4/21 Panther's Pulse w/ Marty Hurney

[mav1234]

Hurney on the air with John Hancock.

Yasinkas on after the break.

Writeup coming once it's all finished. Listen online at http://www.wbt.com/listen/index.aspx , or catch the podcast when it's stuck up there :)

[pantherfan81]

Pat pretty much summed up everything he's been writing lately. Hurney still tight lipped.

[mav1234]

JH: Is it butterflies a week from now?

MH: Whatever it is, I've had 'em for a while.

JH: You've done this before?

MH: They're with you through the prcoess.

JH: Who is in the room (on draft night)?

MH: College scouts are in the room. Ron Rivera. Don Gregory. Danny Morrison. Mr. Richardson. Tony Price, my assistant. Security, trainers, doctors... Quite a number, about 20-25 people in the draft room.

JH: If you hire good people, how much input does Mr. Richardson/Morrison have?

MH: It's communication. I communicate with 'em but they make it clear they go by my suggestion.

JH: Who would you use for our 2nd round pick announcement?

MH: We don't have a 2nd rounder.

JH: Darn come on...

JH: Who do you think Denver will take #2?

MH: Never know what to believe this time a year, but the name you hear a lot is Marcell Dareus if he's there.

JH: Will he be there?

MH: Don't know that.

JH: Thought I had you... was going to go through first five picks to figure out who you were taking!

JH: Do you read mock drafts?

MH: No I don't, I really don't. Some teams, one of the routines in the next week will be to assign scouts 1 or 2 teams each and have them pick who they would pick if they were that team, but we don't do that. We align our board vertically by position. Spent all week, 8 am to 5 or 6 in the evening, watching tape of players down in each position group who were in clumps. We feel VERY good about our board vertically, now we will align it horizontally.

JH: How many on your board?

MH: 200+

JH: I have heard that this year, Denver had so many more people than when McDaniels was doing picking (on their board)... So you have virtually everyone available on there at some point?

MH: No, not at all. Our board is in the bottom third in number of prospects ranked. Some go for 350-400 guys... Some go in the 100 range.

JH: Strictly listed by ability? Would fan excitement or ticket sales come into the equation at all?

MH: Strictly talent. Strictly as a football player and how he wins you games.

JH: Do you watch any outisde television like the John Gruden QB Camp show?

MH: What happens is... I try not to, but sometimes you'll see snippets of things but I did not watch the whole segment but at this point you get away and try to make sure that you don't overload as far as information goes and opinion overload. Everybody has got opinions but you just have to sort through it and make sure the decision you're making for the right reason.

JH: Gruden thing... run through all these scenarios, work these guys out... Gives you 1 on 1 and a chance... But if you see, say, Cam Newton interact with Gruden and watch him map out plays and see him map out plays if only to see how he reacts to sitting in a room with a former coach... Knowing he's on TV... You don't find any value in that?

MH: The fact is you've been in the room with Cam Newton when he's been in the room with current football coaches and I'd rather draw my opinions from personal opinions. You always watch stuff... Impossible not to look at 'em... but I think you have to... there's so much information overload... form your own opinion with your own research.

JH: How much concern is there about over-prepareing... Keep it simple stupid... Afraid you might talk yourself out of something?

MH: A lot of people would think you're talking to me when you say "stupid"... It all starts by what you envision your football team doing, what personality, how you win games (hmm). We go down the traits we want at each position, what we want our strengths to be, how we're going to win football games. Listen to evaluators, listen to scouts as these guys as player. What I have to do is who is the best fit at each pick.

JH: Have you gotten any offers for the first the first pick?

MH: *Hurney trips over words a bit here, was hard to tell exactly what he said the first time around, will edit when the podcast is up* There haven't been a lot of talk for the first pick. (was the jist of it, need to re-listen to get exact words)

JH: Do you expect any?

MH: Houston said they were taking Carr in Feb yet we got NO calls despite being #2...

JH: Now with CBA, players out of equation, must be only draft picks. Correct?

MH: Yes.

JH: Does that limit you?

MH: To some extent but most draft day deals are for draft picks.

JH: Yasinkas says Hurney called Yasinkas to do an interview a week out from the draft... and says he has his own radio show on the station Yasinkas used to come in on on a weekly basis! Would it have killed you to say John Hancock?!

PY: I did link to your homepage!

JH: How you been?

PY: Great, this is like the coolest thing ever... For the last 11-12 years, I've been calling Marty to ask HIM for interviews! I'm all excited and ready to go!

JH: Say hello to Marty!

PY: Hi Marty, got the headphones on yet?

JH: You said no calls yet, who do you think they're taking?

PY: Cam Newton... think they're leaning that way.

JH: Is that from Marty Hurney

PY: No... But sources everywhere else... In a division with 3 young quarterbacks, guy at #1 who could be a franchise quarterback.

JH: You been listening to Pat, Marty?

MH: I did... I did... You talk about the game has changed, and it really has over recent years... How do you see the quarterback position as a whole panning out over the first 1-2 rounds?

PY: Not bad, if Andrew Luck had come out it'd be better, but I think you got some good quarterbacks... I think Cam can be your franchise guy... Gabbert can be pretty close to that... Locker is good... Guys I like later on, Dalton, and the guy I really like... Pat Devlin out of Delaware... I think went the route to transfer... won't go in the 1, 2nd, or 3rd... Guy who can be solid. Pretty deep quarterback class... Even if you don't take Cam, there's Pet Devlin in the 4th or 5th round!

JH: Is it your advice... Would you trade down if the Panthers could trade down?

PY: I'd consider it... I'd certainly listen to anything anyone had to offer... IT would have to be pretty darn good... Have to be a package of a couple picks and you wouldn't want to drop too far down because I think there's a certain point in the draft where there is a drop off... I know Marty and Ron have looked at 7 or 8 possibilities with the #1, and I think the dropoff line is around 8 or 10 guys where there is a pretty good dropoff in talent level of overall players... I wouldn't go out of the top 10... I'd try to stay in the middle of the top 10, around 5 or 6... as low as I'd go...

MH: Pat you cover our division. Why don't you fill our listeners in on what the needs are of the other teams?

PY: All others are very similar... All have quarterbacks... You guys looking are at one... They are looking at dealing with those quarterbacks and the way to shut one down is to put pressure on them... Looking at DEs primarily but the fact they're picking from 20 on down means they might be limited on pass rushing defensive ends but they may look at some LBs to rush... Pass rushing DE is top need... Atlanta also needs a WR... One of the early rounds will be a WR... NO needs outside LB because Fajita left... And running back.. Ingram could be there at 24, and Ingram is a guy who is a lot more complete than what they have so I could see that as a possibility... TB...beyond pass rusher, have to look at safety and cornerback... Got good players but have some uncertainty with Talib's legal issues and Denard Jackson has been suspended and is not eligible to apply for reinstatement until Sept. 23rd... Have to look very hard at defensive backs.

JH: You're obviously drinking Cam Newton koolaid. What do you think about Clausen?

PY: Jimmy is a guy who it is very difficult to say he is NOT a legit NFL quarterback.. Can't judge him on last season, a lot of things going on, and there were a lot of thigns going on with the coaching situation and I think Jimmy got thrown into a rough spot and didn't have a chance to show what he can do... People around the NFL, not JUST Marty Hurney who think that Clausen can still be a quarterback in the NFL... But because of the uncertainty of last year, can't put all the eggs in your Jimmy Clausen basket...

JH: How big do the other 3 QBs have to d owith Cam Newton being the pick?

PY: I think it's a lot... Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman... Josh Freeman and Matt Ryan around for then ext decade, and if you gotta compete with that you need a franchise guy of your own... Defense is nice to slow them down but you need an offense to score on them... That plays into the thinking of an outside perspective and probably an inside perspective...

Show is on Wednesday next week.

[mav1234]

Pat sounds convinced we're taking Newton but listening to Hurney, man he gives you no indication other than the "yeah the league has changed" but then follows it up with a "tell us about how much depth there is in this class"

[CarolinaNut]

thx for the write-up mav...yasinkas and joseph person both seem pretty confident the pick is gonna be newton...i asked person in his chat the other day if it was more his gut feeling that newton would be the pick or if he was getting a vibe from people within the organization and he said it was both...still doesn't mean anything but i believe newton is gonna be the pick until i hear otherwise

[Bj-Monster23]

Sounds to me like marty isnt tipping his hand at all. But if you really think about it if they can get a really good offer they will trade out but if not they are locked in at picking number 1.

[Jackofalltrades]

Someone rep for me, I'll get you when I can for that great recap, thanks a ton!

[TheRealDeal]

Already got him

[mav1234]

Does anyone know if a non-QB pick at #1 has ever been announced prior to the draft? Wondering if next week's show Hurney may give us something, since it'll be on a day from the draft (doubt he will but you never know!)

[Jackofalltrades]

Does anyone know if a non-QB pick at #1 has ever been announced prior to the draft? Wondering if next week's show Hurney may give us something, since it'll be on a day from the draft (doubt he will but you never know!)

Texans were rumored to be on contract talks predraft with Mario Williams if I remember correctly.

[markbm62]

jake long and mario williams

[Lout]

Texans were rumored to be on contract talks predraft with Mario Williams if I remember correctly.

Yes it was the night before the draft.

[mav1234]

with the CBA possibly being pushed into place on Monday we may hear something before draft time then :) really hope so

[Tarheels23]

This interview really got me feeling like they're taking Cam. Especially when Pat came on! I would say Pat has more of a inside scoop than Steve, Darin, or Peter.