan Mankins. I really truly believe that, I really do,
and I hope he is. Because this is my first
time in Seattle. I've only been here two and a
half weeks. I mean two and a half months. Feels
like two and a half minutes has gone by so quickly.
Got a chance. First and foremost, I want to thank
and give a huge shout out to the Seattle Seahawks.
(01:19):
You have a first class facility and you treat the
media like rock stars, and it's refreshing because I've been
in other markets New England with the Patriots, Tampa with
the Bucks, Atlanta with the Falcons, Charlotte with the Carolina Panthers,
and not that they don't well except for the Patriots,
(01:39):
but the Seahawks treat the media like first class. And
the chefs, the guys that are making meals for Sam
Darnold and Leonard Williams and Rieq Woland and all the
guys that you're gonna see on Sunday Cooper Cup and
now grays Abel or the one who cooked for us
(02:01):
last night, and it was outstanding, So kudos two the
fine folks over in rented. I was blown away and
utterly impressed. Gray's Abel. They got their guy. This is
the guy that John Schneider wanted, got a chance. Didn't
expect it. Was waiting to get in and checked in
(02:22):
and escort it up to the Meetia room yesterday and
John Schneider came to the lobby and he was talking
to a longtime member of the media. I believe his
name is Get me wrong on this, Dave Bowling spoke
from Spokane. I hope it was. I think it was Dave.
Pretty sure it was Dave. It's not it was Dan
but I think it was Dave and he and John
Schneider came out to shake his hand, and he introduced
(02:44):
himself to me. So I got to meet John Schneider
for the first time. Said, I'm the new guy in KGr.
Nice to meet you. So Gray's abel I like it.
I like it. I don't love it, and I'll tell
you why now. He could end up becoming the next
Slogan Mankins. And I remember when the Patriots took Logan
(03:06):
Mankins in two thousand and five or six. I'm like,
who the hell is this guy? Right? Who is? He
ends up going on to have an all Pro career
one of Tom Brady's favorite O linemen of all time.
With the twenty fourth pick in the twenty twenty five
NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Donovan Jackson, guard slash
(03:36):
tackle from the Ohio State University. You know the team
that just won the national championship, right? You know that team? Right?
I mean the team that you know basically took care
of Notre Dame in Texas in the semi final and
the national championship. Okay, you know that team. Let me
(04:00):
tell you something about Donovan Jackson. He played against the
best talent in the world. Big Ten went into the playoff.
Their tackle Josh Shimmons goes down in October with a
torn pateller tendon. Donovan Jackson comes in from guard and
has to move to tackle, which I might not have
(04:22):
played organized football, but I know enough to know that
that is absolutely especially at that level, that is like wow.
I mean, that's like telling a closer that you're gonna
have to be a starter in Major League Baseball. That's
no easy feat. What did he do? I don't think
(04:44):
he gave up one sack the entire rest of the season,
not one, even the game that they lost to Michigan.
He completely protected the quarterback Will Howard and didn't give
up a sack. He went from guard to tackle. So
(05:05):
it's my job, and I'm not trying to be the
obligatory contrarian here. Why didn't you like Donovan Jackson over
Gray's Abel? I got to ask the question. It's my
job to ask the question. If I'm not doing that,
then I'm not doing my job.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Hugh Millan has the tape, Hugh Millan has everything in.
Hugh Millan was absolutely money, Mama, Mama money. When it
came to the draft last night, including Shador Sanders, who
Hugh called out over a month ago on this very
show and ended up looking like a prophet last night. Okay,
(05:43):
we'll get to him coming up. I like grays Abel,
and I hope he's I hope he is the home
run pick. And he very well could be. He could
be what Zach Martin was for Dallas for a decade plus.
And if that's the case, home run, if I was
in this position of John Schneider, and if that's what
I'm looking for and my guy guys Colston Lovelin and
(06:07):
Tyler Warner off the board and the guy apparently Seahawks
are pretty hot for Tyler Booker, which I wasn't as
big on. I would have taken Donovan Jackson just sing
just saying, I mean so from now on, I from
here on out, just like you will compare cam Ord
(06:31):
to well, there's no comparison anymore to really anybody Jackson
dark because he was selecting the first round. You will compare,
you know, Mason Graham to the guy out of Oregon, right,
you will, you know, you will compare position to be
Matthew Golden versus Tedoroha McMillan. I'm gonna look now and
follow the career very closely of Donovan Jackson in Minnesota
(06:53):
because I think that they got a major, major steel
there and he was only picked six picks after the
Seahawks selected Gray's Abel. But I'm hoping he's the guy.
I like it, I don't love it, just being real
with you, just being honest. If I didn't do it,
I wouldn't be doing my job. So when I you know,
(07:16):
when I went back and I'm like filled in for
Josh Simmons, moves from guard to tackle didn't allow us
sack the rest of the year against that competition all
the way through the Big Ten. Well, they didn't make
the Big Ten championship game. It was Oregon Penn State.
But then they get to the playoff, they faced Tennessee,
whoop that ass they got against Texas beat them and
(07:40):
then Notre Dame. So for me, I'm just gonna that
was mine. That's my sort of initial impression your thoughts.
The voice text line is always opened like a New
York City diner four nine four five one. You can
(08:01):
also excuse me the voice text line. Let me see,
I'm looking at the text line saying the voice text line, No,
the regular text lines four nine, four or five to one.
The voice text is a new improved iHeartRadio app ninety
three to three. Kjar hit the microphone icon button. You
know what to do. You can go on a rant,
you can swear, you can do whatever you want. We'll
beep it out. So but I will say this, from
(08:22):
what all things I've heard that it looks like the
Seahawks got their man. That's the guy they wanted, that's
the guy on their value chart, which is so unpredictable
as all of you know, right, I think Jackson Smith
and Jigba. Is he not the only receiver taken in
the first round by in the John Schneider era, if
(08:44):
I'm not mistaken. So it's very unpredictable, which is I
like that. But right before the Seahawks were picking, there
was talk that Tampa was looking to trade up. I
was like, yes, let's do it, let's trade down, and
let didn't happen. Just didn't happen. So all in all,
last night, it's a good start in the draft. And
(09:08):
here's the thing about it. Whether it was Gray's abel
or the guy that I would have taken Donovan Jackson.
What did they do. They took care of their biggest need,
interior O lineman, a guard that I'm sure Sam Donald
slept very good last night knowing that he's gonna get
(09:30):
this guy that will hopefully protect him for a decade plus.
That's providing that Sam Darnold is not a one year wonder.
Donovan Jackson, oh Man. And believe me, there's nothing I
hate more in this world than Ohio State. But I
admit when those guys, when they produced prospects and this
(09:52):
guy and what he went through, I mean, think about that,
in the middle of a season, you are thrust into
being a moving over from the guard position where it's
extremely tough to do. It's not vice versa, and you
don't allow a sack to Will Howard the rest of
the year and you play. And by the way, do
(10:16):
I have to talk about the difference between level of
competition in Ohio State to North Dakota State. No, I
don't think I do. It's all I'm saying, Donovan Jackson,
that's the guy I would have gone with. I heard
the Hawks are big on Jaden Higgins, So if he's
there at fifty, I'm all for that the wide receiver
at Iowa State six four and a half all for
(10:36):
that one. Oh. I was so relieved when Teed McMillan
went early, Oh, congratulations, Carolina, you just got the Nikhil
Harry of the twenty twenty five NFL Draft. You overdrafted
him at number eight, Tet McMillan. But he was he
was throwing with Bryce Young in LA, so he's still
gonna be great together. We'll see, We'll see. Yeah, Bryce Young,
(10:57):
even though he had a better second year. I don't know,
not a fan of that pick at all, but I
was a fan of this pic which kicked off the
twenty twenty five NFL Draft. We're the first pick in.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
The twenty twenty five NFL Draft. The Tennessee Titans select
Cameron Ward, quarterback Miami.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
My question is, who's Cameron. I've heard a cam Ward.
I've heard his parents call him by cam. I don't
know who Cameron Ward is. Why did we have to
get so formal there? I don't understand that. But regardless, Okay, fine,
congratulations to cam Ward a what a win this was
(11:47):
for the U last night, he you know, and somebody
tweeted out this morning which to me. I gotta give
this guy credit. His name is de Rico, Underscore, Henryo.
He put camwoard dot dot dot. No flashy jewelry, no
flashy suit, no flashy girlfriend hogging the attention. Just a
(12:10):
regular suit, thin chain, Alma mater pin and his parents
by his side. Yeah, he's playing twenty years of Pro
Bowl football. And I love that tweet. So I am
very happy. And how can you have a better recruiting
tool for Mario Christobal going forward and say you could
(12:31):
be the next cam Ward and be the number one
overall pick in the draft and cam moord, what he
did for the University of Miami last night is something
Jeff Bezos, with one hundred and eighty billion dollars or
however much his monolithic empire is worth, couldn't have paid
for an advertisement. By the way, he now lives in Miami.
He's back in Miami where he grew up. Jeff Bezos
(12:52):
I'm talking about, couldn't have paid for a better advertisement
than what cam Ward gave for the U last night.
He wore the U lapel on his suit and as
he was coming down the hallway, he threw up the
you I mean, you can't get any better than that.
That is as great of an advertisement as you can
(13:13):
possibly get. And then, thankfully, while I was in rented
last night, I didn't see the interview with him because
I would have started to cry because I started to
get emotional when I got home and saw the interview
that he had with Molly McGrath where he started to
get really emotional. Zero Star Prospect, zero Star Incarnate Word Pullman, Wazoo.
(13:35):
Thank you Wazoo because he certainly cultivated his talent there
for a couple of years. He had to refine it
came to Miami and he went from a fourth to
fifth round pick to number one overall. And you know
John Mattier, who's at Wazoo this year and the last
couple of years sat behind cam Ward's gonna probably have
a great year at Oklahoma this year. So there was
(13:56):
a big win. I was very happy for him last night.
Kudos to him. Zero Star Prospect documentary coming out on Netflix.
Your thoughts on Gray's Abel? Now we will talk to
grays Abel's high school coach, Steve Steele. We'll find out
everything about him and all we need to know about
(14:19):
the newest Seattle Seahawks. Again, I want your thoughts on
the voice text line right there on the new and
improved iHeartRadio app. Go over the ninety three to three kjar,
hit the microphone icon button and then boom. You can
leave it on four nine, four or five to one
on the text line. All in all, good night for
(14:40):
the Seahawks, good start to the draft. I think they
wanted to trade down. They weren't unable to pull it off,
but they you know. And also, I gotta give one thing.
The biggest winners of the draft last night, the New
York Giants Abdul Carter. Then they try he'd back in
(15:00):
at twenty six to get Jackson Dart Giants. Giants. Man,
this is how futures are built, The future of franchises
are built in the draft last night, tonight, and tomorrow.
So the Seahawks have a lot of work to do.
(15:21):
Fifty and fifty two in the second round overall, and
then eighty two ninety two, and who knows. John Schneider's
a wheeler and dealer. He can make some trades. They
can move up, they could move down. Jayden Higgins is
who I want next for the Seattle Seahawks. That's what
I'm talking about We will speak to Gray Zabels high
school coach Steve Steele right here next on MJ in
(15:43):
the midday ninety three to three KJRFM. Mister Gray Zabel
out of North Dakota State. Steve Steele joining us right now. So, Steve,
we appreciate you taking the time first and foremost tell
everybody in Seattle and throughout the PNW what the Seahawks
are getting with your former guy, Gray's Abel.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
Well, thanks for having me on it. It's an honor
to be able to chat about Gray. I mean, he
is an outstanding human being, a great family, and you know,
I think the two things you're gonna get with him. Sure,
he meets all the measurables that everybody needs. He's got
the tality ability, but he's got amazing football mind. And
I think the thing that's really set him apart is
(16:26):
I mean he hates losing, honestly, more than he like's winning.
I mean even we went golfing on Tuesday and he
has a bad hole and he's got all the pressure
on himself to birdie the next one. I mean, he's
just a guy that he can't stand not being the
best at something, and he just doesn't. He doesn't stop
working until he feels he can do.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
That fair enough. So tell us some things about him
on the field, what you coached that you saw. Okay,
this guy one day is going to be a future
first round pick.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Yeah. I mean honestly, in high school, I mean he
ended up at North Dakota State. You know, a lot
of the big ten schools around here that had chatted
with them kind of felt that he might have been
a little small. You know, he graduated about six four
and two point fifty and you know, so he grew
up a little bit more when he got up there,
not just in terms of weight, but he put a
couple more inches of height on as well. But I
(17:17):
mean his athleticism, his flexibility, and you know, his strength
and leverage with things that in high school we knew
he was going to be our best recruits. Know he
was going to be our best lineman and you know,
probably the best lineman in the state that season. You know,
in a state that you know, we usually we've got
quite a few pretty good linemen up here. And you know,
it's again, I think I go back to his mind,
and he would come in on open periods or over
(17:39):
lunch and want to diagram plays. And you don't usually
see that from high school kids. You know, a lot
of high school kids today especially like to watch the
condensed highlights of games and watch the big play, the
big stiff farm or cool catch. They don't really want
to come and diagram a second and eight where they
got two yards and they could have gotten twelve. You know,
I mean that was just what Gray wanted to do.
And he was a guy that always wanted to find
(18:01):
a way to be creative. And it's maybe something that
we could tweak to help the team out.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
So this is a system. It's an outside zone blocking
scheme with Clint Kubiak. They have a new O line
coach and John Benton and oh, by the way, I
don't know if you've heard this coach. They've got a
new quarterback in Sam Darnold as well. So and the
one thing, and we're speaking of grays Abel's high school
(18:27):
coach Steve Steel here, Coach Steel. The one thing that
and I just got here two and a half months ago,
so I come in right before Great does. Barely they
haven't been able to get right is that O line,
specifically the interior? So can you put any Seahawks fans
or perhaps skeptical sports talk host that Steve I said
(18:48):
this before he came on, and I'm gonna say it
to you. And you're the head coach of Gray's abel
and he coached them all four years in high school. Personally,
I would have gone with Donovan Jackson out of Ohio State.
Why because he played against the best competition in the
world and he was a guy that when Josh Shimmons
(19:08):
goes down with a torn Peteller tendon in October, he
moves to tackle, doesn't give up one sack the rest
of the year against the best competition in the world. Now,
I think Gray there's potential he could be Logan Mankins
two point zero. And if he is, then the Seahawks
got a home run pick. But tell everybody out there, why,
especially Sam Darnold, that he will be part of the
(19:31):
solution that has been a recurring problem here with the
Seahawks for the last decade plus on the interior O line.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, I think that's the
best part of the NFL draft is you know, no
one's going to know until you know, and you know,
I think the big part was Gray, right, now I
mean is he had every opportunity that he wanted, you know,
with the head coaching change when coach ends lefts to
go to USC after his I guess fifty year before
he had his fine a year last year, he had
(20:02):
opportunities to go to the SEC, to go to the
Big Ten, to go wherever he want, you know, but
the overwhelming factor for him was I mean he he
knew who believed in him at the start when he
was six four, two hundred and fifty pounds, and he's
a loyal guy. I mean, he does not he does
not quit on those who believe in him, and he
refuses to let you be wrong. And you know, I
think that's what he did all season. You know, he
(20:24):
he kind of had a bad taste after losing the
state or state Sorr High School talking there about national
title as his junior year, and he wanted to end
out on top. And you know, he made that a
mission and got some other guys to go back there
as well, and they went and ran it out and
won it. You know, I think the competition part, you'll
see he didn't find in the senior ball. Obviously he
did very well there, but I mean his athleticism. You know,
(20:48):
it is just something that I think that put him
above other people just because again, I mean, his arms
might be a little short if you're one of those
people for a tackle, but I mean he he's played
every position he started. You know, he played tackle for
US and then center for his junior and senior year
in high school. He played garden tackle in college. He
could play anywhere. In his mind is what's going to
(21:08):
allow him to do that, because he's got the measurables,
he's got the athleticism, but his mind is going to
let him play wherever you need him to be, and
he can honestly learn every spot and move there flawlessly.
So I think the flexibility of that, along with his
athleticism or things that probably stood out throughout this process
for the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
So do you see him more on the NFL level
as a guard or a tackle.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
I think he's definitely probably more natural inside. Okay, you know,
and I think I think he's definitely more inside. But
I just think that the wild card of him is that,
you know, whenever an injury goes down, if your next
best players at guard and tackle goes down, he could
very easily slide out, you know, and if if your
next best one of the guard and the center goes down,
he can slide in. So I just think he's got
(21:55):
every opportunity to play any of the five spots that
you need.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Do you look at him? And we're speaking to Gray
Zabels High School coach Steve Steel here on MJ in
the midday from T. F Riggs High School in Pierre,
South Dakota. Who do you compare him to all time
or maybe currently? Is there an alignment that you say,
all right, Gray could be the second coming of that
guy or this guy.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Well, it's really funny to say that. So you know,
obviously that a lot of the teams do their research,
and you know, we've had an opportunity to fill out
some of the stuff and chat with some scouts. And
last year I got to work the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
rookie camp in May. You know, so whether it will
be coming up here in a couple of weeks, and
Graham Barton was their first round pick last year, and
(22:38):
that was what I was as soon as I started
out there with them. And you see Graham go down
there and you see him work. There's so many parallels
between the two because Graham was to tackle all through college.
He started at center immediately for the Bucks, and he
had not played center previously to that. So I mean,
but just from the mental side where I mean, he
is a very smart kid down there as well. Well,
(23:00):
he's very athletic. I mean, everything that he does is fluent,
and he's very aggressive. To me, that was the most
natural comparison, I mean, just because again I was able
to see in person both parties. So to me, it
was very much apples to apples, and I think that's
the type of player that Seahawks are did.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
With the stick a great place nine hundred and sixty
one snaps at tackle last year, which is a lot.
You said as well, and we all agree that the interior.
Do you think guard center or does it matter?
Speaker 4 (23:32):
I don't think it matters, you know. I mean, I
think his brain would really lend him to being a
center well, because he's such a strong communicator and he
understands things at such a deep level that you know,
he'd be able to handle the communication aspect of center
very well. But at the same point, I mean, again,
I don't think he can go wrong putting them anywhere
but I think just is what he does best. I
(23:52):
think would blend in probably to the interior, whether it's
guard or center Fairy.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Nice. Yeah, we'd love to see that, especially, I can
I assure you, Sam Darnold, what was it now that
he's been drafted by the Seahawks, What was as you know,
of the interactions between John Schneider and Mike McDonald Clint
Kubiak and when they were talking through Greg throughout this process.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
Yeah, I mean it's such a whirlwind, you know, for
these kids that are going through this, and you know,
it's in some ways it's speed dating, and then they
get to fly around and check out different places. So,
I mean, and Gray is such an easy going guy.
I mean he is. He is the absolute easiest going
human being. I think you can meet and I mean
you can put him in a room with anybody and
he'll have people laughing and smiling by the time he's
(24:39):
out of it. I mean, he is such a down
to earth person that I just don't think that I
don't think he's stressed too terrible much. I mean, you
know that there was stress intention there, just to the
unknown of where am I going to be in seven days?
But you know, I think he handled things very very well,
and I know he really enjoyed everything that he had
with the Seahawks in terms of meetings and very even
(25:00):
you know, I think again the overwhelming factor with him is,
you know, he knows they believe in him, and when
when you hate fields that you have that belief in him,
he won't give up.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
You know, the thing I wanted we're speaking to right
now to Grayzabel High school football coach Steve Steele from T.
F Riggs High School in Peer, South Dakota, And I'm
gonna ask you this question, and I can. It's kind
of a question that I already know the answer to
because when you come from Peer South Dakota and then
you go to North Dakota State, you're not you know,
(25:30):
one of these dudes that it was is that usc
getting velvet ropes lifted up for you in some hot
LA nightclub. So I already know, but I want to
hear it from you, coach, from your mouth. How much
does Greysabel love football?
Speaker 4 (25:48):
I mean, that's that's the number one thing he's most
excited about getting to continue his career, is he gets
to keep playing, you know. I mean, and I think
that's kind of a funny. He had a couple of
good stories on the golf course of you know, all
these different meta and everything else, and you know, having
to share. You know, hey, how much aniolo do you get?
You know, what's your biggest purchase? And he's like, well,
you know, thirty thousand dollars and I bought a lot
(26:08):
of corn seed with it, you know. And then it's
you know, because he's actually got a farm that he
works in the off season up here a couple hours
north of here, and I mean he'll he'll still obviously
have it, but he'll he'll be hiring some people to
run it for him when he's out there this summer.
But you know, I said, that's just the it's the
maturity side of it, and just how well put together
(26:31):
he is as a person, you know, not just as
a player.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Yeah, that's what we love. Listen, We've seen a lot
of great college players coach Ali and I mentioned USC
because I just, you know, that's one of the things
I had heard about guys. I'm going back twenty plus years,
but I heard a lot of guys from USC, which
some people will call the University of Spoiled children that
they love the lifestyle that football provides for them more
(26:57):
than the game itself. That's one thing I can assure,
not only hear from just from where he came from, Pierre, South, Dakota,
humble beginnings that we don't have to worry about that
with greys Abel, which is good. Listen, coach, We appreciate
you making time look forward to seeing how he's going
to be here and fit in Seattle. And and like
(27:19):
you said, man, if this guy ends up being they
said he's the best center in the draft, then that's
a win for Seattle and that's a win for Greysabel
as well, and hopefully it'll end up working out.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Yeah. Absolutely appreciate you having me on. I'm excited to
see what he can do out.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
There, all right, Darius appreciate greys Abel's high school football
coach from T. F. Raggs High School, Steve Steele here
on MJ in the midday. I gotta be honest, man,
I'm not gonna you know in this. I mean, I
would have taken Donovan Jackson. That's just me, you know,
like I but it doesn't mean that greys Abel won't
be great. Two things can be true, right, Donovan Jackson
(27:55):
can be great with Minnesota, and Greys Abel can be
bet great or greater here in Seattle. We don't know.
I just I'm always listen. I'm a power for football guy.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
And I.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Heard coach Holmgren on today with Chuck and Buck, and
he was talking about a guy that Green Bay drafted
back in the day, Justin Timberman or Adam Timmerman or
something like that, and he was kind of comes from that.
He compared him to a guy like grayz Abel so
and he said he ended up being a complete total stud,
not only for green Bay. Then he became a free
agent and they could afford him. He went down to
(28:31):
Saint Louis and played for the Rams when they gave
him a big contract. So that's why it doesn't really
matter what you did in college or where you played.
It matters ultimately what you do on Sundays. That's all
that matters. Hitting to all fields. Coming up next, Yes,
Earl Thomas, you hear him the other day with the Mayor.
(28:52):
We have an Earl Thomas clip in og versus jen
z nick Baumgardner, senior writer from the Athletic and should
dure should Dure? Should do the only person in the
world this week right now as after last night who's
(29:14):
having a worst week than should do is Shannon Sharp.
We'll get to all that and then some coming up
on MJ in the midday on Sports Radio ninety three
to three KJR FM hitting to All Fields on MJ
(29:35):
in the mid day. One thing too, I want to
mention Rivals, which has been the original recruiting rankings for
so long. Cam Ward is the first number one in
Rivals history, dating back to two thousand and two that
was unranked in high school, zero stars and he ended
(29:58):
up being the number one overall pick. If you pitch
this to a Hollywood studio for a movie, they would
turn it down. But it actually happened, So it's credible, unbelievable.
All right, let's do the OG versus jen Z. Chris,
you want to set this thing up here? What do
we got here? Yes?
Speaker 5 (30:18):
So, House of Highlights is a U two of them,
two viral sensations huge mostly right, that's all basketball for
the most part, where they do other things as well.
They started a new series where they have gen Z
so younger adults talk to older men about sports and
have debates. So this one is called the OG versus
(30:40):
gen Z debating Kobe Bryant not being in the Goat
conversation and the gen Z's have their opinions on it
and the OG's way in This is how it all
goes down. It's pretty entertaining, But I'm think I'm signing
with the OG.
Speaker 6 (30:54):
Here.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Let's see what you guys think.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
Cut Kobe Bryant to not be top five and to
put Bill Russell over him, to put Will chamberlat over.
Did you see his one hundred point game?
Speaker 2 (31:02):
No, you didn't because it's not real.
Speaker 6 (31:03):
That's how That's how I know he didn't see it. That.
Did you watch Bill Russell? I know he didn't watch
Bill rust because he ain't really much to watch. Let's
start the conversation, walk me through. Will just fake that?
Why would they fake something like that?
Speaker 4 (31:12):
First?
Speaker 6 (31:13):
No? I didn't.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Is it proof?
Speaker 6 (31:15):
Yes, it's proved? Where if your name is O G
you all I wasn't doing what I wasn't. I wasn't
around when that game.
Speaker 4 (31:21):
I was not.
Speaker 6 (31:22):
I was not around when that game. We can find
everything else, yeah, we can, But we can find tape
from World War two and you have They can't find
that a hundred point. Yeah, you can't find video tape,
the audio tape of audio. Yes, to hear it, that's
audio here he had. Yeah, because ers, what the game
was moved.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
No listening.
Speaker 6 (31:38):
I'm just I'm just I'm just trying to bring it down.
All I know is that the game was moved. So
the game was moved to Hershey, Pennsylvani, that right, So
Kersey Pennsylvani, this is where this is where the NBA was.
Since you're talking about, you know, Kobe Bryant, who, by
the way, one of the best, no doubt about it,
one of the best ever. And if you think the
incardinate and if you think that Kobe Bryant is anywhere
between seven seven seven and eleven, you have what do
(32:00):
you have?
Speaker 2 (32:00):
I got him at eleven. That's why what wait did
the og see He's got Kobe Bryant at eleven. Yeah. Oh,
by the way, that gen Z won that one. That
that's just acid. I don't I don't think Kobe's eleven, No,
like eleven, like dude, stop stop stop no, just to
hear his top ten to be honest, no disrespect to
(32:24):
Bill Russell, the late great Bill Ross.
Speaker 5 (32:26):
He was referring to, actually Wilt Chamberlain because that was
the main right right, the words and that.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
But I know that's fair, but both of them, I
mean yeah, even Will Chamberlain was the most dominant player
until Shack came along. And Will Chamberlain, you know, might
have been better than Shaq. Some people would say, Shaq's
got more rings, but Kobe eleven. No, you lost me
at that. I mean there's no way, there, no way. Uh,
the Will Chamberlain one hundred point game, it's great. I mean,
(32:52):
Kobe had eighty one in the game, so what you know,
what does that mean? And one game a player can
at hot? We don't, you know, Devin Booker and like
his second season dropped like fifty five against the Celtics,
So I don't really have as well. I'm gonna go
with gen Z on that one. Surprisingly enough, what do
we got with Earl Thomas?
Speaker 3 (33:15):
I was just so happy that I had just had.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
It my Apaugie.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
Do you want me to set it up?
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Go ahead. So Christy again.
Speaker 5 (33:21):
Caught up with Earl Thomas and the rift between so
basically how the things ended. Do you guys remember the
middle finger he gave to the Seahawks to Pete Carroll.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I get a Sunday night game. Maybe it was a big.
Speaker 5 (33:35):
Game against Dallas Cowboys Earl Thomas. He explains how things
went down for the most part and where things stand
today between him and Pete Carroll.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
I was just so happy that I had just had
a conversation with Coach Carroll author because I went off
against Dallas Cowboys, I would had two interceptions. You know,
Dallas Cowboys my dad favorite teams with big sixty family.
So I went off, So I was already happy about that.
So next we play Arizona. Coach Carroll just told me
that we was thinking about getting your new new country.
This has been my third one. But I ended up
(34:07):
getting hurt that next game, so I was just pissed
at I miss miss camp. They didn't try to get
me a deal. Knowing I'm the best feld of defense,
they didn't try to get me a deal. They made
me wait it out. Then I get injured. It sucked.
So I was just like you knew, I was pissed.
I hate being an introvert. It just makes a bad
(34:28):
light around everybody around me because I'm pissed off.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
But now we fast forward to twenty twenty five and
all's good and you're happy to be back home in Seattle.
I didn't a member of.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
This, so I actually heard Coach Carroll do some interviews,
which made me happy just to hear him talk good
about me, cause we didn't speak much after they because
we were so busy trying to leave the team. I'm in Baltimore,
saw him at Pro Bowl, just said hey, but he
just kept it, you know, you know quadrille.
Speaker 4 (34:54):
Yeah, and that.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
Was that My apologies. I meant against the Arizona Cardinals,
he got hurt and that's when he flipped off. Anyone
says Pete Carroll, but he that middle figure was in
that direction and that's what he was referring to.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Now things are now cool, they're cordial, and it should be.
I mean, you know, time goes by and it should
heal most wounds. Doesn't heal all wounds, but there it is,
so I you know, I could. It was to Earl
Thomas for evolving growing up. And you know Pete Carroll.
Pete Carroll's not a He does an whole vendetta as
the grudges. I mean, especially y'all and former players. I mean,
(35:27):
there's nobody who's a player's coach more than Pete Carroll.
And I'm sure everybody in Vegas, including Ashton Genty, the
newest Raiders pick, will love old p d. All right,
let's get the red pens out. Nick Baumgartner, one of
my favorite NFL draftanos from the athletic Who we get
those red pens out? How did the Seahawks do on
(35:47):
Grey's abel? Did they overdraft him? What do they do
tonight tomorrow? Shaden Higgins baby Iowa State. I'm all for
a wide receiver now, I just didn't want him at eighteen.
So I will say this based on position. With Lovelin
and war not being there, I couldn't have agreed more
with Schneider. Maybe would have gone in a different direction, and
(36:10):
people could say, oh, well, he had a great Senior Bowl.
You know what. You know what Donovan Jackson had. He
had a great national championship in a great semi final,
and a great playoff game against Tennessee prior to that,
and a great career at the Ohio State University. So
don't measure resumes. People don't measure resumes with me. Okay,
(36:34):
Donovan Jackson played at the highest level. Wasn't SEC, but
he played against sec caliber competition. Maybe not every week,
but when they got to the playoffs, you know that
thing that you have to win to win a national title.
He had converted from guard to tackle and he didn't
give up a sack. The prosecution Rest your honor, Nick Bombgardner.
(36:58):
Next on MJ in the midday
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