Talking with NCAAFB commentator and Jaguars broadcaster J.P. Shadrick about the NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears, the Jags selection and who in College Football is making the jump to compete in the NFL.
Also some Golf Majors talk about visiting Augusta
welcome back to this week in sport Sam is stuck in traffic so we’ve had to bring in some recruits to fill the void delighted to say uh good friend golf lover NFL and college football expert you may recognize him from the Jacksonville jagy was broadcast throughout the season as a sideline reporter and day-to-day reporter around the club and you might also recognize his waxy lyrical voice from Westwood one’s calls of key college football games throughout the year JP Shadrick joining us on the show today JP man it is really good to see and speak to you it’s been a long time I actually think the last time I spoke to you was when we bumped into each other on the sideline of a UCLA USC game out in in Los Angeles where none other than uh Mr Caleb the number one first pick himself was the quarterback for USC in an absolute Thriller man so it’s been too long for sure it’s always a pleasure to to visit with you and yeah I didn’t realize that was the last time I I guess I missed you in London last year for the Jaguar games but um yeah either in London or randomly in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl you never know when you’re going to run into Oliver Wilson and that’s it’s a good thing and it’s always a pleasure to talk to you man and that was a great great game by the way that UCLA USC game two years ago because Caleb Williams was throwing it all over the field was a back and forth game Dorian Thompson Robinson was back and forth for UCL on the other side so they were duel and all game it was a fantastic ball game and um USC just kind of held them at arms length in the second half they would get within one score and then they’d score an answer back and it was like four times in a row that happened in the second half and but but Caleb Williams showed that day I think why he’s the number one pick I mean we should get into the draft I’d love to wax lyrical about how good Dorian Thompson Robinson was that evening for for UCLA as well but um Caleb Williamson I mean picked up by the Bears it was the worst kept secret going into of course yesterday there were a few uh unexpected picks perhaps but is he the Cut Above the Rest of what is proven to be quite clearly considering how many quarterbacks went in the first 12 picks a very strong QB class indeed and what makes him so special is somebody who’s had a chance to kind of see him up close and personal yeah A Cut Above but you know I think that’s just the eye of the beh holder I think the Bears certainly thought so obviously um there were moments last year though towards the end of the season things weren’t going that well and at least for my perspective I I didn’t like the fact that he didn’t talk to the media the last month of the season and the way he kind of showed off the field what was going on when things weren’t going so well um maybe that’s overblown a little bit it doesn’t matter if you go out and play and play well that you can overcome any of that kind of stuff um but when he’s on he has a big arm he can make all the throws he wants and um he’s done it for a couple years in a couple different places remember he transferred over to Southern California from Oklahoma and is he he’s a different style I think than Jaden Daniels right Daniels is the mobile type that can move it kind of depends on what you’re comfortable with if you need more of a pocket style guy okay Caleb yes he can move some but not like that then you’re probably gonna pick him uh Drake May the same way he’s not going to run around all day Jaden Daniels can do that and he can throw it so um it it depends on what kind of offense you want what’s your um you know what’s your um attitude towards mobile quarterbacks and running and all these things and and um what’s your appetite for that I think that’s the big answer but um that was the worst kept secret I mean k Williams was the guy and I saw the video after the pick the Bears GM said hey you know we’ve had this pick ready for months but they wanted us to wait until the five minute Mark to put it in so be patient I love that I I I always enjoy the I guess minui that has to go into every single decision that takes place in the NFL including the fact that you’ve made your mind up on your next franchise quarterback potentially and the NFL says look we need to keep the hype going around this draft all right we can’t let that number one come out officially too early yet we need make sure there are plenty of people in Detroit stood there almost mind-blowingly I still don’t understand I mean I used to really love the draft back especially when I was in college uh the the older I get the more my kind of mind blows that people are as they move it around different cities willing to just stand there and wait to hear 30 seconds of an announcement go crazy and then it’s like what do we do especially in those War rooms on draft night even for the teams now it’s so spread out over three nights it’s a very easy night that first night for for a lot of these teams who are picking early they’ve had their guy signed and sealed and delivered basically for ages and they all like high five and shake hands it’s like what are we doing here guys just just put the pick in and everyone can go home to bed nice and early yeah what wow great job guys Caleb Williams is the pi wow let’s let’s all celebrate oh Pop the champagne like that we had the same conversation actually last night in our offices here kind of on the same note it is funny how that works but the process is real right I mean they start scouting these guys when they show up on a college campus and they keep a book on these guys for a long time and go through the process of talking to people around them in the past and uh it has been a long road to get to round one of the 2024 draft where it may seem like it’s a a done deal pretty quickly there’s a lot of work behind the scenes that’s why all these Scouts and Personnel people have worked for a couple years at least to build a book on these guys and uh it’s more of a relief I think to have it done than maybe a celebration of of what it is depending on the situation yeah there’s a couple of Scouts in the back that have been working their socks off for four years that are really taking a breather and earning their bottle of of Fizz or two in that evening I mean we had to make three picks and then we finally got a QB sorry a non QB off the board in Marvin Harrison Jr going in fourth to the Arizona Cardinals Sam who is as I say stuck in traffic at the moment as we talk has literally been talking about him as if he’s been in the Cardinal war room with them this seemed like this was the only place that Arizona were going to go Kyler Mario I suppose now this this is great for him with a weapon but it also puts a lot of pressure on him to well we are now giving you Talent again you got to go and deliver we gave you DeAndre Hopkins it worked out for a bit now we’ve given you a raw moldable receiver that we can make perfect for you now you have to deliver yeah um good point because they did get a weapon I mean Marvin Harrison is about as good as they come I don’t think he’s as openly fast as Julio Jones right was when he’s coming out he’s got almost everything else that Julio had he’s that type of player I think uh and I had Ohio State a bunch of times on Westwood one and saw him do so many different things and do them all pretty well first off he stands out in the crowd if you’re on field level you can see this guy a mile away like he’s got the size um and then the length and everything and then you know two years ago in the Michigan game he’s catching a fade for like a 40-yard touchdown in one-on-one running past the guy fine you can do that make a dive and catch for a touchdown Which was incredible last year against Penn State I had the game and it was a one score game late Ohio state had the ball trying to go up two scores and seal it and was like a key play on about the 35 going in quick SL Crosser kind of deal catch and run to the left sideline up the boundary and just outran everybody for the the Gabe ceiling score so he has that type of ability as well really great around the boundary you know on the sideline um so he’s got it all and yeah not not many more excuses now Kyler because they’ve got they got the big weapon to throw too and there’s a lot going on with the Cardinals off the field right so maybe they can get something done on the field and and disrupt from some of the things happening off I would never try and insinuate that you was a man so closely linked with the Jacksonville Jaguars is trying to just stir the pot even more about any other NFL franchise or whatever and I like the I like the fact that you’re glass houses glass houses better not throw stones right I’m with you hey Doug Doug’s a good man to have in there at that franchise don’t worry you’re in safe hands with him let me tell you as an Eagles fan he’ll keep everything just trundling on nice and nice and smoothie I saw you had Travis etn actually on your uh broadcast last night joining you and kind of giving some insight I guess still is a guy who’s relatively young in the league although I guess he’s also going into that third year which is the average playing career anyway for these guys right so well he’s going into year four remember he missed his rookie year with the Liz Frank foot injury and then he’s had two years on the field after that and we told him that I mentioned that to him last night I said you’re going into the year four and he looked at man yeah you’re the salty vet basically um but it’s been a good couple of years for him right over a thousand yards each time found the endzone a bunch last year and it felt like he really took a step in the right direction if they can just figure out the offensive line they’ve had some a lot of changes there the last year so um maybe they can settle some things in and if they obviously if with Brian Thomas coming in with the over-the-top weapon to go with the guys they have a receiver you might see some more running options at times because you have to cover all those guys uh etn is a good solid player I mean I would expect that the deadline for the fifth year option for him is May 2nd him and Trevor Lawrence by the way they’re both first round picks in that draft so I I don’t see why they wouldn’t pick it up uh been a very solid player since he has been back from that rookie year injury and a good gu to have in that locker room and did he give you any insight you know off air last night you know we’re getting it done don’t worry we’re getting that option done it’s all good or or is this just JP speculating so to speak I I just have a a I’m speculating got you got a knack for this you got an ear to the ground in the organization I’m going to take it as gos no I mean it just makes sense I don’t know why you wouldn’t though I mean he’s been a good player for you it’s like six million bucks or something and um you know and he’s a first round guy like so you you need some Cornerstone guys right now beyond that who knows but um the deadline to make that decision as May 2nd so we will find out soon I mean what was Travis’s reaction to an LSU guy being drafted obviously because Clemson and LSU the teams that have just stifled over the last few years the dominance of Alabama in college football is there is there almost a kindred spirit nature to LSU and Clemson guys is the fact that you know they have been able to get one over bammer in the last few years and and the new acquisition coming into Jacksonville as well as you touched on provides a massive weapon for uh for Trevor Lawrence as well to well I think for for those guys especially it may not be the college thing that that brings them together it’s more the Louisiana thing I mean you got to remember uh Travis is from south Louisiana um and Brian Thomas Jr is just East Baton Rouge so they are all kind of aware of each other in that world down there in in the prep world the high school world before they go in um so that’s I think more that that that would bring those guys together um I think cam Robinson’s another from the state but he’s from the northern part of the state which is a little different world than the southern part of that state of Louisana it’s just a different area altoe but they have Kindred Spirits a lot of times because of where they come from the uh the Brian Thomas thing will be interesting he ran the tied for the third fastest 40 yard dash at the combine uh he scored 17 touchdowns receiving last year that LED all of Big Time college football uh he was second on the LSU team last year in catches and yardage behind Malik neighbors of course so Jaden Daniels singing it around so he was a big play guy it wasn’t you know there wasn’t a lot of the jump ball things he’s more long than he is big um but he’s 63 I just shook his hand walking through the hallway here earlier today before I hopped on with you and he he’s all of 6’3 there’s no doubt about that and Doug Peterson today talked a lot about his football IQ and his football smarts and the importance that plays in this building because as complex as this Jaguars offense would like to be well you’ve got to have the players to go execute that and make changes on the Fly and know every route in the in the offense or in a certain play and make the change and not have to flip the field and go to a different area you know what I’m going to run Z Jones’s route because Zay can’t get over here I’ve got to run what he was going to run as well and so there’s some of that to it he’s fast uh he’s tall you can start there and he’s smart that’s really good you could kind of teach the rest and I think that’s the idea if he’s got the Turning circle of a London mini cab he’ll be fine at those little hook routes he’ll be fine when he comes across to wemin of maybe of Tottenham Hots spur Stadium if you guys get another chance to play there I know obviously B memories of the Jags in London last year with with an excellent couple of weeks I’m disappointed actually you didn’t get Brian to come and have a chat with us he needs to ingratiate himself quickly to the UK media I mean has anybody discussed the UK fan base to him about how we’re all champing at the bit to get the Jags back over here again I think he’s gonna have a pint full soon don’t worry you’ll have your time with Brian uh he yeah he’s running around today they they got him in I mean they they flew from Detroit he was in Detroit last night U on Thursday night and then I they took the early private jet from Detroit to Jack they got here at what 10:00 9:30 something like that in the morning about a two and a half hour flight and then straight into lunch and meeting the owner and meeting the front office and um and then on press conference at 1:30 so they’re making the rounds the family’s here and I mean that’s a whirlwind two days for him all right I’ll give him an excuse for missing out on us English media then he’s he’s he’s got a few things on his plate what with be a first round selection in the NFL draft this year just finally uh JP I want to get your take on what was the early surprising move in the draft with the the Atlanta Falcons taking pennick quarterback and it’s not necessarily just about the fact that they’ve taken a young QB but also the fact that Kirk Cousins didn’t seem to recognize this and know about it and the statements from Kirk and his team after of course signing that big deal in the offseason with the Falcons anyway your thoughts on what is I think a great move from Atlanta but it doesn’t seem like too many people in Atlanta necessarily feel the same way as I do well let’s there’s two different things on this and I’m kind of on the fence here but let’s start with the coaching GM’s perspective it gives them at least a fiveyear cushion right because they’ve drafted a first round quarterback on top of the free agent quarterback that they have for four years and $100 million guaranteed okay so I get it you everybody’s talking about the Green Bay model of this they’ve done it twice Favre and then Aaron Rogers sat for three years first round pick and Rogers was there Jordan love sits for a couple years and and moves on um but it felt like the Packers had some other things in place at that time as well to be able to go win um the Falcons need some other things it feels like especially on defense to to kind of take that next step consistently um now that’s said that the fact that the Kurt Cousins Camp is allegedly upset he got a hundred million guaranteed like I don’t know this is I this was a take that I it made a whole lot of sense to me that I saw earlier today um sorry I guess I mean enjoy your 100 million bucks and and go play and so may have been blindsided but I don’t know why why does the team have to say every single thing um I get why it can be confusing okay you you told me one thing a month or two ago that now this is not what what we kind of talked about but hey man competition’s there all the time and no matter if you’re a veteran player or a young player at least that’s obviously the way the Falcons are going to see it at least it looks like unless there’s some other move we don’t see coming um but in the long run now the other Tri penx is what he’s already 24 so in theory by the time he touches the field in three or four years he’ll be 27 or 28 years old going in for the first time that makes it a little bit different because some of those other quarterbacks were young guys 2122 um so the the age is a little bit different here yeah but we see so often that guys that are given time at that position to settle into the league generally when they start playing look far more comfortable than say Bryce young is probably going to look in his second year this coming year because they’ve been beaten around the head too many times in bad teams you get to learn from a Kirk Cousins you’ve got a mobile quarterback that can learn how to be a pocket quarterback from a very good established QB and you’ve given yourself so much rope to play with at the most important position as a franchise I don’t see how it’s not great as a short and long long-term investment what the Falcons have done at what is the most important position on the most important side of the ball as the first round of the draft showed us last night with the lack of defensive players coming off the board but Oliver I mean this is a win right now we need instant gratification this is a gratification business we need it right now we can’t wait four years it’s impossible anymore it’s not allowed JP get off get off Instagram reals and Tik Tok and your social media your instant dopamine fix and learn how to build a dynasty like the New England Patriots it’s boring but it wins football games come on J seven we have we have a 7even second span of attention that’s that’s all the that’s all all the the commercials at YouTuber 7even seconds because you’ll scroll right through it and that’s it that’s that’s the world we live in except for the draft which they have to drag out for as long as possible and somehow we still don’t pay attention for these full three days JP man I you’ve got to get going I know you’ve got a busy night ahead of you um quickly where can everybody find you and your work obviously on Westwood one and across social media as well yeah jaguars.com right now we’ve got coverage with the Jaguars picks throughout the weekend and um of course excuse me um all the coverage of the first round pick from uh one of his his arrival on Friday so we’ll be live with a pre-show going into round two um immediate coverage after each pick the rest of the way and then a wrap-up show on Saturday and then all a sudden schedule release is coming out at some point soon the next couple weeks so we’ll have a good idea of what’s going on in in your neck of the woods with the Jaguars this year and and Beyond so that’s next in the docket offseason programs here so um it’s good times D quickly how good is Augusta by the way I’ve never been I’m so jealous I saw you posting pictures on social media uh how good is I had never been either i’ had never been either um and it’s it’s everything you’ve heard of times 10 like it’s that good it’s that nice and it’s that hilly it is real um it is a significantly more hilly property than I would have ever imagined even on TV like from the 10th t to the 10th green it’s like a 90 foot drop down that hill to the dog leg left deal I didn’t know was that Steep and then 11 goes down further than that so you’re all of a sudden you’re way down there and I think we walked 10 miles that day or something we were out there all day cuz we had one day on the property it was just beautiful and everybody’s polite because they have to be and they are and there’s no phones and it’s like going back in time a little bit it really is it’s all about the golf and the the people around you in the course and it’s it’s beautiful hey look we’ll uh we’ll talk off camera about how we could maybe make this work together next year at austad but um thanks for the time man as always and uh enjoy the rest of the draft bro oh enjoyed it Oliver thanks
