Best Randy Mueller Podcasts (2025)

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Who's the 6th-best QB in the NFL? 1:35:03

Play Pause

16h ago1:35:03

1:35:03

Everyone—literally everyone—people would place Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow among the top-five quarterbacks in the NFL. An overwhelming majority would round out that list with Justin Herbert. Ask 10 people who the sixth-best QB is, though, and you could get 10 different answers. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helm…

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Inside the fallout surrounding the NFLPA's collusion grievance, with Pablo Torre 48:06

1d ago48:06

48:06

Pablo Torre kicked the NFL news cycle into hyperdrive last month in what's supposed to be a relatively quiet part of the calendar when he dropped on his podcast the 61-page ruling behind a collusion grievance filed by the NFLPA against the league. The story has only picked up steam since then, highlighted by news—broken by ESPN last week—of a confi…

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The teams we can't quite figure out approaching the 2025 season 1:14:58

6d ago1:14:58

1:14:58

We spend all offseason watching, considering and analyzing every move every team makes. Despite all that time and critical thought, there are always a handful of teams that we can't quite figure out on the doorstep of training camp. Derrik Klassen and friend of the show Dave Helman highlight the teams that they can't fully pin down on this episode …

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The hopeful stories teams are telling themselves this season 1:00:05

8d ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Every year, a handful of teams have to convince themselves that a certain story they've been telling themselves all offseason will turn out to be true. Their success for the coming season hinges on it. One example for 2025...Ben Johnson is exactly what Caleb Williams needs. So what are the other stories that teams are telling themselves as we appro…

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Mailbag Monday: Separating player from situation, balancing all-in and patience, remembering our favorite single-season teams, and more 58:01

10d ago58:01

58:01

July is here, which means training camps are just a few short weeks away. The football is getting closer, and that's reflected in this week's TAFS Mailbag. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen answer a bunch more of your questions on this edition, including...How do you separate a player from his situation? How does a competing team correctly balance a d…

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A 2018 Redraft: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson at the top, and lessons we can learn from this loaded class 1:19:03

14d ago1:19:03

1:19:03

Revisiting recent drafts can help inform what we think about the league in the present moment and the ways that teams make decisions. Especially when you've got Dane Brugler at your disposal. Dane joins Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show to look back at the 2018 NFL Draft, a class that, in real life, saw Baker Mayfield, Saquo…

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The next frontiers of tech in football with Prime Vision's Sam Schwartzstein 54:37

15d ago54:37

54:37

If you listen to a show like this, you already have an idea of how much modern technology is shaping the NFL. There's a decent chance, though, that its reach into what you watch on Sundays...and Mondays...and especially Thursdays is far greater than you suppose. And it's only increasing. Sam Schwartzstein, the analytics expert behind Amazon's Thurs…

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Jalen Ramsey/Minkah Fitzpatrick trade reaction with Bill Barnwell 39:13

16d ago39:13

39:13

Every now and again in this business, breaking news works in your favor. That was the case for us at The Athletic Football Show on Monday, when news of the Jalen Ramsey Dolphins/Steelers trade broke early in the morning. It became even more the case when the deal got stranger and more interesting, roping in Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jonnu Smith, and a co…

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Mailbag Monday: Contract-year players, best QB + coach upgrades ever, the importance of aging on rosters, and more 1:01:15

17d ago1:01:15

1:01:15

Mailbag Monday rolls on as we get deeper into summer and closer to the start of training camp. Among the questions answered by Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen on this edition...where would Baltimore fall among QB supporting classes in the NFC? Which contract-year players have the widest range of outcomes this season? What are the best single-offseas…

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Looking backward and forward for this season's second-year quarterbacks 1:17:31

20d ago1:17:31

1:17:31

The 2024 rookie quarterback class was a big story from the moment that it put six players in the first round of the draft. The group had about as diverse a range of rookie season experiences as possible, from J.J. McCarthy missing the season due to injury, to Jayden Daniels leading the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game. What was 2024 really l…

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The duality of NFL expectations 51:34

22d ago51:34

51:34

Every NFL season includes multiple instances of teams surprising us on the positive side of the ledger (hello 2024 Broncos and 2023 Texans) and the negative side (oh, hi 2022 Buccaneers and 2020 Eagles). Are there any threads those teams share? Any traits that repeat themselves year after year that can help inform how we're looking at the 2025 seas…

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Our guilty pleasure storylines 1:04:33

23d ago1:04:33

1:04:33

We at The Athletic Football Show like to think that we've established our thoughtful, incisive bona fides. But we aren't above a Taco Bell meal and a slapstick comedy every now and again. We, too, have our guilty pleasures. How does that translate to the football world? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen let you in and indulge in their guilty pleasure …

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Mailbag Monday: Worst QB rooms of the past decade, Protector of the Year Award, which low-expectations teams can make the playoffs, and more 51:39

24d ago51:39

51:39

Our fine listeners once again did not disappoint when we opened the mail over the weekend. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle questions on evaluating play callers based on the talent at their disposal, the worst QB rooms of the past decade, the new Protector of the Year Award, current players becoming coaches, low-expectations teams that can mak…

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Lingering questions, episode 4: The Steelers' non-QB shortcomings, the Bears' defensive personnel, and the Falcons' pass rush drought 1:04:15

27d ago1:04:15

1:04:15

If this is indeed the end of the Lingering Questions line this offseason, then we definitely got to indulge our intellectual curiosities. On this fourth, and potentially final, edition of Lingering Questions, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen ask, and attempt to answer, the following questions: Have the Steelers been held back in recent seasons by onl…

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The salary cap, uncapped 1:15:25

28d ago1:15:25

1:15:25

Even the most plugged-in, tunnel-visioned, 99th percentile football fan can turn into an ineffectual puddle of nothingness when trying to explain the salary cap. And yet, we all understand that the cap plays a huge part in how teams are build and championships are won. So how can we untangle the complexities of the cap? Well, we can start by talkin…

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NFC QB supporting cast rankings 1:35:43

29d ago1:35:43

1:35:43

If the AFC is defined by the league's superstar quarterbacks, then the NFC is where the meticulously constructed offenses and elite playcallers can be found. That means the exercise of ranking the supporting casts in the NFC is not for the faint of heart. Luckily, we've got Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen at our disposal. The pair ranks the NFC's su…

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Mailbag Monday: A shifting of the QB age cliff, a longer leash for GMs, and a new occupant of the Derek Carr line 1:14:10

1M ago1:14:10

1:14:10

Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Michael Beller went back out to the TAFS mailbox and found another stack of great letters. On this edition of the Mailbag, Robert and Derrik answer questions on the possibility of the QB age cliff shifting (in the wrong direction), whether GMs should get a longer leash before losing their jobs, their ideal—and financ…

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AFC QB supporting cast rankings 1:21:51

1M ago1:21:51

1:21:51

The NFL is a quarterback driven league, there's no doubt about it. But do the Eagles win the Super Bowl last year without their offensive line? Do the Chiefs establish a dynasty without Andy Reid? Are the Rams and Bengals playing in Super Bowl LVI without Cooper Kupp, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins? The supporting casts around quarterbacks matter, t…

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Lingering questions, episode 3: The Chiefs' lack of explosiveness, Baker Mayfield's late-20s breakout, and the 49ers' relative slide on offense 1:01:13

1M ago1:01:13

1:01:13

We're into June, and we've still got Lingering Questions about the 2024 season that will inform how the coming season goes. On this edition, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen ask, and attempt to answer, the following...Are explosives ever coming back to the Chiefs offense? Is Baker Mayfield's late-20s breakout for real? How much of the Niners' relativ…

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League-altering moves, GMing an expansion team, the end of bad quarterbacks, and more from the TAFS mailbag 1:09:06

1M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

The mailbag shifts to Wednesday this week, but it's still chock full of great questions from all of you out there. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen consider each of the following: What are the most consequential league-altering moves of the last 10 years? Which failed head coach was hurt most by his quarterback situation? Could we soon be in a world …

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Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers, Jaire Alexander released, and more from OTAs 1:02:07

1M ago1:02:07

1:02:07

The league's most faux-uncertain quarterback question finally got its long-expected answer last week when Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers officially agreed to terms on a one-year contract. That's where Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen begin their roundup of all the news that dropped during OTAs on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. The guys a…

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Defensive players set to make a leap in 2025 1:00:59

1M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

Whenever a player makes a leap—whether that's bad to average, average to good, good to great, or great to elite—it can change his team. Just think of guys like Zack Baun and Derek Stingley last season. Who might make a leap this year akin to what those two did in 2024? Derrik Klassen and Diante Lee from The Ringer highlight their top defensive brea…

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Fantasy winners and losers from the 2025 NFL offseason 59:35

1M ago59:35

59:35

June is here, and with June comes all things summer. Sunshine, trips to the pool, cookouts...and fantasy football. That's right, fantasy football season is upon us, and we're celebrating that on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Michael Beller sits in once again for the vacationing Robert Mays, and he's joined by Jake Ciely, The Athletic'…

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Monday Mailbag: Frankenstein's NFL team owner, the Colts' path at quarterback, Jonathan Gannon's Cardinals, and more 56:59

1M ago56:59

56:59

How does one determine what is or isn't a successful move in free agency? Which teams could surprise us this year by ending up with top-10 play callers on both sides of the ball? How should we feel about the Jonathan Gannon era in Arizona thus far? Those are just three of the questions Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen get into on this episode of The …

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Anthony Richardson vs. Daniel Jones highlights the NFL's QB battles 57:19

2M ago57:19

57:19

We've got some honest-to-goodness quarterback battles to look forward to this summer, a few of which have real stakes for their teams and the league at large. Derrik Klassen, Mike Sando and Michael Beller dig into those battles—including the Colts, Giants, Saints, Browns and Steelers—and also touch on a few QB situations that aren't battles but the…

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Offseason Buy or Sell: The Contenders 1:16:26

2M ago1:16:26

1:16:26

We've arrived at our fourth and final episode in the Offseason Buy or Sell series, and this is the big one. Seven of the eight teams that played in the Divisional Round of the playoffs last season are in this episode, and the eighth is a perennial contender that was ravaged by injury in 2024? So did the Rams, Commanders, Lions, Ravens, Bills and Ch…

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Monday Mailbag: Player/team personality fits, Justin Jefferson's unique traits, the outlook for an all-rookie team, and more 51:30

2M ago51:30

51:30

We're digging into the mailbag on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. This time around, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle questions on how a team made up entirely of rookies would fare in the NFL, how the original Antonio Brown/Raiders trade affected the league, what makes Justin Jefferson so special, and a whole lot more. Hosts: Robert…

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Lingering questions, episode 2: Bryce Young's turnaround, the Chargers' talent, the Seahawks' defense's breakout 1:09:12

2M ago1:09:12

1:09:12

Bryce Young put himself on the right track in the second half of last season. The Chargers shortcomings in 2024 owed to a lack of talent. The Seahawks defense is primed for a breakout in 2025. That's all true, right? Right?!? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen answer three more of last season's lingering questions on this episode of The Athletic Footba…

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Offseason Buy or Sell: The Playoff Hopefuls 1:18:54

2M ago1:18:54

1:18:54

Seven of the eight teams in this edition of Offseason Buy or Sell made the playoffs last year, and the one that didn't, the Bengals, had one of the best offenses in the league. In other words, each of these teams goes into this season with realistic playoff hopes, and some of them are harboring even bigger dreams than that. So how do we feel about …

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Monday Mailbag: Best second sports for NFL players, the meaning of 'scheme,' BYO team brain trust, and more 53:39

2M ago53:39

53:39

Ever wonder what would be the most beneficial second sport for a future NFL player to play on their way to the league? Ever think about how you'd build your own team brain trust if you couldn't poach anyone currently in the job? Ever consider which current coach could've gotten the most out of Jay Cutler? Good news, this edition of the TAFS mailbag…

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Lingering questions, part 1: The Titans offensive infrastructure, Jordan Love's missing leap, and Marvin Harrison Jr.'s rookie season 1:16:35

2M ago1:16:35

1:16:35

There's only so much time to indulge our curiosities during the NFL season. What that means is that a number of questions we have in the moment go unexamined because we have to, you know, pay attention to the games that are actually happening. May and June, though? That's when we can let our minds wander. And that's exactly what we're going to do i…

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Trey Hendrickson seizes the narrative 34:44

2M ago34:44

34:44

The impasse between Trey Hedrickson and the Bengals took its most bizarre turn yet on Tuesday when the star pass rusher staged an impromptu press conference on the practice field at the team's facility during OTAs. The Athletic's Bengals beat writer Paul Dehner Jr. was there, and he joins Robert Mays on this episode of The Athletic Football Show to…

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Offseason Buy or Sell: The NFL's Middle Class 1:22:38

2M ago1:22:38

1:22:38

The next step up the Offseason Buy or Sell ladder takes us to the NFL's middle class. These are teams that oddsmakers project to be right around .500. In other words, these teams harbor realistic playoff aspirations, but there's path for all of them that leads to picking in the top 10 of the 2026 draft. This group includes the Colts, Jaguars, Cowbo…

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Monday Mailbag: The best QB who could get traded, changes in Detroit, Travis Hunter's usage, and more 53:48

2M ago53:48

53:48

The mail carrier came knocking and yet again brought us more than our fair share of great questions. Which successful team of the last five years is most realistic for current bottom-feeders to replicate? Are the Steelers still an elite franchise? Why doesn't Sean McDermott get as much respect as Kyle Shanahan? Which quarterback is the best who, in…

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The George Pickens trade and the pass-catcher landscape 52:53

2M ago52:53

52:53

The George Pickens trade (mostly) brought to an end a busy offseason movement period for wide receivers. Davante Adams, D.K. Metcalf, Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, and Christian Kirk all find themselves on new teams. Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin and Metcalf all signed big extensions. Ten receivers, including Travis Hunter, we…

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Cold Takes Revisited 1:06:39

2M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

Almost every take comes scorching hot, right out of the oven. Some of them get cold awfully fast. But the good news about those cold takes is that we can learn a thing or two from them! So, what did our cold takes from 2024 teach us about the NFL and the way we think about it? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig back in the shadowy past and bring it…

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Offseason Buy or Sell: Teams in Transition 1:25:18

2M ago1:25:18

1:25:18

With the 2025 NFL Draft firmly in the rear-view mirror, we are now in full-on offseason mode on The Athletic Football Show. With that comes one of our favorite offseason staples...are we buying or selling what each of the 32 teams did to improve their teams for the 2025 season? We start the series with what we're calling the Teams in Transition, wh…

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Draft fallout and James Cook's future lead the return of the TAFS mailbag 1:26:43

2M ago1:26:43

1:26:43

The draft is over, which means Mailbag Mondays are back! Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle questions about quarterbacks improving their accuracy, the most electric recent draft moments, James Cook's future in Buffalo and more on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Rundown Which teams bet in the draft on their ability to develop players?…

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Biggest questions remaining after the draft 1:13:41

3M ago1:13:41

1:13:41

The coaching carousel has stopped spinning. The free agency frenzy is in the rear-view mirror. The 2025 NFL Draft is done. All 32 teams as currently constructed are essentially what they are going to be when they take the field in Week 1. So what are the weightiest questions we still have? Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen ask, and try to answer, thos…

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The messages teams sent in the 2025 NFL Draft, with Field Yates 1:13:37

3M ago1:13:37

1:13:37

Teams can lie to us before the draft. They can obfuscate. They can mislead. Once the draft arrives, though, they have to tell the truth. So what messages did teams send once they finally had to put their money where their mouth is? Robert Mays and Field Yates from ESPN discuss the messages teams sent in the 2025 NFL Draft on this episode of The Ath…

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2025 NFL Draft day three recap and overall takeaways 1:24:45

3M ago1:24:45

1:24:45

And that's a wrap on the 2025 NFL Draft. Who did good work on day three? Who did good work the entire weekend? Why did the Browns go back to the quarterback well to grab Shedeur Sanders? Which teams had good plans, and which ones surprised us? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dane Brugler answer those questions, and a whole lot more, on this episode…

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2025 NFL Draft second and third round recap 50:11

3M ago50:11

50:11

The second and third rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft are in the books, and the first half of our draft story is all but complete. Who were our favorite picks on day two? Where were the surprises? Which teams came away with the best hauls across the first three rounds? Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dane Brugler answer those questions, and more, as th…

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2025 NFL Draft first round recap + best day two picks 46:08

3M ago46:08

46:08

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. What were our favorite picks? What were the biggest surprises. Who do we feel different about because of his landing spot. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen, Dane Brugler and Bruce Feldman answer those questions, and also take a look ahead to night two, on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. …

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Biggest remaining questions heading into the 2025 NFL Draft 1:11:56

3M ago1:11:56

1:11:56

Friends, the 2025 NFL Draft has arrived. All our questions will finally be answered. But, for the time being, we still have questions! How many quarterbacks will go in the first round? Who, if anyone, will make a big move up the board? How will the receiver and corner positions shake out? Will any veteran players get traded? Robert Mays, Derrik Kla…

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The very good, but maybe not great, 2025 NFL Draft offensive line class 1:30:39

3M ago1:30:39

1:30:39

A great comedy movie isn't going to win any Oscars, but it's a fun two hours at the movies. That's the offensive line class in the 2025 NFL Draft. It may not be stocked with potential future All-Pros, but it does have more than its fair share of players who project as quality starters. Dane Brugler and Brandon Thorn from the Trench Warfare Substack…

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On the Clock, picks 26-32: The top-tier Super Bowl contenders make their moves 53:06

3M ago53:06

53:06

We're back On the Clock on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Mike Renner from CBS Sports joins Robert Mays to wrap up the first round and make picks 26 through 32 in the 2025 NFL Draft. That covers first round picks for the Rams, Ravens, Lions, Commanders, Bills, Chiefs and Eagles. The Ravens go for traits at pass rusher! The Lions get so…

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Monday Mailbag: The NFC North's head coach stardom, the best drafting teams, remembering some running backs, and more 1:08:53

3M ago1:08:53

1:08:53

Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen dig into the mailbag one more time before the 2025 NFL Draft on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Can one division support as much head coaching talent as the NFC North has? Should teams be wary about giving out top-of-the-market extensions to players at non-premium positions? Who were your favorite running …

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The 2025 NFL Draft pass-catcher class blowout! 1:44:13

3M ago1:44:13

1:44:13

Three receivers went in the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft. That isn't likely to be the case this year, but we could see 10 come off the board by the end of the second round. The tight end position might give us our highest-selected pass-catcher this year, with both Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland getting top-10 buzz. No matter what, the pass-catch…

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The 2025 NFL Draft's mid-round gems, with Dane Brugler and Daniel Jeremiah 1:04:09

3M ago1:04:09

1:04:09

Bucky Irving...125th overall in 2024. Nick Herbig...132nd overall in 2023. Kerby Joseph...97th overall in 2022. Teams can, and do, find themselves difference makers on the second and third day of the draft. Who might be those players this season? Dane Brugler and Daniel Jeremiah from NFL Network join Robert Mays to highlight the potential mid-round…

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On the Clock, picks 19-25: The playoff teams have entered the chat 1:10:41

3M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

We're back On the Clock on this episode of The Athletic Football Show. Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus joins Robert Mays to make picks 19 through 25 in the 2025 NFL Draft. That brings us our first batch of last season's playoff teams, including the Buccaneers, Broncos, Steelers, Chargers, Packers, Vikings and Texans. The Buccaneers make a st…