Drive10.20.26AC: Around Campus

0:03 You're tuned to The Drive on your 24-7 home of the black and gold.

0:07 Steelers Nation Radio. Matt, we were just kind of talking about how, you know, we're getting to the point with some of these statistics and numbers and analytics in the NFL where you can start to put more weight into it.

0:28 Yeah, they kind of mean something.

0:29 And week by week it starts to mean a little bit more. Matt, we're starting to get to the point in the college football season where I'm starting to get some more concrete opinions on some of these quarterbacks.

0:38 Okay. I totally understand that.

0:40 This past Saturday was a huge one because a lot of these big-name quarterbacks had some big spots, some big moments. Julian Sayen and Josh Hoover played each other, obviously, Ohio State and Indiana.

0:54 I watched a lot of that, and I know there's an injury now, but Sayen doesn't do much for me.

0:59 I think he is one of those guys that I would take him as my college quarterback in a heartbeat. Oh, yeah.

1:04 Even if he's not thrown to those.

1:06 Exactly right. I think he would win a lot of games, but I just don't know how it translates to the NFL. Yeah. And there's these guys that come out every year, you know, and not that sayings to this level, but you and I had those conversations with Diego Pavia last year. We were like, sure. why is this guy even at the combine?

1:21 I mean, Ohio state history has a lot of them. I mean, a guy like fields was a lot more talented than most of the Ohio state guys that have come out in the last 20, 30 years. Sure. I mean, yeah, sure. So we're starting to see a lot of traits.

1:34 Don't see a lot of traits.

1:35 Yeah.

1:37 I don't think him or Hoover don't really do it for me. I was never, I was never big on Hoover, but I was willing to give him a chance here with Cignetti and Shanahan and that offense and.

1:47 Um, but they're probably NFL backup.

1:49 I think that that's, that would be their kind of best case scenario. Matt, one guy, I told you last week, we're kind of, we're doing this week by week of who right now would I give up the Steelers first round pick for? Yeah. Yeah. And it's still hard. It's tough to say no, even to arch and Dante more, but we haven't, my answer is yes on those. Haven't seen Dante more much this season. Arch has, has not lived up to expectations at all, but it's still hard to say no, especially when we.

2:16 Prospects are a little different. We've had this exact conversation. Prospects are different than what they are now as a college player.

2:22 Barring something unforeseen, it's not like you're saying yes to giving that up and it's going to be the seventh overall pick in the draft.

2:27 They already have four wins.

2:28 I think we would all be shocked if the Steelers pick any higher than 17th or 18th. Exactly. Something would have to go drastically wrong.

2:36 Like if I'm the Chargers, I'm not giving up the pick.

2:38 Exactly, right.

2:40 Titans or Miami, right.

2:42 So I had mentioned how Arch and Dante Moore are still kind of in their own separate categories.

2:46 And of course we would answer that question.

2:48 Yes.

2:49 Before the season.

2:50 Totally. Totally. But how drew Mesta maker had become a yes for me. Yes. How I thought CJ car from Notre Dame had become a yes for me. Wasn't Carr's greatest showing in BYU. He wasn't terrible.

3:02 You weren't kidding about the environment, though, and hard place to play. It's incredible. I was glued to the Kentucky game for obvious reasons, but I flipped over quite a bit.

3:10 It's 70,000 people, Matt, who don't tailgate or drink or do anything. What do you think they're there for? Like they're there. They're not there for the party in the tailgate. They're there to create a rowdy environment.

3:21 Yes.

3:21 And then they all walk.

3:22 And it truly was like the biggest game ever in that stadium.

3:24 And that, that place has always been such an underrated atmosphere, but yeah, you get a top 10 matchup at night game day. altitude, all the lights and the fireworks and the specials. It was absolutely out of control. CJ Carr threw the ball 49 times in that game. He did have a chance at the end, drove them down the field, but was unable to punch it in. I'm not saying that all of a sudden stock down on him.

3:48 Or anything, but he just didn't quite improve it.

3:51 He didn't quite, he didn't quite also go win that game for Notre Dame. Like I wanted to see him do.

3:56 Agreed. Agreed.

3:57 So it's not that I'm down on him or anything, but I was hoping to come in here. This week and be like, CJ Clarke, that guy's a top 10 pick.

4:05 In a month from now, we may not even hold that against him the slightest bit.

4:09 They host Miami in two weeks. He could carve up a number one Miami team and be right back in the conversation. But I think there's some Joe Burrow-type stuff to his game. I think there's a lot to like there. But he did not have his— not a terrible outing, but just didn't get the team over the hump like you wanted him to in that environment. Matt, a guy that I feel like we haven't talked about enough, and to be fair— To be fair, yeah. I said this with Julian saying last week, part of it is the schedule.

4:36 They just haven't played really many big games.

4:38 Mensa had that issue. Yeah.

4:40 Mensa's the guy that I was going to mention. Oh, okay. I think I've undersold him a little bit. Matt, I thought he was really good against Florida State. They win that game.

4:48 I saw none of that one.

4:49 They win that game in double overtime. He did throw an interception, but had, you know, 350 yards offense and three touchdowns as well. He just... In big moments, he's played really well for them. And I think, yes, he's got Malachi Toney, who's an outstanding wide receiver. But he's just got a lot of the stuff.

5:11 Notre Dame has good receivers. Texas has good receivers.

5:13 He's got a lot of the stuff that you want in a kind of modern era quarterback. He's got the mobility when he needs it. He's got the arm strength when he needs it. I think he's very decisive. I like what I've seen from him from the neck up. It's going to get more difficult for Miami here soon. They've got Notre Dame, and then they've got a couple tougher ACC challenges down the stretch. They actually have Pitt at home this weekend. But I'm starting to arrow up on Mensah as he's starting to play some more important games here, and I've really watched him a few more times.

5:47 So all these guys I've kind of watched from afar, but more than I usually do by the middle of October for obvious reasons, plus... you and I talk more college than Dale and I did, you know what I mean? Just so I'm, I'm a little more dialed in. My kids are off to school. And so I've had more free time on weekends. I've watched college football too. So these are all far from final answers, but when I watch Mensa, I wish he was a little bigger, a little stronger, a little faster, you know, but I don't think he's bad in any of those areas. I just wish he was a little, 5% more of all.

6:23 Then he'd be a nailed on top two or three pick.

6:25 But he always seems so in control. He seems to have a real level head of calmness about him. He can do all the physical things that you need. I don't think he can be an A-plus in those. And he's very accurate. And I've told you this before.

6:40 It's one of the things, there's not many, but one of the things that I really like about this Portal era now is we talked about this with jayden daniels when he came out had a caleb williams these guys had a lot of success at their first stop then they go somewhere else they have a lot of success there you can see them in two different offenses two different programs.

6:59 Like bo nix was the total opposite he had struggled at auburn and then.

7:02 And it really took off yeah um but mensa man looked really good, had a lot of success at Tulane. Okay.

7:10 I didn't watch him at all at Tulane.

7:11 And then looked really good and had a historic season for Duke, which obviously Duke football is... We know what they are in the kind of pecking order.

7:20 Yeah.

7:21 But had a... great season by their standards one that obviously got him to go to miami a program that's been producing quarterbacks like crazy.

7:29 When you elevate the dukes of the world i think that goes a long way.

7:32 I just i i really like that from mensa too this is now his third program where it's been like they're winning games he's.

7:38 Yeah good yeah it shows he also shows that he adjusts to a new environment well which he's gonna have to do.

7:44 He's gonna have to do day one in the nfl Matt, one guy that I'm arrowed down on big time is Gunnar Stockton, the Georgia quarterback.

7:51 I can see that.

7:52 He looked bad at home against Auburn, threw two bad interceptions, got strip-sacked at the end of the game when they had a chance to win it. That's not a very good Auburn team, and you're at home. That's an arrow down. That was a bad loss. That's an arrow down performance for me. That's a bad loss for them and a bad performance by him.

8:11 In every season, every sport, some losses, you're like, eh, you know. We were the better team. We should have won. But that was kind of a... That was a bad loss.

8:18 That was a bad loss.

8:19 That's one you can't let slip away.

8:22 Matt, I continue to be intrigued by Trinidad James.

8:26 I was about to make sure we brought him up.

8:28 He might be one of those... If you... Would you trade the Steelers' first-round pick for him right now? Yes. Because I... the relatives area where you would be drafting. Yeah. And I don't think Trinidad is going to be a top 10 pick, but I certainly think he's going to be a first round pick.

8:45 Like you might get him with your first round pick.

8:48 He was great against Missouri.

8:50 I mean, some of his moments are like, whoa, he.

8:53 Was great against Missouri. And I know, again, he you wish he was a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger.

8:59 Right, right. But my goodness, it would be nice. I mean, bigger. He seems pretty well put together. Yes. He's not like a Russell Wilson.

9:06 He's another one, though. If he was two inches and 20 pounds heavier, he's the first overall pick.

9:10 Yeah, I mean, he's.

9:11 But I just, he is so accurate. He layers his throws so well, which you don't see at the collegiate level like this guy is doing it.

9:19 He throws over the middle a lot, especially for a short guy.

9:22 And Matt, another one, yes, he's at the same program, but with a brand new coach at Lane Kiffin left last year at the beginning of the playoffs, he put his team on the back and took them all the way to the semifinal. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then this year, he's... He loses that coaching system. This year, he's got even better in a... Yeah, a guy that was on staff, but a different system, a different coach... Uh, they struggled in Florida and I thought that was to be expected because they had such that emotional win. One of the most emotional wins you'll see in sports when they hosted LSU and Lane Kiffin the week before. And then they have to go to the swamp on the road. That was just such a tough spot.

9:57 Yeah. He was to me, that's a forgivable loss.

9:59 And to me, that's a little bit of a forgivable spot. Other than that, man, he has been outstanding and there was so much hype built up again between him and Austin Simmons, a guy that you and I have talked.

10:09 About the Missouri quarterback that we really liked.

10:12 Austin Simmons, remember, he was at Ole Miss, and the only reason he transferred was because he was like, I'm not going to sit behind Trinidad for a year. I want to play, which is understandable. Trinidad, I mean, he clearly was the better player. Clearly was the better quarterback, Matt. He was just a smooth operator. Four total touchdowns, three in the air, one with his feet. And like I said, the accuracy in big moments, the tight window throws, the layered throws. I was sitting there in Tampa on Saturday watching that game like, You were on it before me, honestly. Like, I might be good with Trinidad. He is, man, there's just so much to like about his game.

10:47 And they rave about him as a leader and all the mental stuff and character stuff. I'm pretty intrigued. I don't know that he'll go in the top five, but who's to say? I mean, it only takes one team to fall in love with him. I think it's possible.

11:03 I do too. I certainly do. I continue to keep my eyes on Gio Lopez, the Wake Forest quarterback. He's smaller. He's a lefty. But man, he is just one of those guys who can hurt you in so many ways and is doing it without all the proverbial five stars around him. Wake Forest is a sneaky good football team.

11:24 They took one on the chin against Miami like a lot of people are going to do, but they're ranked now and playing really good football. Lincoln Kleinholz, the Louisville quarterback who is like built like josh allen he continues to kind of be just okay he has everything that you want in terms of the arm strength and the legs he plays that kind of you give him seven yards he's gonna get eight rugged yeah you know he had he had 10 carries for 53 yards and two touchdowns this past week i just some of the some of the decision making he also threw two interceptions and they're playing syracuse not miami yeah some of the decision making is a little iffy but he's got a big arm And.

12:02 He's elevated that program, too.

12:04 He is elevated that program. I've said this about Mestemaker, and I know that this is unfair, but it's also an easy comparison to make. Like, Mestemaker has some of those Josh Allen elements to his game.

12:14 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

12:14 Big arm, big guy, not afraid to pull it down.

12:17 Style of play, yeah.

12:18 Keinholz is that similar, but I think not the prospect that Mestemaker is. But he's still got a really intriguing skill set, and I want to keep an eye on him the rest of the year.

12:27 I mean, if they're all the same type of quarterback... Allen's the, you know, the Mercedes-Benz, Mestimaker's the Cadillac, and this dude's the Honda. Yeah.

12:44 And then speaking of Mestimaker, Matt, they actually lost in Houston in that top 20 matchup, but he was outstanding.

12:49 Houston's good this year, though, right?

12:50 Houston's good. They were like 20th last week. I think they're up to like 17 or 18 this week. Houston's quarterback is pretty good as well, too. I don't know about pro potential, but he's another one of those Julian Saiyan types that went a lot of games with that guy in college. Mestemaker, though, Matt, ran for 34 yards, threw for 365, three touchdowns. He continues to be the guy that.

13:15 That loss was not a stocked-down situation for him. No, absolutely not.

13:17 He's the reason. They lost a shootout 35-32, and he kept them in the game. He's the one that continues. I continue to make the.

13:24 He might be the first pick in the draft.

13:25 The googly eyes at him. He might be the first pick in the draft.

13:28 Yeah, yeah.

13:29 I mean.

13:29 I think people are like, oh, he's a cute story. Maybe he'll go in the first round. No, he might be the first pick in the draft.

13:34 In fact, I wonder too, Matt, like, I wonder what the odds are for, if you could even find, who's the odds on favorite, but he's got to be towards the top of the list.

13:43 I mean, he's skyrocketing.

13:44 Especially with the year that Arch and Dante Moore have had.

13:47 Yeah, none of the incumbents have grabbed it.

13:49 Have had to this point. Yeah. Um, so Matt, I think that's it. I do want you to get familiar with the name, Brayden Atkinson. That's the Oregon state quarterback. He's not draft eligible, but he's another one of these Camario Taylor's key on Russell's that I, the next wave, if we're doing this contest again, or this, this exercise again, next year, we'll be talking a lot about him. Uh, he, I think is going to be one of those candidates who you'll see him at Alabama, Georgia, Ohio state, or one of those places next year, Oregon state quarterback, uh, Brayden Atkinson, he has just been tearing it up and did so again in their big win against Washington State on Saturday.

14:26 Two questions for you. Did you say Moore is supposed to come back this week?

14:30 I believe so.

14:30 Good.

14:31 He needs to get back out there. Riola played, but I want to see him. he could be the number one overall pick. I mean, yes, he's got such a skillset. He's so good with those layered throws too, that I think is just when you can do that already in college, that says a lot. Yeah. He is of all these quarterbacks, probably at least based off of last year, the best when the, when everything breaks down, when, when, you know, someone blitzes through the a gap and you don't pick it up and you got to improvise. Now what do I do when you got nothing open downfield? And now what do I do? Um, I really want to see Dante Moore get back out there and see what he's got. Um, but he obviously has been dealing with that major concussion

15:07 and major injury that he picked up against USC, but his, um, his say in this conversation is far from over.

15:13 Yeah. Makes sense. Um, last question. This isn't really draft or sealer related. Who's the best team in the country? Who? Ohio state. Like on neutral field, who is not a dog against anybody?

15:28 Hmm. I mean, Miami has to be in the conversation. They were fortunate to survive that double overtime win against Florida State, but we also know weird things happen in rivalry games.

15:36 Yeah, right, right. That doesn't seem like a bad loss or a bad situation.

15:40 No, no, and Florida State's not very good, and they were at home. But again, it's a rivalry game. You've got to kind of throw all that. They took Florida State's best punch.

15:48 Notre Dame and BYU.

15:49 Ohio State's in the conversation. I mean, right now Miami's one, BYU's two. I think Ohio State.

15:53 BYU's two.

15:54 BYU's two, which I think is a little rich. I think BYU's really good.

15:57 They're not favored against Ohio State.

15:59 I don't think so. No, I don't think so. Matt, that's what has made this year very intriguing, though.

16:03 Yeah.

16:03 I don't know if there's a clear-cut No. 1 team. If you would have asked me this this time last week. The No.

16:06 1 teams keep losing.

16:07 If you would have asked me this this time last week, I would have said Georgia. Yeah. And they lost at home to Auburn.

16:12 And two weeks ago, you might have said Bama, and they lost to Georgia.

16:15 It was the first time in over 20 years that Auburn has beat Georgia at Georgia games. I know. And I would have thought they were probably the best team in college football. If you'd asked me last week, it's why I think a lot of sec people are losing their minds right now. Cause they don't have the true juggernaut that they typically have.

16:31 Yeah. Um, and there's just a jugger, but the sec slate is a difficult one to navigate. It's insane.

16:37 I think Matt, Kentucky's better.

16:39 Kentucky's a lot better without a doubt.

16:41 I think there's, um, this is going to be a really fun college football playoff year because.

16:47 I say anybody, maybe a, Four seed wins it.

16:50 Like last year, Indiana was the proverbial favorite, right? And they went wall to wall and did the thing. But even you had Miami and Ohio State. Now it's like, I don't think you would see a lot of typically in the 12 team playoff. There's been a few of those first round. double-digit, you know, 12-and-a-half, 17-and-a-half point favorites.

17:08 Boy, I don't want that team in my bracket.

17:11 I don't think you're going to see that this year. I think this could be shaping up to be a great college football playoff with a lot of close games. But Miami right now, Ohio State right now, those would probably be my answers. But I tell you what, man, there's a lot of really good teams. I think UCLA is really good, quietly. No one's talking about them.

17:34 They lost... the quarterback though, right? Isn't he bad?

17:37 Yeah. He, he, he got hurt. Yeah. Um, but they're still winning, man. They're still looking good without them. Um, I think Tennessee is really good and, and, and, and could, could go on a run and could beat anybody.

17:48 Um, so it's, it's, uh, it's, it's a very fun conversation to go like 10 to 12 deep of who might be the best team out.

17:56 I think this is, and again, it's always easy to say this stuff. I'd have to really sit back and look, but I think this might be the most wide open year of college football.

18:04 In a while. Good.

18:05 In a in a in a long, long time. Matt, this weekend's slate, I got to be honest with you, is not the greatest. The last the last two or three weeks of college football have been outstanding. This one's OK. I think LSU and Auburn will be an interesting game. Auburn has got some juice now. I see Sam Levitt on the road in a tough environment. See if he can start to live up. to some of that preseason hype.

18:28 That one's at noon.

18:29 I'm not sure if he's a first rounder for me.

18:31 I don't think he is. I don't think he is. Tennessee goes to South Carolina.

18:35 That's interesting.

18:36 Sellers has a little momentum here, right? All of a sudden they're off their bye week. He played really well in their last game. Now he's at home against a really good Tennessee team. Can he keep.

18:46 For draft reasons, if he could get some momentum really rolling, he.

18:49 Could be a force. He absolutely could. Matt, the one game that I definitely want to watch on Saturday... It's going to be difficult for me because it's going to be like midnight in France. But Ole Miss goes to Texas.

19:02 Oh, wow.

19:02 That's dynamite. Trinidad versus Arch. If Ole Miss wins, they could be top five in the following week. If Texas can bounce back, this would be a huge spot and obviously two first-round quarterbacks.

19:15 I mentioned this to you yesterday, and I can't justify it or whatever, but I just saw a headline that Arch's backup is some five-star young guy, whatever.

19:25 He's been getting a little more spin in practice.

19:26 It sounds like he's starting to, I don't push him or what, but they say he's going to get more action in practice.

19:32 That's the, I felt like the last couple weeks I've told you, oh, there's like three or four must-watch games here. I think there's only one this weekend, and it's Ole Miss and Texas. What time is that? That's 7.30 Saturday night. Can Texas bounce back? Can Ole Miss continue doing what they're doing?

19:45 Texas needs to get a win.

19:46 Yes, they do. Yes, they do. Keep an eye on both quarterbacks. If they lose this, they'll be four. They'll be unranked.

19:50 I would say they may not be in the playoffs.

19:52 Right.

19:53 I remember asking you when their first loss. I'm like, I'm not going to go to the playoffs.

19:56 Oh, they'll be fine.

19:57 Right, right, right.

19:58 Now, you lose two games, you're all right. You lose three, and all of a sudden it gets a little dicey. There's an hour in the books, another hour to go. We'll start hour number two with some NFL power rankings, all that and more as we roll along. Euler and Williamson, it's The Drive, Steelers Nation Radio on the Steelers Audio Network.