Welcome back, everybody. It's the McShay Show. We got round two. We got a second episode, Mensch. It's a pretty good start for us. Listen, we got a fun show today. We've got Stanford Steve coming in, a good friend of ours, this guy I worked with for almost 20 years at ESPN, obviously what he's doing a game day, and with Scott Van Pelt. Really interested to get his take on the slate of games, some of his best bets. We're going to break it all down with Steve, and we got a lot of fun stuff in the NFL draft. We're going to do, That's my guy. That's my guy. Every scout has their own guys. We're going to break down some of the early season players that we really are attached to based off of the tape that we've watched. We're going to talk about where the scouts are this week, and we'll see where it goes from there. Mensch, you good, bud?

I'm good, man.

All right, let's go. I mentioned that we were going to get into my guys, right? So this is always my favorite. Every year, there was you, me, and Kevin Weidl, who's with the Baltimore Ravens sitting in hotel rooms in Indianapolis for the Combine or down to Mobile. We'd sit around and for some reason, as an evaluator, you always have to have your guys, the guys that you think that you're attached to for some reason because you love their tape, you think you like them more than everybody else, and you want to identify them early. Every scout you talk to, every GM you talk to, it's like, Oh, that's my guy. That's my guy. So that's what this segment is. We'll make this a consistent thing. But based off of early tape, we've had almost half of a college football season. Let's just go through a few guys. Just as a disclaimer or a precursor, we're not saying these are the best players in the draft, and in fact, they're not. We're not saying that they're going to top 10 picks. And in fact, a lot of these guys won't be. But what we're saying is we think based off of what's going on in social media, what we're hearing, we may like these guys a little bit better than the public, if you will, at this point.

So with that in mind, I'm going to start with Jalen Walker, the Georgia defensive end outside linebacker. And the reason he's one of my guys is I just think he's different than a lot of other prospects, right? You look at him physically, he He doesn't fit the mold as a true edge guy. He plays off the ball. He plays at the edge spot. But what is different about him, to me, Mensch, and it goes back to like Micah Parsons, and there's some other guys in this class that we'll get to that have some similarities. We've seen over the years, sometimes there are these tweeners or versatile guys that you look at and you say, well, is he this or is he that? And when he gets to the league, is he just going to be a guy that can't play in the edge? And now we're stuck playing him off the ball and the value is not there. The unique guys, like a Micah Parsons, and I'm not saying he's Micah Parsons, but if you're unique, you can do both. And you can Excel as an edge rusher, but also play in space, drop in coverage, do different things.

And that is a defensive coordinator, is gold. When you can have your personnel on the field, right, and have an individual that can do multiple things so you don't have to sub in and out, you don't have to get into sub-packages, you don't have to bring in a designated rush specialist and all that stuff. I think Walker has a chance to be unique. You go back and study the tape, 60 % of the snaps, he was at the edge, off the ball, I should say, 40 % of the snaps, coming off the edge versus Texas. Finish that game, eight tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks, and a fumble recovery all over the field. Not many guys can rush off the edge the way that he does. And also still, guys can drop, but can drop in space and be that smooth and comfortable. So Jalen Walker in this year's class, I know we didn't get off to a great start, but Mikel Williams from Georgia, his teammate, is an edge rush specialist. You got James pierce from Tennessee. You got nick Horton, who's more of the bigger body defense event. There's some dudes. Abdul Carter.

I know that's one of your guys early on, Mej. I love him, too, from Penn State. So there's a lot of good edge defenders this year. But what stands out about Walker is that he can be a little bit of both. So he's one guy that I'm pegging early on that I just absolutely love, and I think he's going to be a first-round draft. Where do you want to go from there?

I love that you really stuck your neck out on that one. The guy that I think everyone thinks is going to be a first-round pick.

So it's going to be that show today.

Listen, I got to say, we're talking about our guys.

You got a little fancier backdrop. You're not in your daughter's bedroom today. You're feeling it a little bit.

I got a little confidence. I'm feeling it a little bit. I was going to do Abdul Carter for Penn State, and then I think you have him first over on your board. I'm like, I can't do that as my guy. I mean, it's everyone's guy.

It's me smoking you out, man.

So I see just really quickly, a walker, the stuff you were talking about. Just look at the corner blitz for the strip set.

Eures looks to his right.

He sees Jalen Walker coming off the edge, and he's like, All right, we're going to declare the protection or the offense line, whoever made the call, we're going to declare the protection to the right because there's Jalen Walker. And what happens? He drops into coverage. They bring the blitz from the other side.

He puts his six ever off the other side.

It's the thing a player can do, that a player can do, and they are rare.

And I will just quickly say- And it doesn't show up in the numbers. It's not going to be in his stat sheet. It's not going to be a PFF thing.

When a coach in the NFL watches that, like, Oh, yes. I want a guy that can help me do that. And I think the important point to make is you don't want a tweener because then you don't really have a home. You do want versatility. And it can be a fine line when you're trying to project a guy like that in the NFL. Now, I think Walker's versatile. I'm with you. I don't think he's a tweener. I think he's a guy that can do a number of different things for your defense. But do you want me to jump in- Who's your first...

Mike, that's my guy.

South Carolina safety, nick Emanwari. I hope I'm pronouncing that right.

I think he has four picks this year, two shutdown returns.

He had one called back against LSU.

Let me give people a background on this, okay? I don't mean to cut you off. No, no, this is in your favor. That's why I'm talking. Here we go. That's I'm talking in this tone. We're talking in August. I'm more wrapped up at that point. I'm not going to get the details of it, but negotiation is trying to figure out what our next step is. Are we going to have- Life. Right. Life. Life. And you call me and I'm walking up the hill coming back to the house, and you can't... You don't even know how to pronounce his name, right? At this point.

It's going to be an ongoing theme, by the way.

Yeah. I'm interested to see if it's always the same name or it changes over time. But you were raving about it. He's on on anyone's list. I'm putting together my list. It was like talking to Kiper. But you were on this dude early. So I went came back, and probably a week later, I popped in the tape and I saw what you saw, but this was your guy from the jump. But now I'm watching him play during the season, and I'm going on the X, and I'm going on social media, and I'm seeing all the social media draft geniuses out there, and everyone's jumping on board. And I just want to say, I can say this without any concern about this claim, Mensch was on this guy earlier than anyone.

Right. And again, we talk about versatility He's 6'3. He's like 230 pounds. You're thinking, This is a box safety. This is a guy that's going to play in the box. And he can. He plays in the box a fair amount.

He also plays over the slot. He plays... I think he's even more...

You know what I think?

No, I'm not going to say no. I'm saying he looks like he's going to play that physical brand, just that physical brand.

You know the comp I like? Is Kyle Hamilton. That's who I see. I see- You're talking about one of the best defensive players in the NFL. We had Pollock on the other day, and I'm taking the cue. I'm following his lead. We're not going to be shy about saying things on the show.

No Syrup for no awful?

Yeah, right? Kyle Hamilton is one of the best in the league. I think this kid It has that ceiling.

Really? And that defensive front, too. I mean, they are loaded. South Carolina is legit. I'm excited to see. I think if they finish the season playing the same way and their quarterback can stay healthy, I think South Carolina is going to cause some problems. All right. So that's a good one. And I'm not shocked that that's where we started for you. And I'm glad you were able to get that out there. I'm glad you called me and annoyed me that day in the middle of the summer. All right. My next my guy is Derek Harmon, defensive tackle from Oregon. Didn't know much about this guy coming in the season. Transfer from Michigan State, good player there. Probably didn't get enough buzz because he was playing at Michigan State. They were struggling. But he puts on this Ducks uniform. He looks body beautiful. He's got a different uniform every week, and it seems like he should be the poster. He should be the guy like... 6'5, 3'10, fills it out perfectly. I know it sounds weird, but you want your player to be well-proportioned and the He's the part, right? He's a three technique. What you're looking for in defensive tackles, and we're seeing more and more come in the league, the disruption on the interior.

Twenty-six hurries so far with three sacks. He's not like When you think about three techniques, they're usually like that six, like the Dwight Frini type. They're usually like the 6'1 guy, 6'2 at most, and they get explosive off the field, twitching. And I'm not saying he doesn't have some lateral, but he doesn't jump the same way that some of those guys will, right? But when you watch him, he's smooth. His swipe move, his rip, he's smooth with his hands. He's quick. He's athletic. He can change direction when he gets in the back build. The dude is making plays, and I love his ability to affect the quarterback. And at the end of the day, I can find a big dude who's going to two gap and take on blocks. There's plenty of those guys out there. But the value is finding an interior interior defensive linemen that can disrupt the quarterback. And that's exactly what Harmon has done. Now, we've got Mason Grant from Michigan. We've got Kenneth Grant from Michigan. We've got some good interior players. Harmon is moving up. Talking to some scouts. And West Coast area guy. So not necessarily maybe the perspective of the whole country, but you're starting to talk to people in the league where it's top 50 maybe could work his way into the late first.

So that's exciting for Harmon in Oregon. I think that's fair. Yeah. I think that's fair.

I got my guy from LSU, the tight-end, Mason Taylor. I just think that you look at this tight-end class and some guys are starting to emerge, Gunner Helm out of Texas. You're going to talk about a guy in a minute here that I think is playing really well, too. I just think you look at Mason Taylor and he's flown on their radar, which is crazy because he plays for LSU and his dad is Jason Taylor. But his dad is Jason Taylor, right? I think that's right.

Yeah, absolutely. No, it feels that way for a guy who's such a big name And that breakout game he had, I think it was against Bama, right? The primetime game with Herbie and Fowler and Mason, talking about Mason Taylor and Jason Taylor wasn't there, but his mom was there and crying up. And it had the big Is it a two-point conversion or a touch-up? So he had this massive breakout, right? But it does feel like people just don't talk about him as much as you would think, that he would be a superstar in college football.

So somehow I feel like he's flying under the radar. I I see a guy on tape that they like to get the ball to him in the flat and let him produce after the catch, which I think is one of the reasons why his average yards per catch isn't super high. But I think he's going to test super well, and he's going to be one of those guys that gets into the league, and you're going to realize he always had the potential to stretch the field. And then you look at him as a blocker. He's highly competitive. He's not overpowering. None of these guys really are going to be overwhelming or overpowering, but he's a highly competitive blocker. I think when you put it all together in the production, keep in mind, you might look at those numbers and not be wowed. He's the lead LSU's all-time history for catches and receiving yards for tight ends. So keep a perspective a little bit. When you have Malik Nabors running down the field, you might not really want to stretch the field with your tight end. And I think that that's probably the role that he has played for them has kept those numbers down a little bit.

But when you look at the tape and you look at the player, he's a guy that I think is going to be... I think he'd go in the second round, might be tight end, too.

I can see that. Is that behind Colson Loveling?

Yes.

From Michigan? Right. All right. So you mentioned it. I sent you my notes. It was a mistake. I'll never send you my notes again. That was already scooping me here. But Elijah Arroyo from Miami. Now, this is an interesting one. Didn't have great production early in his career, had the ACL injury, I think, in 2023. So everyone's going to say, Well, one year wonder. Well, let's see. Now, listen, 6'4, 2:45. Athletic, smooth, difference maker after the catch down the field. I just think we're just scratching the surface with this guy. Here's what's concerning. Here's why I wanted to keep an eye on him, and it's going to be critical how he finishes the season. Jumped out to a huge start, right? Averaging 20.4 yards per catch, but silent versus Louisville. Got shut out, no catches. Three catches for only 14 yards versus Cal. Those are the last two weeks. So off to a fast start in the first four or five games. Last two weeks. Great against Florida in the opener. Great against Florida. Yeah, that's where he caught my eye. I was like, whoa, whoa. That looks like an old Miami tight end. You know what I mean?

The Jimmy Grants of the world. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, Shaki. He's just... You talk about fit in the uniform, looking athletic. So I'm interested to see in a class that's got... It's not a great class, but you got Lovalen from Michigan, you've got Taylor from LSU. So could Arroyo wind up emerging and be in that third tight end that I feel like the class is missing, a little bit more depth in that spot. So that's it. I like that. You're good on your guys. That's fine. You caught me off guard.

You caught me off guard with that one. Most guys, I have a feeling for who this guy is. And I had seen him a little bit, but I was like, oh, that's interesting that you had him as a guy to look. So I had to go back and watch. And I'll be honest with you, I saw the same things that you saw. This guy could be a difference maker in the passing game. I mean, talk about making plays down the scene, stretching the middle of the field, giving you a little bit of something after the catch. For a guy that big, he's a smooth route runner. I mean, there are flashes. So you can look at the injuries. It's all part of the eval, right? It's all part of a final grade on a player. You're going to look at his ability to stay healthy, how productive he was, consistently, and that all come into play. But ultimately, it's the tape. And if he tests as well as I think he could test, he's definitely a player to keep an eye on. I was happy to see it. It was good to look at him.

It was good to watch him.

It'll be good if your Internet can hold up and you don't wind up cutting out anymore. All right, here we go. So So every week, I always get some text and read some stuff on social media, where are the scouts? And so we look at it here a little bit differently. Obviously, we're looking at the slate of games. We're watching the games like everybody else. But I always look at the slate for the upcoming week, usually on Monday. And I'm like, where would I want to go? Where are the scouts? And to me, there are three places that I think it's going to be loaded with scouts. Missouri, Alabama. Might not be the best game when it's all said and done. It sounds like Katie Cooke, Anchels, according to Pete Thamel, yesterday, he had a report. It's doubtful to play in this game. So it might not, again, might not be the best game. But you talk about talent, and I'll just rip through it, and then you tell me what jumps out to you. Obviously, for Missouri, let's stay on that side of the ball because I just mentioned Cook, Luther Bird in the third.

And I know you've got some numbers on him, but a player who could get down the field, explosive. To me, against this past defense, he's got some opportunities, but can the quarterback get him the ball? But Luther Bird, one of the top two or three receivers in this class, Teteroah, the receiver from Arizona. I think we agree, the number one wide receiver, Ted Rowe and McMillan. But a lot of people think Burden could be the number two wide receiver in this class. An opportunity for him against Alabama, depending on what the quarterback situation is.

Really, really quickly, so I can jump to you, just so we're clear about this, do you have Travis Hunter from Colorado as a wide receiver or as a corner? Yeah, I mean, we can- Just so people are going to watch us and say Travis Hunter is the best receiver in the country.

I've currently got him as a cornerback as a ranking, but then I would have Hunter then a wide receiver one, if you will. I think he's a better cornerback at this point than wide receiver, but I think there's more value at wide receiver. Conversation that I look forward to having moving forward. But I appreciate you clarifying that because I'm sure I would have gotten blown up about that. And then on that side of the ball, Missouri's offense against Alabama's defense. The defense has been middle of the road. They've been up and down. They've had some issues with the new system. There's going to be some transition, and we've seen that. But my goodness, I love these linebackers. I still like Deontay Lawson and Jihad Campbell. And I know they only go off the ball, linebackers only go so high in the draft. But these are going to be two of the first three, at worst four, off the ball linebackers to be drafted this week. And I'm excited to see. Missouri is going to have to run the football. They're going to have to try to take some pressure off the quarterback. And really, I think Lawson and Campbell could have huge games here.

On the flip side, can Jalen Millrow bounce back? I look at it, Millrow was one of eight on deep balls versus South Carolina and Tennessee. His game is throwing the ball vertically. It's running the football, and he throws one of the most beautiful deep balls you'll ever see, right? But defenses know that now. And so they're either pressuring him and blitzing and getting after him so he doesn't have the opportunity for his receiver to get down the field, or they're dropping eight, backing up, and then saying to keep everything in front and make him work short to intermediate, right? And so that's what we're seeing. Missouri's defense, statistically, pass defense is pretty good, but you go back and read some of the numbers versus the deep ball and vertical passing, that's where they struggle. So opportunity here for Millrow to bounce back against the Missouri defense that looks on paper like they're good against the pass, but against the deep ball, they have struggled. So I'll be interested to see how Millrow bounces back, and my goodness, does he need to? And run. We talked about it in the first pot.

Like, run, man. I want to see him start making plays with his feet when the opportunity presents itself. That's one of the other things to look at. Stop trying to be, or I don't know what he's trying to be, but maybe trying to be that pocket passer.

It almost seems like a mentality thing. Almost like the game plan dictates his mentality as a runner, and then his mentality is what's seen on the field. Because that first half we talked about it, first half against Georgia, he was a great throw. That was the best passing performance, best tape I've seen on him as a passer. But it also was some of the best running in terms of deciding when to run. And then when he ran, it was aggressive, shot out of a can, and let's go no looking back. There's other times where he's been timid. So I'll be interested to see what his mentality is as a runner and honestly, what Missouri is trying to do. To me, this is what the NFL scouts want to see this. How does Milrow bounce Is Milrow going to make the progression? We're now entering the second half of the season. And you know there's a good chance, but as of right now, they might not be in the playoff. But can he go on a run and put together stacked tapes that more resemble the first half versus Georgia? And if he does, then maybe we're back to that conversation.

Could he be a first-round quarterback? All those sorts of things. But right now, the conversation, quite honestly, talking to some people this week is shifting to, I think Jalen might need to go back to Alabama for another day. So you're talking about a massive change. And I wouldn't disagree at this point because you've seen the flashes, but the negative plays and the inconsistency are starting to outshine those big-time plays and those big moments. So this is a huge spot for Millrow. And I know he's not looking at it like that. But from an evaluator standpoint, you want to see. It's two weeks now he has not played great. It's two and a half games now where he's not been at the level that we saw in the first half against Georgia. How does Millrow bounce back in this game? So I don't know if there's anything else in this game that jumps out, but to me, those are the spots.

Yeah, the Cook injury is really unfortunate for a number of reasons. But Burton III, I just haven't seen... I'm not as high on him as I feel like other people are. I haven't seen enough. The production, it was something like he had five or six hundred-yard games at this point. He had 96 yards in the opener last year. He has one 100 our game this year. I haven't seen wide receiver three in this class. I think there are guys that are creeping up. I think that he has a chance to fall. And it's just too bad because I think if Missouri wants to win this game, they need a big game from him. I think that's true in any big game they go into. So they need him to have a big game. And I think he had an opportunity against a secondary that is not what we usually see in an Alabama secondary. So he had a chance to have a big game in a big spot, and now it looks like his quarterback is not going to play. So that's unfortunate.

All right. And Keion's sab, the safety for Alabama is not pointed to. Did you hear that story? No. He got fractured a bone in his foot, I want to say. I'm not Pete Thamble. I'm not Adam Schefter. I'm going to get used to it, folks. You're probably going to have to look up some things. But I think it was a fractured bone in his foot, had an injury in the game, played the game with the injury, tracked down a receiver at some point with just pure effort, love for the game. Those are the stories scouts love to hear. Like, dude's just laying it on the line. But unfortunately, the injury is the injury. Now that he's played through it, and I don't think playing through it made it any worse, but he's going to be out a while, was what I read this week. So it'll be interesting to see with Sab who was playing really well and is absolutely on the radar. It's potentially like a day two prospect of the safety position. All right, let's transition. Lsu, Texas A&M. We'll get into the meat potatoes of this game, if you will. I get an offensive lineman in a tight end when we talk to our guy, Stanford Steve.

But to me, there are two things in this game I am most interested in seeing, and it starts up front. Will Campbell, Emory Jones, talking two top 50 prospects, at least. Certainly Will Campbell is in the discussion for OT one, if you will. Emory Jones, up and down tape a little bit, but the talent is There could be a late first round, second round, wherever he winds up, but really damn good college offensive lineman. But going up against nick Scorton, seven and a half tackles for loss over the last three games. Scortin is a big, physical dude, twitchy. He looks good. Oh, my gosh.

Yeah, he looks good, man. He's playing really high level.

You can make an argument. He's been on tape the number one edge this year in terms of performance. Now, we'll get into Abdelkart. You could.

I wouldn't go there, but yeah.

All right. I'm marking these things down.

I'll let you make that argument.

I'm just saying the tape, he's been one of the more consistent edges. He looks awesome. And it was a slow start. Everyone was talking about all these edge guys. They didn't really early in the season, they weren't jumping out. Skorten has been more consistent than some of the other guys. Let's leave it there. And then the second thing for me is, Gareth Nussmaier. We talked about it on He was in the first pod with Pollock. He was like, Let's keep this quiet. But he had to throw me up against the fire, and that's fine. I love what I've seen from Gareth Nussmaier. He does not have Josh Allen's arm, but He anticipates. He squeezing every little bit of juice out of his arm that he can. He knows when to take chances. He'll take some chances that he probably shouldn't. But I don't mind. He's got that aggressive mentality. He's been given the keys to this offense. He understands the game. And I just love the story of in this day and age, NIL, transfer portal, all that, that you hang around and you wait your turn at a place, and it means that much, and you get that shot.

And here he is. What are you talking about?

Listen, it's a great story, and I love when it works out like that. But there's a reason why these kids are allowed to go wherever they want to go and they can follow it.

I'm not trying to strip anyone of their privileges, Mej. I'm He's saying, I respect a dude who, A, trusts the process, and B, believes in his ability that he knows that when he gets a shot, he's going to deliver. And Garrett has delivered from the jump this year. It's great.

I don't respect Kam Ward any less from going from Washington State to Miami and figuring out a new offense in a new setting.

I don't respect you picking this fight.

I'm just saying. I just think that's an old argument of the guy staying in one place. It's just These coaches would replace them if they felt like they needed to or could replace them in a heartbeat. So it's nice that he stayed in the right place. It's nice.

All right. So what else in this game? Cynical Mench. I think you hit-Cynical Steve, I should say. What do you got?

You've hit the nail on the head. I mean, it's really for me, the big guy, it's watching the big guys up front. And I do think, look, this offensive tackle class has more questions than answers right now. So let's start getting some more answers because Will Campbell is a damn good tackle, and Emory Jones got all the talent in the world. I don't want to get into this too much right now because we are going to talk about it later on. But there were some struggles in the South Carolina game that we'll get into. So let's get some more. I want to get some more answers at the offensive of a class. So these guys are two of the best. I hope they play like it.

All right. Then the third one is I'm going to present this as what I would do if I was out on the scouting trail. Now, if you're a national scout, you get the opportunity to do top 100, and you can pick where you're going and choose your schedule. Early in the season, you map it all out. Here's what I would do, because we knew from the start that Ashton Jenty was going to be a stud. So here's what I would pitch to my general manager if I'm on the trail. I love it. I'm going to be in Las Vegas. I'm going to start early in the week. I'm going to go to practice in Vegas. Stay at a casino. Have a few days there. Get a little sun. Life is good. I'm going to be at the Boise State at UNLV game. There's some players there. Jinty is the jumping off point, but some pass rushers. Unlv has got some talent as well. So we got some day three guys to go with Jinty, who's going to be the number one running back in this class. So I'm They are on Friday night. But again, my GM, I need to go in on Tuesday and practice on their Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night, get up Saturday morning, Hop on over.

And I know you want me to drive, but I got to get over there. So we're going to have to get some commercial flight and go to Eugene. I forget where you can fly in, too, but flying in. And then I got Oregon, Illinois at Oregon on Saturday. And now we get some more talent. This one's an easier sell to the GM, right? But now we get some more talent. There's some great restaurants in Eugene, some great restaurants. There's like sneaky little food. I'm a foodie. Sneaky little food spots. But now I'm there. We got Illinois versus Oregon. You got Evan Stewart, Tez Johnson at wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks, both having great years. Dylan Gabriel, not sold as an NFL prospect. No. But what I want to see is the opportunities for Evan Stewart, Tez Johnson, versus this Illinois secondary that's on an island, man. They pressure up front. They're going to get to you. How does Dylan hold up? Is he able to take advantage of the one-on-ones on the outside? The corners are good for Illinois. The receivers are Do they win their one-on-ones? As a scout, it's so important to get these opportunities to see one-on-ones, press man coverage.

How do they win in these situations? So I want to see Tess Johnson, Evan Stewart, how do they step up here? Then on the flip side, you got Luke Altmaier. Again, another guy, we're not talking about drafting him, but a capable quarterback. Going up against this Oregon defense, I want to see Pat Bryant, 6'3, one of the best vertical receivers in the country. Can he have a monster game in a monster spot? And then Zcari Franklin, the transfer from Ole Miss, can he step up as well? More of a short to intermediate guy. Love his route running from what I've seen so far. So they've got two receivers as well. So now I got four receivers that are going to be able to study with two capable quarterbacks throwing to him. And another guy I'm going to mention, Jordan James. This running back class is loaded, and we don't have to do that today. We're not going to do that today. But this running back class, I mean, Ashton Jenty and then everybody else. But the Everybody else list is so deep. I'm fired up to see Jordan James, though. I love his running style.

Low to the ground, shifty, quick, but also will lower his shoulder. There's that one play a few weeks ago. He just absolutely knocked out a defensive back with his ability to stay low and win low. So I think one of the underrated backs in the country is Jordan James for Oregon.

Yeah, no, I agree with all that. There's also, you're going to take a peek at that That tackle from Oregon, a Johnny Cornelius, who I think coming into the season was a second-round guy, but depending on how he plays, can move up or down.

So again- And I mentioned Derek Harmon. We talked about him in the- Yeah. That's my guy. That's my guy's up front. Yeah. So what's that? What did you say? I love that.

That's your guy. We're going to have to get that as audio for this.

That's my guy. All right. So that's where I'd be. I did want to Go ahead.

Can we talk about Drake May now? Are you going to let me talk about Drake May? I feel like I've been patiently waiting.

We've been at this company for a minute, Mensch.

And you made some outlandish statement at the end of last pod. Then we're like, oh, that's all we got time for. We got to go.

We're going to have to play it back. I would like to hear the audio. I'm not exactly sure how I phrased it, but I've already gotten it.

It felt like you were running from it a little bit.

That's what it felt like to me. The headman around here, Bill Simmons, has already texted me and said that I'm causing problems in his life because his friends are now concerned that Drake may... There are two rookie quarterbacks coming in that might be better than Drake May.

I can't wait for this.

You know what? I've had enough. So this quarterback class, it's a mess. There's a lot of uncertainty. I want to take this time now. Forget, we can talk about Drake May, we can talk about these quarterbacks and all that. Where are these quarterbacks going to go? Kam Ward, Shadr Sanders. I think we both agree they're at that top tier. This is the first time we're going to do this. Emergency mock draft. Emergency mock draft. That's the beauty of this show. We don't need to call dot com people. We don't have to have a schedule. We don't have to line up TV all day. We can whenever the freak we want, come out and do an emergency mock draft. I do have this, and I'm always going to have this every week. Every week, I'm going to have the the list, what the draft order would be. Right now, you ready, Mej? Get your pen, get your paper, get ready. Right now, it's the Patriots picking it one, the Browns at 2, the Panthers at 3, the Titans at 4, and the Raiders at five. Okay? Before we start putting player... Because I've thought a little bit about it, but I literally have not put pen to paper one time.

I have not decided where anyone would go. I have a feeling this is going to be a mess. Because let's just off the top of our heads. Okay, Patriots. We know they need offensive line. We know they need a weapon. They need an edge rusher. They need a cornerback. Those are the spots that they need. The Browns. What don't they need?

The Browns.

What don't they need? Yeah, I get that. The Browns. We're a quarterback, right? I mean, quarterback is a need.

I A hundred % agree.

Okay. Wide receiver, offensive tech. But the Browns are a quarterback needy team right now, which is a whole different pod for us to do on managing front office and everything else. Panthers at number three. I think they're a quarterback.

I don't want them to be. I wish they weren't, but they are.

From information I've gotten, Bryce Young may turn out to be a great quarterback in the NFL, but it ain't going to be in Carolina. It's not going to be in Carolina. And you know what for Bryce Young? Hey, Bryce, I got news for you. It's the best thing that could ever happen to you. Get out. Do the Sam Darnold route, do the Baker May.

Get out. Pick where you're going, put yourself in the best position. It could be the best thing that happened to you.

Titans, quarterback's a possibility. I guess that's my whole point. They need receiver, they need edge. The quarterback could be on the radar. And then the Rater is number five at quarterback. So I guess I act surprised, but it's like the same song and dance every year. You get to the draft, and the only team in the top five that doesn't need a quarterback is the Patriots.

So Because they have Jake May.

Let's do it. Let's do it. No one drinks out of their cooler or whatever that is. No, it's. It's louder than your match. It's not I'm not surprised. The new Mike. I got to get used to that stuff. All right, Patriots are number one, only team that does not need it. Let's just go through some of the top guys. I've got Abdoul Carter, the Edge from Penn State at number one, Travis Hunter, wide receiver cornerback, number two from Colorado, Will Johnson, cornerback, Michigan. We got a few Edge guys in They're like nick Scorton from A&M, James pierce from Tennessee, Michael Williams from Georgia. We got a defensive tackle, Mason Graham from Michigan. So at the top of our board, it's edges, receiver corner, corner, and defensive tackle. And you can throw in Will Campbell. I know you're not as high on these offensive... But I guess my point is marrying up players to what the needs are is going to be a nightmare right now. So number one pick in this emergency Agency mock draft, the New England Patriots. They need an offensive tackle, not one there. They need a receiver. Travis Hunter from Colorado could be the fit.

They need an edge. They could have their pick, Abdul Carter, nick Sport, and all the other names I mentioned. Can I be the- Yeah, you tell me what you think could happen here, what you think the best decision would be, and then we'll decide on what the pick is going to be.

Well, if I'm calling, if I'm Jimmy calling in from Revere, I'm going to be like, Let's trade the pick back. Let's trade out.

Marty from Lynn calling.

They all want to trade out. And by the way, not a bad move. If you could trade out, it'd be great.

And you know what? Because they're the only team up near the top that does not need a quarterback, if we get to the end of this process and the Patriots are picking it one or even two, and we have one or two quarterbacks that people actually believe, people in the league actually believe, are worth drafting that high and it doesn't become the Kenny picket year, and Malik Willis, they will have an opportunity to move out, and they should get a really good deal to move back, because, as we mentioned, Browns, Panthers, Titans, Raiders, and beyond will be trying to move up aggressively to get ahead of the other teams to get to that number one or number two spot, wherever the Patriots wind up picking. So with all that said, you can't trade out of this spot. You're the Patriots at number one. Where do you think they should go? And I'll tell you what we're going to do.

Penn State Edge, Abdul Carter. I just think he's the best fit in terms of need and value. Again, I have questions about the offensive tackle class, so I don't see... I'd love for there to be a Joe Alt this year. If you're Joel from Notre Dame was there this year, I think that he would be a guy you could take there. Now, if someone emerges, if Will Campbell has a great end of this run, Kelvin Banks from Texas has a great pre-draft process, and we start to feel like he could be that guy, I think, ideally, they get the offensive tackle because, again, you're going to want to protect that. So you got a- Francesc quarterback.

You got a head coach who's a defensive guy. Don't think that that really matters. You got Elliott Wolf currently making the decisions in that de facto role.

By the way, my board is a little bit different than yours. I don't have- Yeah, I don't care about your board. Yeah, I know you don't.

No. So I guess my point is Travis Hunter's flash year gives your young quarterback going into his second year a legitimate weapon on the offensive side. But there's question marks that come with Travis Hunter. Is he developed enough as a wide receiver? Can he play both sides? Where's his value? I could see them going Abdul Carter. All right, let's write in Abdul Carter from number one. But I would put an asterisk there that Travis Hunter, absolutely in this scenario, would be in play. So Abdul Carter goes number one to the Patriots.

Listen, I love Hunter, but I mean, I got to believe you got to address the offensive and defensive line before you start getting into skill.

All right. Browns are sitting here at number two. No time for that. Yeah, exactly. Number two, they have a quarterback need. Here's where the discussion starts. On my board, I have Shador Sanders at 11, Kam Ward at 12. And then there's another big drop off before you get to guys like, and I'm not putting him in order, but Milrow, Ewers, Beck, Nussmaier, all that.

Yeah.

The Browns need a receiver. I could see the Browns going Travis Hunter.

Yeah, they make mistakes all the time. I love Travis Hunter. Let me be clear there.

Again- Do you think there's... Here's another thing we need to talk about briefly now, and as we get closer, it's going to be a big topic of conversation. Do you think for a second that Prime is going to allow his son to go to Cleveland or to Carolina? And honestly, I hate even the fact that we're having this discussion, but I think it's legit. I think it is a legitimate conversation.

Yeah, you can't ignore it. I just don't know how I honestly thought about this.

If the Mannings can do it and Elway, it will be done. I'm convinced of it. It will be done. And so I think for Shador, you take Cleveland out, you take Carolina out. I don't know what his list is. I haven't read enough on it because it's not my favorite subject. I'll just be honest. It's one of those things We'll get closer.

He's linked to the Giants all the time, and it's one of those things you're like, oh, it's too obvious.

In Dallas? Yeah.

I don't know. We'll see.

But that was before. No, it's not going to be Dallas.

I'm going to Ward here.

I could see that. Yeah. All right, let's go Cam Ward. Yeah, let's do it. Cleveland. Cam Ward, too.

I think it's early, but it's also a little bit of a projection. And they need a guy.

So, Carolina, I just don't think... Honest to God, I think Carolina would want to take Shador at this spot. I don't think it will be allowed. And I know that's insane to say. We'll get more information as we get closer and we'll see what their rights are and how they're going to play this whole thing. But I tell you this thing, if I had any power and Tate McShay, my son, was as talented as Shador, and unfortunately for my son, he's coming from my gene pool, so that's just not in the cards, bud. But if there was one place I would not want him to go, simply because of ownership, not of the individuals there, not the coaching staff, not the personnel department, simply because of ownership and what has gone on there with every other quarterback that's gone into that abyss, that's the last place I would want him to go. And I don't think that they... I think this, to me, is where you have Travis Hunter come off the board.

Yeah, I agree. I think.

And I could see ownership. And again, we'll prime even let him, even let Travis Hunter go there. But we got to... Let's just play the board out. So number one, we've got Abdul Carter, edge rusher for the New England Patriots. Kam Ward is number two to the Cleveland Browns at quarterback. Number three, we don't think Shador Sanders is going to be allowed to go the Carolina Panthers, but Travis Hunter is. We'll see how that plays out. But Travis Hunter will be the pick at number three. Now we get down to number four. Titans could be another QBT. I could see the Titans. I could see there's no wide receiver here, right?

No. Edge? No.

But where do you think the Titans will stand next year in terms of Will Levison moving forward? I think they'll wind up giving him another year. Okay. I'm not convinced.

Neither am I.

At all. No.

But again, it's about who's there So I would go...

Let's go nick Scortin here. Okay.

I actually like, I think pierce, who hasn't been as good on tape, but I think is super talented, might be a better fit for what they do. Take the hometown kid.

All right, fine. Let's go pierce. That's fine. They're right in the same. It's no difference for me in terms of grade. They're in the same ballpark. All right, so we got Abdul Carter, Edge, going number one, the Patriest, number two, Kam Ward, quarterback Miami, going to the Browns, the Panthers, take Travis Hunter, cornerback wide receiver, Edge, James pierce Jr. From Tennessee, and then number five, this is where I would plug in Shador Sanders.

Oh, I love this idea. The Deon show going on the radar The Riders?

That and you got Tom braided there. All right. That's our emergency mock draft. And I did that for two reasons. One, to get it... So We could have a conversation about how tricky this quarterback class is. But fortunately or unfortunately, if you're drafting high, nine times out of 10, you're in a quarterback bind. And we see that in this exercise, right? We also see in this exercise that a quarterback that is ranked number 12 or 13, and some teams talking to them like, they think even later in the first, could still go in the top five. That's why I wanted to do this exercise. The second reason I wanted to do this exercise was to get you off the scent of the Drake May conversation about two quarterbacks in this class being better than Drake May. I don't think I said exactly that. I said I wasn't willing at this point to say definitively. I said the jumping off point would be three where we... That's what I said. Now it's coming back. The jumping off point for me would be- I want to go to the tape. The jumping off point for me would be number three.

That's when we can have a conversation. That absolutely Off the table is... Yeah, off the table was having a discussion about any of these quarterbacks being at the same level as Jaden Daniels or Caleb Williams. I said the jumping off point for a discussion discussion would be Drake May. And quite honestly, looking back and now having to take some ownership of this take, if you will. Yeah, Drake May had a higher grade than what I have on these guys. I had Drake May as the sixth or seventh best player in the class last year. And I had him even higher coming into the year, but he didn't have a great 2023 season. So, Bill, I hope this satisfies some of your needs with the fans here in New England. I live down the street from Boston, lived here for over 20 years. I've got some of the same people. I'm dealing with men, shoes up in New Hampshire, but he's a Patriots guy his whole life. So I get it. I'm surrounded by mass holes, and I understand the pressure. But I also think the conversation would start with Drake, but right now, I would take Drake over Shadr Sanders.

If we were to redraft, I would take him over Kam Ward if we were to redraft, and they were all in the same class. I hope that satisfies some things. The McShay Show is brought to you by Fanduel. Fanduel. Keep your college football season going with a win on FanDuel, because right now, new customers can kick off the season with 300 bucks in bonus bets. Just place any five dollar bet, and you'll get 300 in bonus bets if you win. Use your bets on spreads, live bets, over-unders, and so much more. Just visit fanduel. Com/michet to download America's number one sportsbook. Must be 21 or older and present in select states, or 18 and older, and present in DC. First online, real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets, which expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook. Fanduel. Com. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler or visit rg-help. Com. Well, Mensch, we got another friend of the show here. I said it from the jump. It's going to be guys we've worked with that we know that we love. And Stamford Steve is one of those dudes.

Our history, we go back in the mud, man. Me too. We go back in the mud. Let me lay this out for you. Let me lay it out for you. So I'm a pup at ESPN. I come in at Scouts Inc, right? We're supposed to just be working with the espn. Com, and all of a sudden, I get this opportunity to do a College Game Day radio, right? So I'm traveling, going out to games, like six, eight games a year. And there's this guy, Steve Cochland, who comes in, and he quickly gets the name Stanford Steve. He's a Connecticut guy, got recruited, great player in high school, goes and plays at Stanford. And so we got to know each other just a little bit in the beginning, right? And then I find out he knows Steve Sorrells, Mensch. Mensch is an offensive lineman at Richmond. Steve Sorrells was my roommate, nightmare roommate because he was so clean. And like, Pete Sousa and I are another We're always parties and messes, but Sorrells is our guy. And so I find out that he has a connection with Sorrells through his friends at Stanford. And so we start talking and we have instant connection.

We're both around the same age, young guys starting out at ESPN. So at the time, follow me here, at the time, I had done some shows with Rosillo up in Boston, this failing radio station. Really loved Rusillo. I'm telling everyone, and I don't have a leg stand on. I barely have this job. I'm with Jerry DiNardo, Dave Revzen. But I'm like, We got to bring in this guy, Rusillo. Give him some chances. So he comes down. A year later, Rosillo is on the show hosting it because Revzen goes to the Big Ten Network. And then they bring in our guy, Stamford Steve, and now he's the freaking producer. So I want you to understand this, Mensch. We're in our late 20s. You remember me in my 20s. I mean, absolute wild, man. And so Steve, because of the ESPN radio budget, he's not traveling all the time with us. So he's having to produce our show from back in Bristol. And Rosillo and I are out. We're like the hound's tooth in Alabama till 3:00 in the morning. We're not showing up on time. And he's trying to manage us. But he's like our buddy.

But that's where the relationship all started. And so then Stanford Steve is our producer there. He's just cutting his teeth, getting by, but talking to me in my ear during breaks. In studio like, I really like Michigan minus 6 today. I'm like, Dude, I can't do the gambling thing. We're on a radio show. This is before gambling was in. So anyway, long short. Then Rizillo has Scott Van Pelt. It's like this weird family tree inside ESPN. Rasillo does the radio show with Scott Van Pelt, and then Van Pelt winds up getting that late SportsCenter. He's the producer, and it goes from there. And I turn on game day, was it last Last year, first year, and I look at Stanford Steve, plugged into that spot, talking about pics, talking about bets. And I'm like, we're finally home. All four of us, Van Pelt is doing his thing. Rusillo has got his thing. I got my thing. And Stanford, Steve is at home and exactly where he needs to be. So I love you, bro. You know that. Pumped that it's all working out for you. I can't enjoy it more for you. And I know how hard you've worked for it.

So I just wanted to I'll let you know that before we get started. But thanks for joining us today.

Absolutely. I do want to touch. I'm pretty sure car rental places all over the country are happier that you are not on the road as much. And you're going to be at home watching games because that's a whole another pod that we could do with Todd McShay in Car Rentals.

I would be a part of that one, too. I got some stories.

I'll just say this, and we'll tell that story another time. It's 2024. I am still, I promise you, if you look up I react. I am still on the do not rent list at National. And the thing that's a nightmare is National combined with enterprise. So the only rental car place that I can rent from, and I hope no one's listening, in the rental car world, is Hertz.

Wow.

Yeah. So anyway. All right. So my favorite thing, though, because he was producing Van Pelt's show, and we would be like the Rose Bowl, National Championship, all these big games, right? And there would a rundown, me and Herb Street, Dez, and all these big time A-list guys who have been in the company forever. But because Stanford, Steve is my boy, I would always get on the A block. It would be like the Rose Bowl is over. It's like, Yeah, it's like-Post-draft. Yeah, like Pollock, Dez. Hold on. It's like, McShay's in the A's. And they'd be like, What the... Being in the A's means I'm getting back to the hotel lobby at 12:30, not 2:00 AM. And I'm like, I don't know. They're like, What's What's going on? I don't know. It must have been a miscommunication. So if you ever look back, I was always the first guy on after the biggest games because this guy right here. All right, let's get to the rundown. I'm going to rip them off real quick. And it's not the best slate. We're not here to lie. It's not the best slate this week, but I feel like three weeks ago when he said it wasn't the best slate, that's when Vandy upset Alabama with all those big upsets.

It's always these weird weeks, right? Notre Dame, Navy. Notre Dame is minus twelve and a half. Illinois Illinois, Oregon. Oregon is minus 21 and a half. Alabama, Missouri, roll-tied minus 16 and a half. Lsu, A&M, the game I'm probably looking forward to the most, A&M is minus two and a half. You also got Washington, Indiana, the game that you're going to be at in Bloomington. We'll get to that in a second. Indiana is minus six in the hook. Penn State is minus six in the hook against Wisconsin. And then Texas, Vanderbilt, the Longhorns are minus 18 and a half. So take it wherever you want to go first, Steve.

I'm going to go to a game, Todd, that you didn't mention. It's Friday night. It's Boise State and UNLV, because in the big picture, you talked about weird slate. We're going to start learning a lot more about these teams as whether they're going on the road, they're playing more teams with winning records. And Boise State, I stayed up that week when they went to Eugene. I wanted to see what that was. Talking to a couple of guys on the Georgia Southern staff that I know had played Boise State. They were blown away by Genti. And then on the other side, you got UNLV. I love what Barry Odom has done. When you look at the roster, that's a cool thing. He was a DC at Arkansas after he got fired. At Missouri. Jalen Catalan, he's a former SEC player, all SEC player, three years ago. He's out there in Vegas having a time of his life. So I think it's a real good barometer test because we know what Boise State brings to the table. Spencer has done a great job as a head coach. Interesting move at the quarterback position. He got the five-star from SC, but then he goes with the other kid.

And Jenti has just been unbelievable. No matter who he plays against, the numbers are there. And UNLV, I think it's really just a tribute to their staff, the way they handle the Sluka story, and they just have hit the ground running. Tough loss to Syracuse in the second game. Syracuse is a pretty good team, though. I know. Yeah.

Were they five and one now? Five and one? I think.

Thursday night, they get Pitt, too, who's undefeated. So just in the big picture, Army, Navy, Indiana, probably the best stories. Boise State's right there. And just going back, Oregon- I had a pass rush, too. Yeah. Oregon needed two kicks, two kick returns to win that game against Boise.

And that's when I was like, is Oregon really cracked up? In that game, I was like, what?

And it It was because of what Boise State was doing to him.

I remember being like, Oregon's offensive line is going to be a problem this year. Correct. But it turns out maybe Boise State is just really good up front.

So that's one right off to get that I'm super... I mean, I'll be sleeping in Bloomington while that's going on, but That's the first game I'll jump on and watch the tape of whenever I get done Saturday night with our stuff. So that one. And obviously, Indiana. Just diving in on them this week. Really, really cool to watch how organized, buttoned up. Reece uses the word crisp when you watch them offensively. That's a good word. But their skill guys are better than you think when you put on the tape. Both of their running backs can go. Their defense is super Justice Ellison and Tyson Lawson, right? Yeah. And then, going back and watching the tape, Rourke, the quarterback to transfer from the Mac, he gets hurt on the 25th play. You see it? The hand goes out and hits the defender. And then He plays 13 more plays. He can't do it. You could see he's throwing quicks and he can't grip the ball. He's just shoving the ball out there, throws a hale Mary on the last play of the first half. It goes like 35 yards, gets picked. So now it's 28-7, and now they got Taven Jackson coming in who's the backup.

And I was really interested to see what Signetti would do. It's 28-7. You just run the ball here and get the hell out of here and get prepped for another big game against Washington next week. No, not Signetti. First six plays, four passes, a great fade in the end zone. They run a pick play down the end zone. So four of this first six are passes. Taven plays 25 total plays. He throws two touch downs in those first six plays. He was super impressive. I think he brings more mobility to their team, too. I love the offensive line. The center, Kadex, a fifth-year kid. He's a leader of that group. So I'm really fired up because now you have Signetti train, game day is going there. We were there last year at JMU. I don't think we mentioned App State once on that show last year. App State beat him in overtime, which was nuts. I stayed for the game. It was crazy. But how funny is this? This Indiana train in the best story. And this week, what's going to try and stop him is a Belichick. It's just full world stuff. That's a good point.

It's awesome. So diving in on Washington, lost as much as anybody in the Port. I think there's four guys, safety back that I really like from last year. But against good teams, they haven't been able to put 60 minutes together. And I'm sorry, Michigan fans, I don't put you in good team. You're really unwatchable right now. But then they go to Iowa, and you know what Iowa does to you for 60 minutes when they could play with a lead. So really interesting matchup with all the focus on the home team, Indiana schedule being questioned. And here comes Lillow Washington traveling two time zones again. That stat is not good for the teams that have had to do that. So, yeah, there's plenty to watch that noon kick on Saturday with those two.

It's funny. When summer, spend some time in Nantucket, your boy Van Pelt's come and visit. But Jed Fish would visit every summer, right? We spent some time hanging out. We just to cut it up and just talk ball, talk life. At the tree bar is where the last time we hung out. But Belichick lives on And he has places, like six or seven places on the. I wonder if the time he spent there is the connection with Steve Belichick. But yeah, this is going to be a fun one. And it'll be interesting to see offensively with Roark and what his situation is. I love, what is it, Mikael Kamara. He's got five sacks for Indiana. It's going to be an interesting game. Who do you like?

I think Washington can hang around. I would take the six and a half with them right now as I stand here. It just seems way too easy for Indiana to just come in here. All the emotion in that. I've been there plenty of times. Texas last week It's real, man. It's real. We're a circus. When we come to time, it's a real- It's a distraction. Yeah, no doubt. So it being a noon kickoff, I think, helps, though. I think we're going to do the end of our show in the stadium. We'll see about that. But it's a huge storm, storm, blizzard that's coming. And there's a lot that I think the team just needs to get on the field in between the lines and do what they do. They've been super impressive. They can only beat the teams that are on their schedule. But there's just something... The line should be more, is what I'm trying to say. And that's what makes me think Washington can hang around in this game.

Yeah, it's been fun to watch Kurt Signetti. And what he's done. Kevin Weidl, who worked with us for a long time, the Whited family, they all have connections with the Signettis. I can remember. I'm sure you remember. A hundred times. Signetty this, Signetty that. Iep. Iep, right? Iep. And now to see him where he is, Google me and then coming in and winning here. And I'll say this, he's a different cat, Signetty. And I almost think it takes a different cat in terms of being so focused, so dialed in, so mechanical to overcome some of the obstacles. I can see him being just a terrible guest on Game Day. You know what I mean? Like Sark comes on.

He's not here to have a good time. Yeah, he's not there to have fun. That's exactly it.

He's also a Pittsburgh guy, and so is McAfee. So he knows when he gets up there, he's got to have a little something ready to go. He'll be ready to go.

How does the coach prep for this a thing? With this just this circus coming to town? How do they do it?

Because it's recruiting. It's 20-year-old kids.

What's that?

Sorry. It's a recruiting opportunity, too. So while you want to stay dialed in and keep your players focused, you've got to get involved in the circus to help recruit.

Right. And he's smart enough now to have a big enough staff to handle all these. Being at Texas last week, it's not 20 recruits for a home game anyway. It's 100. It's more than A hundred.

I heard Miami, Florida State this week. There's a hundred recruits coming to that game.

A hundred. It's a circus. You're either going to embrace it, Mensch, or you're just going to not do it at all. We went to Washington State for one of the biggest shows ever years back, and Leach just said, No, I want everything on the team and the fans and do that. Matt Campbell, long-awaited show to go to Iowa State. Nope, I'm not coming on. I want it to be about the team and the people. And I think nick would tell you otherwise that he made it a point to always go on game day. He knows how many people are watching that. Early morning show, how many parents are watching it. It's a chance to get out there and talk. So there's definitely different approaches. And I think Signetty has been around the block. He's been on team staffs that have hosted. He talks to enough people. There's definitely a way to do it. And we want everything to work for everybody. So it's going to be a scene, man. Multiple establishment are reaching out where we want to eat and stuff like that. That's what I could tell, the excitement level. And Bloomington is definitely ready for it, and I can't wait to get there.

It's going to be a blast.

We'll get back to your your dining choices and where you're going to watch some games in a minute. But all right, let's rip through a few games real quick. Notre Dame, Navy. I don't think a lot of people have seen Navy. I did a little bit of tape on them this week. Blake Horvath is playing really well. I was just going through, I read something on PFF about his efficiency, like a passing grade up there with Miller Moss and Will Howard. Because you think Navy, it's all about the run game. But what's different about this team, he's already thrown 10 touch down passes. The record at Navy is 13. So it's a little different animal. And it's Eli Heidenreich, I believe, the wide receiver. I mean, they don't get vertical threats like this. And to open up that, it reminds me almost of Calvin Johnson was at Georgia Tech. Having that one guy that can create mismatches, he's been a big play machine. So I'm interested on your take to get your take on what you see in that game. Notre Dame trying to fight back in this thing. They're up to, I think, number 12 this week.

We'll see where they are when the poll reveal comes out. But huge spot, I think, for Notre Dame.

Yeah. And it feels like the world is on Navy seeing all those points and how good they've been, and they've covered every single game.

I saw early in the week. Ben Fox, we used to work with him, F-A-W-K-E-S. Check him out on Twitter. He does the early week ticket numbers and dollar amounts bet on one side. And there's always five or six. They're 88%, 92%. All the money early was on Navy plus... What's the number? I said before 12 and a half? That was 12 and a half. Yeah, 12 and a half.

Yeah, so that's an interesting thing because it's hard to find a team that keeps on giving. And Navy and Army have definitely been those teams. But I will say this, going back and watching Notre Dame, I think We started here in Ireland. I've had this affinity for Georgia Tech and what they do pre- Snap. I love how many guys they move around. It helps them in the run game with so much split zone. I'm always looking at those tight ends, man, because it's a dying breed how we're setting up for a positive aspect with all these cross-motion split zone blocks and constant moving. Set the advantage for those. Give those guys an angle. And Georgia Tech has done a great job. They started out doing that against Florida State. And pre-snap, they really put you in some conundrums that the alleyway players really got to make a decision where they want to go. So Notre Dame was super buttoned up on that. And now you got to realize, Notre Dame has lost a ton of guys on defense, too. So now it's a true freshman corner, 15, 29 is a red-shirt freshman who I like a lot.

And Morison, Herbie and I would argue all year, I like Notre Dame secondary better than anyone in the country the first couple of weeks. I just love how they would get in your face. Jordan Clark, Ryan Clarke's son, I thought was a huge get in the portal because he played in Arizona State. They're not the best team, but you could tell he was always the quarterback back there. And seeing Georgia Tech with the pre-steps up, they're constantly communicating. But this week, it's different. Now, it's assignment football against Navy. And I do love how much Notre Dame runs to the football. I think Freeman does a great job being a defensive guy getting in their ass about being buttoned up. So I'm going to go against the green. I think the one offense that Navy has played was Memphis. Memphis scored 44. It was an absolute shootout. So I'm going to be against the green. I'm going to take Notre Dame and give the point. I do believe their defense will show up against Navy. The issue I have, though, is if... They call it the sling tee. The guy Cronick, he was at Lenore Ryan and Mercer.

Really, really cool offense. And Horvats has been awesome. I think it's 51 pass plays over 30 yards and 10 or touch downs. Every time you watch them throw the ball, it feels like they're throwing a But if Navy has the lead, how many possessions is Notre Dame going to get? Because Navy's played not tempo, but the offense and the explosive plays have made it look like they have scored all these points, and the pace of a Navy game is totally different than what we've watched. So the first couple quarters and possessions in Notre Dame's offense has only gotten better. I think Love is as explosive as a kid as there is. He stood out to me against week one in A&M. I'm like, You got to get that kid to Ballmore. He's your most explosive guy, without a doubt. So Reilly's not the most accurate guy, obviously, but they have progressed. And I think it's a tribute to the offensive coordinator. That's why they paid him a ton of money. So it's a fascinating matchup. But I'm going to go against the green and give the points with Notre Dame.

Yeah, that OC is the same OC that was with Jaden Daniels last year, too. So he knows a little bit about what he's doing. All right, LSU, Texas A&M, 8 versus 14, I think it is. 7:30, primetime game. Mensch, I don't know if we told you this, but we're going to be on the McShay show right after that game. So drink some coffee on Saturday. Red Bull, let's go. The tigers and Aggies, only two undefeated teams in the SEC. So this is a huge spot for both of these teams. The thing that jumps out to me, and I'm curious to see what you see, but I guess as an evaluator looking to the next level, you We got a quarterback in Gareth Nussmaier who is playing well above, I think, the expectation. I love what he's doing inside the pocket. You have to give credit to this offensive line, though. He's only been pressured on, I think I read, 22 42 % of the time, which is 17th lowest in the FBS. The protection has been outstanding. We know about Will Campbell, the offensive lineman there. Going up against, though, a defensive front for Texas A&M that's outstanding.

Just dogs everywhere. Nick Scorton is leading the charge. To me, that's the matchup. It's LSU's front versus A&M's front. And how can they protect Nussmaier? Because if they can, LSU is going to have success.

Yeah, there's a ton. I'm with you. That matchup alone. We talked about Signetti. Obviously, he's everyone's coach of the year. My coach of the year is Mike Elko. Being around him.

I don't disagree, man.

Seeing I got a chance to go to practice Thursday before the Notre Dame game. It's down there. They're outside. It's 110 degrees. Oh my gosh. How red was your face? Pretty.

I was the only shade was the tape tower, the guys with the cameras, and I'm sitting under there trying not to be in the way.

But I'm watching them and I'm like, This is the offensive line. This is what they're going to do. I'm like, they're going to... And I I love Notre Dame's personnel going in that game. I'm like, this is going to be tough. And then on the other side, you got the defensive guys fitting in, and it's not clean. They got gashed during, I think it was a two-minute that day. And he's hot. He's giving it to his guys, and he coaches his ass off. That's what I love about him. And now you see, he gets caught in two run stunts against Notre Dame, and that's the difference in the game. Notre Dame bust them. They stay on their tracks. That's how Notre Dame wins that game. And I'm like, Where do they go from here? He played two situations, absolutely genius style. They go to Florida, and he hides the Wigman injury, and he gets Reid, who's more mobile guy. That's an opposing coach's worst nightmare when you don't have time to prep for a mobile guy. Then he plays it week to week between Wigman and Reid. Missouri comes in, he goes with Wigman, and they absolutely gash Missouri and hand them their first and only loss.

I just love his temperament, the way he goes about things. He's not afraid. And when nick Saban is asking guys about what they do situationally in third down and how they confuse quarterbacks, I'm going to be confident that you know what you're doing. So I love what Elko has brought to the table. Scorting that day at practice, I'm like, All right. Yep. He's a guy. Both Shamar's in the middle are great. And it's funny, every single coach you talk to going into the season, even in September, what worries you about your roster? Defensive line talent, defensive line depth. Even Georgia. That was Georgia's number one concern going in to the season.

Should have been wide receiver, but yeah.

Understood. I know your feelings there. Very valid. Heated. You backed them up. I get it. No, but A&M didn't have that issue. When you think about that, being there that night, the home crowd, and what a versatile dominant defensive line does to help confidence on your back end. You guys evaluate all these corners and everything. You really got to take a look at, hey, how much time is this opposing quarterback going to have? Are they jumping routes because they know they are going to get pressure? So I I love the matchup. I was at South Carolina when LSU, amidst chaos, is trying to figure out this run game, and they start adapting. They just start blocking Will Campbell out on Knard or Stuart, and they're running inside all their stuff. So LSU has been very impressive. They've added on stuff offensively. I do think Nussmaher has to keep defensive on us a little bit more and take those third and five Just take them, run it and slide. He's not a standing still bullseye back there, but it's getting to the point because I do think they give him a little bit too much leeway with play calling.

Being there and seeing it, there's some things that you're like, What was that one? I've said he doesn't have elite arm strength, but there are certain situations where he thinks he does, and he's going to test it. He's a baller, man. He's not afraid. His guys love him. You could tell that with the offensive line when he comes over on the sideline. So it's a fascinating matchup. I was worried about the receivers coming into the season. And then Saban tells me, Receivers at LSU? Are you kidding me?

No, it's different this year.

He's like, They fall out of trees in Louisiana. They're going to be fine at wide receiver. So they've had guys step up. Lacy has been awesome. I still think Mason Taylor is the guy that should get more targets. I love him in the past game. And then the big 6-6 kid, 14, caught a shutdown or a two-point last week. Fascinating matchup. I'm going to decide with A&M. I do believe in that defense. I don't love it. I'm rooting against LSU to be wrong, and they keep winning. So we are in Baton Rouge for game day against Alabama because it's been too long or I haven't been to my favorite place in America.

That LSU line has some problems with South Carolina's front, though. I mean, that's the thing that really- Will Campbell Here's the thing. It's true, but you're going to see that again this week, right? So that's what scares me.

It's funny. I mean, you guys, I'm sure, read all this stuff, too. But my guy, Cole Kubelik, who's Joe Moore Award, voter and an organizer and all that, we go back and forth all the time, and I'm texting them from the sidelines. I'm like, They're getting whipped. I mean, Will Campbell is getting whipped, Emory. And then the PFF stuff comes up after Tuesday or whatever. And Emory Jones only allowed two pressures.

What is that? I just watched five. No way.

But only Cole could point out. He's like, Yeah, because the other guy on the other side got there earlier. Right.

I know what's going on here.

But no, amidst that chaos, and you know that place could be nuts with Sandstorm and everything, they dialed it in, man. I was really, really impressed. I really like their center. Chester, he's a red-shirt freshman. And LSU is always going to be chaotic. And then you got Redface Brian on the sideline, just getting everybody on the same page who I love.

He's calmed down a little bit, too.

Slaming tables. Yeah. So It'll be... I mean, all the recruiting angles with these two teams being so close together. It feels like every guy is that one. They're down to LSU or A&M. The other one's on the other side. So fascinating matchup. Can't wait to watch that one Saturday night, but I'll side with A&M.

All right, one last game I want to get to quickly. The Illinois versus Oregon. Big number here. 21 and a half, I think it is, for Oregon's favorite. I'm interested to see if Illinois can hang for a while. Their offensive line is much improved from what I've seen. Pat Bryant, who was the third leading receiver a year ago, but now he's stepped up. He's the guy, 6'3. To me, he's one best vertical threats in college football right now. And then Zekari Franklin on the other side. Transfer. Yeah, transfer from Ole Miss, right?

Yeah, and then he was at UTSA before that.

Yeah, but the perfect complement because he's great intermediate route runner, smooth in and out. Those two guys give them, and I'm not saying offensively they can hang, but I do think some of the... I think the matchups on the perimeter on both sides are going to be critical because Oregon has got its two receivers. Illinois cornerbacks are in man to man as much as... From what I've seen, I'm not studying every... But from the teams I've studied, Illinois cornerbacks are on an island just as much or if not more than any other team in the country. So I think the perimeter matchups in this game are going to be huge. Let's just drill in like 21 and a half.

21 and a half?

To me. So I'm glad you said that. And we're going to get to my theories on gambling because that's not my thing at Stanford, Steve.

But I'm not- I do love hearing you read the FanDuel reads.

I love it. Vegas. I'm convinced of this. Thank you. I thought they were decent. I like when I have to go through the disclaimer at the end. Vegas preys on the mentally weak, right? So I'm not calling you mentally weak.

That's an interesting segue.

It was a very interesting segue. What are we doing here? But it's like the first reaction that you get from someone who knows anything about football is what they're looking for. And so Mench, right away, you're like, 21 and a half. That's a lot of points. But I almost think because it's that high, the play is orange. I'm curious what your take.

Here's the thing. I'll just jump in really quickly. They know better than I do. I always look at that and I'm like, That's a big number.

It scares me. No shit, Ments.

But every week, you watch these handicappers, and you're like, How in the world are they doing this? At least I am. Again, Steve, you've been around it a lot longer. You're a lot more of an expert than I am, or whatever way you want to word it. But it's amazing to me how close they get every time.

They're incredible. Everybody always says, There's a reason those buildings are so big in Vegas, that those guys know it. And for how long they've been doing it. It's funny. You got to hear them cry now the last two weeks in the NFL because the books are getting blasted because every road favorite is covering and public love betting teams. But I would put Texas Vanderbilt in this category, too. 18 and a half after what Texas- You put the Alabama game.

That Alabama, that one's going up, too, right?

I think that was- I don't know about Cook in that game. I don't know.

Well, Thammo came out yesterday and said that he's He got to play, or he's highly doubtful. But yeah, Pete Thammo had a report late yesterday afternoon. No.

So going back to Oregon, the whole thing is on Altmaier. He's shown strides in a positive way. Being at the Ohio State game at Eugene, it's been a while, and man, that place could put you in a tizy. And that's why I know the last play would happen. But I was really happy with the way Will Howard played in that game amongst chaos. Now, he's got the most talented roster in the country. It's the best roster $20 million could buy, as people that don't like Ohio State will point out. But Altmaier, like you mentioned, the receivers, they got some Good stuff going there. I thought last week was a monster spot because you knew it was going to be ugly against Michigan. But no matter what, you got to win that game. You have to win that game if you're going to take steps as Bert wants to. See, the other thing, too, with Oregon is we mentioned the Boise State game earlier on, and I didn't like their plans offensively, whether it was Dylan holding on to the ball against Ohio State. Will Stein's plan was phenomenal. They answered every countdown with a deep ball.

Dylan got going with his legs and converted third downs. Then they break the big run to take the lead. So it feels like they found their thing. Their skill guys are more comfortable. They got a running back that they're really confident in. So to me, it's all about Altmaier. I would take the 21 and a half. Bielima has got some two, but I don't think he's ever been to a place like this. This seven nothing could turn into 24 nothing as fast as any place is what Oregon brings to the table. But the biggest key is Altmaier, and he's got to keep Dylan Gabriel and that offense off the field. That's the key. So I don't love it, but I would take the candy in the Lina there.

All right. I'm going against you on that one. All right. So I told you my theory on it, right? The Vegas praise on the mentally weak. Whatever your first reaction is as a fan, then you got to look. And if it's a sharp reaction, if it's a harsh reaction, this is my theory on it. That's when you got to say, wait. Corso, right? This is one of my favorite lines that Corso ever had. Somebody knows something, and I'm going with the somebodies because the somebodies are the geniuses out in Vegas building those buildings, right? Yeah. So I'm going to give you two games that I like, and we already touched on one of them. Washington only... I first looked at it, Washington only plus six and a half. Indiana, the way they're playing, the points they're putting up, the defense they're playing, somebody knows something. Correct. I'm going with the somebody's. I like Washington plus six and a half in that game. And the biggest one of the week, and I'm curious to get your opinion, and then I want some of your best bets, just rip off whatever you got. B-y-u.

Oh, yeah. Roland, right?

Yeah. Roland. They're plus two against UCF. That just jumped off the page. I'm taking UCF minus two. Correct.

I'm not overthinking that. As you said, you look at that line, holy shit, undefeated teams getting points on the road. Ucf did this same exact thing to Oklahoma State last year. If you go back, I think they ended up going off as a favorite. Oklahoma State was a top 10 team, maybe top five, when Ollie really got it going, and UCF gave him a dose. I still trust Gus in that run game. Bio has been as... It goes back to like, USC a couple of years ago when that defense was plus 10 after the first two months of the year. No way can that turnover rate keep up. And BIO has been very beneficial in that aspect. Oklahoma State had them, can't tackle in the secondary last week, and they lose. So UCF has played better. Sorry. Had the game at Iowa State, who I think the world of with Rocco Becht, and they blow it there. The week before, tough loss to a low-scoring game to Cincinnati. But the run game, Gus can always get it going. I will take UCF in that game. The one that sticks out to me, I think I would give out if the line went up to 40 because they haven't beaten them, I believe, since 2020, and that's Miami at home against Florida State.

You know what Mario wants to do. You know the bravado that the U plays with.

You mentioned 100 recruits there.

We've all seen what Florida State has put on tape, and it gets worse and worse and worse and worse. So whatever that number is, I'm going to lay it with Miami. And what else do we have here? I'm taking Vandy plus 18 and a half. There's always that stat about the physicality of playing nick in Alabama and the teams the week after, what they look like, what they did. Vanderbilt is still scary, man. The quarterback doesn't have an ego. He takes the third and fives and converts, keeps the other team off the field.

Yeah, he doesn't have a fear in the world either, though.

No, it's really, really cool to watch. But on the other hand, I really want to see what Sark does. Do they just start trying to wing all over and get up on these guys? Vanderbilt's not great on defense, but they kept it together against Alabama. And in a close game, they get a pressure and they get the ball from Milrow. That's the whole game. As much as Alabama battled back, Vanderbilt's defense was the deal that did that. Mench, I just really wanted... How much do you love watching Oklahoma's offensive line?

Oh, gosh.

And it's not great.

Oh, my Lord.

Yeah. I mean, It used to be so awesome. And now I don't know what's happening.

Was it Bettenba, right? The old offensive? Bettenba, yeah. He's one of the best offensive line coaches.

He can't fix it. I just hope they adjust their plan a little bit. They got the kid 10 sharp. He's about 225. And against Tennessee, they're asking him to come across formations and try and block pierce in those. I just think it's a bad way of going things when you know you have to run the football and that's where you're going to. It's just too much. I think these teams try and do the copycat because other teams are doing it. If you don't have the personnel to do it, go back to your pin and pull and all that stuff to try and get something going. Penn State is a really interesting one. Kind of the same wavelength as Indiana here. Only given six and a half. Madison at night is one of my favorite environments in college football. I love what Wisconsin has done in responding. When I of Luke Fickle, I just think he's a badass, man. He's a badass dude. And now his team is starting to play like that a little bit. Penn State's got Ohio State on deck. Be careful there. Wisconsin's showing some capability. But to me, Penn State is I'm higher on.

I thought Aller against SC was a game that we've all been waiting on. You talk to guys around Penn State, they love them, and we finally got to see them do it on the field. So that's a tricky one. But Penn State's defense got to be better than what they have. Going on the road, you got to rely on your defense if your offense isn't getting it going right away. So I'd be wary there and take the six and a half with Wisconsin.

I love that you asked him for a couple of games, and he's just going to rip through the schedule. He's got something to say about every one of them.

I love Tom.

I can't give him all. No, we got to save something for Saturday, man. Can I circle back really quickly and talk about that Boise State game?

I like that UNLV team, Ricky White, the receiver's fun to watch. Man, I need Boise State to win that game. We need Genti in the playoff. We need to find a way to get Genti in the playoff because I think it's going to be a shame if he doesn't get that stage at the end of this unbelievable season.

Yeah, he deserves it. He'll be in New York, and he's got a legit chance. I mean, right now, I would vote for him. I agree. All right.

Can I give it off the radar? Heisman, if you want in right now? You guys have talked about him. Why do you think we're here?

They're going to be here for you.

They're going to be favored in every game moving forward. You know the hype that will get around this team. It already is. It never goes away, but it's only going to get bigger. And I think he's shown immense improvement with arm strength, accuracy. Shador.

Oh, I agree.

Yeah, we're all high.

Shador tape has been brilliant this year, man.

The first game against North Coast State, that first breakdown where Hunter broke it, that's an opposite hash to outside the numbers, Hitch. And that thing was there like that. And I'm like, wow, he got himself better. And I was so happy to see that knowing what's that- His touch, his ability to drop the ball in. You nailed it the other day when you talked about the red zone fades. I watch guys in pregame. When we go to these games, I go out for individual, and I'm like, Can't do it. You can't do it on air, man.

The Mill Road pick against Tennessee is too flat. I mean, he threw it too flat, and it's a pick. You know what I mean?

No, that's a good call. I'm in his corner. He's mine. Up and down. I was lukewarm. I was hit and missed. That pick six early in the year against Nebraska. The Nebraska tape was not fun if you're a Shador guy, but since then- The second half, he came back like, you didn't know.

They got ambusced right at the beginning, and they got their feet down.

And he played well down the stretch in that game, and he's played great. Not good, he's played great. And he's getting a little bit more protection, and that's It's been a big difference.

Yeah, he couldn't get less.

That's fair. All right, so I heard the dog's barking, I think. It means the car surface is here. We're going to whisk you off to the airport. All fired up. Bloomington. You're going to go to Di Nardo's spot, Jerry Di Nardo?

I believe that's on the table. We got Upstairs Pub. We got Buffalo.

De Angelos, right? De Angelos is Italian Creole. I was texting with Di Nardo the other day. I was texting with DiNardo the other day. I was like, Yeah, will he coach at LSU? He brought a little Creole. He's He's the best. I love Italian food to begin with, and I love DiNardo. But I saw you put on some feelers, and I was ripping through your ex-firm, and at the X-Firm, it's pointing you to Upstairs Pub.

Is that where we're going? Yeah, that's what it feels like to watch some games tonight.

So I'm fired up. I hope people realize. They're going to realize on Saturday. I've got enough Indiana- I've helped them on SportsCenter last night.

Whoever you are, people, you're going to want that check.

Yes, you are going to want that check. I hope people get to see. Indiana is a basketball school. I get it. They are crazy about their Hoosiers and their Hoosier football. It's going to be a wild scene. So I appreciate you, man. Absolutely. We're texting every week. Keep it up. And just really excited to see you doing what you belong doing. And it's been awesome to see. So go get them, man. We'll talk soon.

You the same. Back to have you. You can see your face breaking it down as as we know you love to do. So keep grinding. I'm here. We're doing the same thing, mostly during the week. Menj, please get my number from Todd, and let's keep in touch because we're watching more of the big nasties than Todd is. He's got to focus on the quarter. There's no question.

I'm the pretty guy.

There's way better stuff to watch.

By the way, Sorals is going to blow up my phone after this.

He's going to be-Don't even call him a former offensive lineman, how pretty he is now.

He texted last night. I know he's listening. He texted last night. Awesome.

All right, guys.

Three minutes. Safe travels. Got it. Big slate as well. Actually, not a huge slate. I'm not going to lie on this show. I promise everyone we're not going to lie. It's an average slate in college football. We talked about all... We're going to cover with Steve some of the best, but I The NFL. I'm going the Patriots game. Speaking of Patriots, I'm going the Patriots game on Sunday, much.

Were they playing this week?

The Jets. When I got the tickets, when I called my guy, Stacey James. Thank you in advance. A long time ago, this was an exciting ticket. And I knew the Patriots were going to be great, but they started off, they won their first game, and Aaron Rodgers, and now Devante Adams. And so I'm excited to get down there. I'm excited to see if the Jets can play to the level that I think they can. I'm concerned about Aaron. I don't see the mobility, and I think it's the ankle, the knee, now the ham string. How does that play out? I'm excited to see our good friend Joe Douglas get to take gets to see him. He's all excited. Tate, my son, thinks Joe's a lot cooler than his old man, which is understandable because he is.

He is, yeah.

Oh, yeah. I'm excited for that. We'll get a little Patriot's chat on Sunday. But Saturday night, we're going to be back here. And I'm fired up for our first ever Saturday night show. And that's exciting, man.

I love it. I mean, we did a little bit of a test run after last week, and I love the instant reaction. You just got what you right away. And it's fresh on your mind. It was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it.

Yeah, I hope everyone... We're going to have to promote it just because I want people to check it out and tell us how horrible it was, how exhausted we looked, or whatever it was, any feedback we can get. But it's going to be every Saturday night for the rest of the season, Saturday night, the McShay Show. It's going to be Mention I. We're going to try to get Rosillo on from his couch. He's always texting me all day long. If something breaking happens, we'll call Molly McGrath or someone to find out If there's some news, we'll try to get some people in the car coming back from... We'll do whatever we can to try to add people. But at the end of the day, it's going to be you, it's going to be me. It's going to be any guest that we bring on. It's going to be post the primetime game, usually Every week. This week, we're going to come on after the LSU Texas A&M game, and we're fired up for that. Two undefeated teams in the SEC play. So we'll be on after that game, but we'll go over all the big games from the day and just get feel for what the landscape looks like.

I'm excited to do it, man.

Yeah, I can't wait. It's going to be great.

All right. Well, that's it. That's a wrap for episode number 2 from the McShay Show. I'm proud of you. We're hanging in there. Hopefully, we get an episode 3. Must be 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus and present in DC. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler or visit rg-help. Com. Call 1-888-789-7777, or visit ccpg. Org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp. Org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelp-line ma. Org, or call 1-800-327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts. Or call 1-877-8 Hope, N-Y, or text Hope-N-Y in New York.