Inside The Pylon Quick Kicks Podcast

We kick off the week with good friend Matt Waldman, creator of the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, as he discusses the 2016 NFL Draft and his thoughts on various position groupings from this year's selections. Host Mark Schofield helps dig into the details as Matt gives a comprehensive look at his process and a number of players from the draft. Topics this show include: -What is the post-draft RSP and what is the value that it brings to people who purchased the pre-draft RSP (1:01) -The selection of Kenyan Drake and Matt's thoughts on why his skillset, though impressive at times in college, has a difficult time translating to the NFL game (3:58) -The issues with conducting analyses based on single drills and the importance of context when trying to examine specific traits at any position (9:51) -How something as simple as the point in the season in which a prospect's tape comes from can play into the overall impression and must be included in the evaluation of the player (15:31) -Ezekiel Elliott and the scheme-fit with him and the Dallas Cowboys, and what the expectations for Elliott should be heading into his rookie campaign in Dallas (24:24)

We wrap up the week with our second day with RJ Ochoa from Inside the Star and the RJ Ochoa Show as he joins hosts Chuck Zodda and Mark Schofield on the May 13 Quick Kicks Podcast. RJ dives into more questions facing the Dallas Cowboys during the 2016 season, as they look to rebound from an injury-plagued 2015 campaign. Topics on this show include: -Where this team fits in an NFC East that saw Washington unexpectedly win the division and whether the Cowboys have a chance at winning the division (0:58) -The fit between Dallas and RB Ezekiel Elliott from a scheme perspective and whether his skills are a good match with what the Cowboys like to do (4:27) -TE Jason Witten and his place in the offense at age 34, and how he has been able to avoid falling off at an age when many players are no longer able to contribute at a high level (7:33) -Jerry Jones and his place in football history, looking at the ways he transformed the game over the course of his ownership of the Cowboys (9:08)

The Dallas Cowboys had a tough 2016 season after injuries to QB Tony Romo and WR Dez Bryant. Mark Schofield and Chuck Zodda take a look at the Cowboys in the May 12 Quick Kicks Podcast, with guest R.J. Ochoa from Inside the Star and the RJ Ochoa Show. Dallas is looking to bounce back in a wide-open NFC East, and with several draft picks looking to make an early impact, the Cowboys may have a chance to do some damage in 2016. Topics this episode include: -The importance of RB Ezekiel Elliott joining the team this year and what it does to expectations for the offense, as well as his ability to help reduce the load on Tony Romo and the passing game (1:54) -The star power of Elliott and the fit in Dallas as far as being able to market his talents on the widest possible stage (4:07) -Second round selection Jaylon Smith and how his selection shows a balance between immediate needs with Elliott and planning for the future with Smith (5:48) -The depth chart at quarterback this year and whether or not RJ is comfortable with the strategy the Cowboys have taken, using Kellen Moore and Dak Prescott as Romo's backup despite the issues with the position last year (8:18) -Defensive end Charles Tapper, taken in this year's draft, and what the Cowboys can expect from him this year as they look to bolster a pass rush that is missing a number of players projected to be contributors this year (10:18)

We continue our two-part interview with Dan Hatman, former NFL scout and current director of The Scouting Academy. The May 11 Quick Kicks Podcast features Dan speaking with hosts Chuck Zodda and Mark Schofield on a number of issues related to roster construction and front office moves that typically occur during the summer months. This episode gives great insight into the inner workings of and NFL team, with topics including: -How players at the back end of a 90-man roster still end up making an impact on teams through practice squads due to injuries and roster turnover throughout the year (1:01) -Whether teams fill their practice squads or shadow rosters with players who may help simulate divisional opponents that a team faces twice a year (4:57) -Some of the key battles Dan is looking forward to over the next eight weeks and into training camp as well (6:28) -The three first-round quarterbacks, including who has the chance to make the biggest impact in the upcoming season, as well as who may have the greatest impact towards the end of their rookie contract (8:40) -Quarterbacks taken outside the first round who Dan believes landed in a good situation, as well as the quarterback who seems to have ended up in a difficult situation from a developmental perspective (10:09) -Would Dan ever take a kicker in the second round? (12:04)

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, you may think that teams are on cruise control for the next 10 weeks until training camp. In fact, the reality is that this is one of the busiest times of the year for franchises. The May 10 Quick Kicks Podcast takes you inside the post-draft free agent period, looking at movement for players, coaches, and scouts that tends to happen during this time. Hosts Mark Schofield and Chuck Zodda are joined by Dan Hatman, director of The Scouting Academy, who helps break down what happens during this time of year. Topics include: -The biggest items on the docket for NFL teams during this time of year and the types of transactions they will engage in heading into mid-June (0:58) -The hiring of coaching and scouting staffs that occurs over the early summer months and the roles and duration of those hires (3:06) -The amount of true roster construction that occurs during this time of year, and whether players from the back end of the roster are really able to compete for spots on the final 53-man roster (6:30) -Players who survived and thrived in the NFL despite coming off the lower part of a 90-man roster and were not expected to see time in an NFL game (7:48) -How teams begin to prepare for the following year's draft, including how the BLESTO scouting service operates and the information shared between various NFL franchises (10:52)

The NFL Draft is over. The NFL Draft has just begun. After taking last week to examine the results from the 2016 draft, Chuck Zodda and Mark Schofield dig into Mark's initial thoughts on the 2017 quarterbacks on the May 9 Quick Kicks Podcast. While there is obviously a full season still to play, there is ample tape on a number of quarterbacks, and Mark has put together a list of 30 players he will be watching over the course of the season. Topics this episode include: -Mark's thoughts on who heads up his 2017 class at this early point in the evaluation process (1:19) -Players standing out for their accuracy in this year's class and the things they need to work on to continue to hone their craft (3:46) -Quarterbacks with the strongest arms in the 2017 class and how their system fits help them utilize this skill (6:47) -How this year's class is structured in terms of drop-back passers versus athletic, out-of-structure quarterbacks that have continued to grow in numbers in recent years (8:34) -How 2017 stacks up compared to 2016 in terms of top-end talent as well as depth of potential draft picks (12:25) -Underclassmen who are not eligible for the 2017 draft but still have shown quality traits during early film study for future classes (14:03)

We have reached that magical point in the week where all thoughts turn to kickers - Kicker Friday. Mark Schofield and Chuck Zodda host the May 6 Quick Kicks Podcast as we wrap up our week of post-draft coverage, this time examining the specialists that were selected during and signed after the 2016 NFL Draft. While Florida State's Roberto Aguayo drew much of the attention with his second round selection, there are a plethora of kickers that signed free agent deals once the draft wrapped up. Topics on this show include: -The Aguayo pick, and whether or not it makes sense for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as the outlook for Aguayo given the circumstances in which he was acquired (1:26) -The reasons for Aguayo being the only kicker selected, with other talented specialists such as Duke's Ross Martin and Maryland's Brad Craddock not hearing their names called (4:54) -The Cleveland Browns and their signings of two kickers in the free agent process and how their competition is likely to shake out in training camp (8:21) -Anthony Pistelli of Samford University and his signing with the New Orleans Saints, as well as the longer path he likely has to picking up a starting spot in the NFL (10:29) -The 2016 punting class and how soon punters such as Drew Kaser, Lachlan Edwards, and Riley Dixon will be able to make an impact at the NFL level (14:56) -The process of drafting long-snappers and why it generally is avoided due to minimal to zero upside in most situations (19:06)

Though the NFL Draft began one week ago, the May 5 Quick Kicks Podcast continues to examine the selections made over the course of last week. Chuck Zodda and Mark Schofield are joined by Dave Archibald to break down the defensive backs selected over the course of this year's draft. With the increased emphasis on the passing game over the last decade, defensive back is arguably one of the three most important positions on the field today, and Dave helps bring knowledge to what can be a difficult position to understand. Topics in this episode include: -The selection of Jalen Ramsey by the Jacksonville Jaguars and how he fits in their defensive scheme (1:01) -The Pittsburgh Steelers' unexpected selection of Artie Burns in the first round, and why Pittsburgh broke with their long-standing tradition of not taking cornerbacks high in the draft (3:04) -The two first-round safeties selected this year in Karl Joseph and Keanu Neal and what they bring to the table for their respective teams (8:11) -Whether the cornerback position is seeing a transition to taller, rangier athletes in order to counter the different approaches offenses have taken in recent years to attacking defenses at the pro level (9:53) -The slide of Jayron Kearse to the seventh round and why he ended up falling this far in the draft (11:46) -Jeremy Cash falling completely out of the draft and signing a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers, the reasons for the drop, and whether he can be an effective player at the NFL level (13:37) -The New England Patriots selection of Cyrus Jones in the second round and how his skill-set on special teams and in run support makes him a strong candidate to see action early in his career for New England (15:49)

There were 15 quarterbacks taken during the 2016 NFL Draft, and the May 4 Quick Kicks Podcast is ready to take you through the players as we recap this year's class. Mark Schofield and Chuck Zodda dig into the picks to examine which selections represented great value for teams and which leave some questions to still be answered. Topics this show include: -The top two picks of the draft in Jared Goff and Carson Wentz and the situations these two young signal-callers find themselves in heading into minicamp (1:44) -The situation in Philadelphia and how the Eagles can manage the quarterbacks currently on the roster and what it means for Wentz and his timetable (3:42) -The Denver Broncos trading up to grab Paxton Lynch with the 26th pick and his developmental track to being a starter in the NFL (5:38) -The surprise second-round selection of Christian Hackenberg by the New York Jets and where he fits into the team's long-term plans (8:12) -The fall of Connor Cook to the Oakland Raiders with the 100th pick and whether the fall was warranted (10:40) -Which Day 3 quarterbacks landed in the best situations for them to develop over the course of their rookie contracts (13:32) -The New England Patriots and the selection of Jacoby Brissett and what it says about the long-term future at the position for the team (15:44) -Our Twitter Question of the Day, "Will Lynch be the MVP of the league in Denver one day?" (19:13)

The NFL Draft is finally in the books and we are now full speed ahead for the 2016 season. Chuck Zodda and Mark Schofield are joined by ITP draft expert Shane Alexander for the May 3 Quick Kicks Podcast as they look to make sense of how the landscape changed over the 253 picks of this year's draft. Topics on this week's show include: -Shane's biggest surprises in the first round of the NFL Draft and which teams saw the biggest benefit due to unforeseen events on Day 1 (1:36) -The Cleveland Browns and the trades they executed leading up to and during the draft, and whether or not they were able to capitalize on the number of picks they accumulated due to their actions (3:55) -Day 2 picks that have the greatest upside, as well as picks during these rounds that were baffling due to their apparent talent or scheme-fit issues (5:29) -Washington's draft and how they helped themselves to improve coming off a surprising 2015 campaign (8:07) -The New York Jets confusing decisions on the quarterback and punter positions, and whether or not the picks they made were the best use of resources (10:14) -ITP favorite Dan Vitale and his selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and where he fits during the early part of his NFL career (14:31) -The two undrafted quarterbacks signed by the Seattle Seahawks and what it means for their NFL careers (16:50)

We have finally arrived at the last pick of the ITP Mock War Room Draft. The Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl, which would typically leave a team in a position with few holes and expectations of repeating. With the departure of QB Peyton Manning, even with him diminished skillset, there are more questions facing the Broncos than the typical champion. Brandon Thorn of The Football Educator takes the helm of the Denver war room to help guide them as they head into the 2016 season. Tune in to see who they pick.

The ITP Mock War Room Draft nears its conclusion as the Carolina Panthers make pick thirty, leaving just one pick left in the first round. After a close loss in the Super Bowl to the Denver Broncos, the Panthers may look to add weapons to an offense that relied heavily on Cam Newton to carry the load throughout much of the 2015 season. The departure of CB Josh Norman may weigh on the Panthers during the draft, shifting their strategy as well. Joe Marino of DraftBreakdown and NDT Scouting heads up the war room for the Panthers as they look to make it back to the Super Bowl in 2016. Listen in to see who they pick.

The Arizona Cardinals nearly made the Super Bowl in 2015, losing to the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship. The ITP Mock War Room Draft is in its penultimate day as the Cardinals make pick twenty nine, looking to get over the hump and into the Super Bowl in 2016. With a deep offense and a defense skilled at all three levels, this is a team with very few needs heading into the next season. Will the Cardinals use the pick to fill a position of need, or will they build depth for the future? Listen in to find out.

With just two days until the 2016 NFL Draft, we have a bonus podcast for anyone who can't get enough draft. The April 26 Quick Kicks Podcast features an interview with Northwestern University "Superback" Dan Vitale as he heads into the draft this weekend. Hosts Chuck Zodda and Mark Schofield discuss a number of topics with Dan, including: -How he decided to go to Northwestern despite traditionally not being a football powerhouse (1:03) -What the "Superback" position entails and how it prepared Dan for an NFL career (2:25) -The biggest adjustments Dan had to make to produce at the college level and how those changes will help him on his way to the NFL (5:41) -The draft process and how having a strong team of agents helping him through the last several months has allowed Dan to prepare at a high level (8:06) -The man-bun and the NFL Draft (10:44) -Dan's NFL Draft prospects and the types of team that will value a player with his skillset (12:04)

With only three days to go until the NFL Draft, the ITP Mock War Room Draft has a double feature for you, finishing with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City finished at 11-5 on the season before losing to New England in a Divisional Round game. The Chiefs gave up the third-fewest points in the league, but still may look to bolster a defense that could use depth in the secondary and on the defensive line. They also could look to build the interior offensive line, as a number of strong prospects are still available. Tune in as the Chiefs make pick twenty seven to see who they take.