FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 23rd, 2020

JORDAN LOVE & CEEDEE LAMB ON TONIGHT’S DRAFT; COACHES LINCOLN RILEY, DAVID SHAW & KIRBY SMART ON PROSPECTS — QUOTES FROM TODAY’S EPISODES OF LUNCH TALK LIVE WITH MIKE TIRICO AND THE RICH EISEN SHOW ON NBCSN

“I’ve almost talked to everybody, but within this past month I’d say 10 teams.” – Utah St. QB Jordan Love on teams he has spoken with in the pre-Draft process

“I’d have a tough time passing up Tua.” – Stanford coach David Shaw on selecting Tua Tagovailoa over Joe Burrow if Tua had no injuries

“He’s one of the most elite after-the-catch receivers in college that I’ve ever seen.” – Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley on Sooners WR CeeDee Lamb

 “I think Tua drops…Tua is the big domino in this Draft.” – Chris Simms on Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa in tonight’s Draft

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 23, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

    • Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley
    • Georgia football coach Kirby Smart
    • NBC Sports football analyst Chris Simms
    • Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio
    • NFL Network commentator and host of The Rich Eisen Show Rich Eisen

 

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

    • Prospect and former Utah St. QB Jordan Love
    • Prospect and former Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb
    • Stanford football coach David Shaw
    • Actor and Chiefs fan Eric Stonestreet

 

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Lincoln Riley on having quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray go first overall in the past two NFL Drafts: “As a coach, that’s something you dream of and to have that with back-to-back guys is pretty cool.”

Riley on Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts: “He was incredibly impressive. Really unprecedented what he’s done — starting at two powerhouse college programs.…The best football of his career is still out there…It’s exciting to see what his ceiling might look like.”

Riley on Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb: “He’s an explosive player…He loves football, works his tail off every single day…He’s one of the most elite after-the-catch receivers in college that I’ve ever seen.”

Kirby Smart on Georgia QB Jake Fromm: “A lot of poise and patience…He does everything the right way.”

Smart on the challenges facing his team during COVID-19: “Not being able to be hands-on with the team, it’s such a unique experience…Rip three things away from them (food, ability to exercise and academic support), it’s hard for us to monitor…I worry about their routines.”

Chris Simms on Tua Tagovailoa’s draft position in tonight’s NFL Draft: “I think Tua drops…Tua is the big domino in this Draft. Where will he fall and what happens?…He is the big question mark of the draft.”

Simms on the Dolphins’ Draft plans: “They are holding the keys to night one of the Draft…It’s a very real possibility that with that first first-round pick (No. 5), the Dolphins don’t pick a quarterback.”

Simms on CeeDee Lamb: “CeeDee Lamb is the slam dunk, number one guy. There is no weakness to his football game…He’s the surefire, can’t miss superstar prospect at the wide receiver position.”

Simms on LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire: “He’s the most talented running back in this Draft. His route running is special out of the backfield. It’s like Christian McCaffrey…He’s got power between the tackles like a Mark Ingram or Ray Rice and the quickness of a Darren Sproles or Barry Sanders…His skill set really fits the modern-day NFL.”

Mike Florio on tonight’s NFL Draft: “It has given sports fans something to look forward to and be engrossed in.”

Florio on concerns surrounding the Draft: “There will be a lot of hot microphones. There’s a concern that someone is going to say something they shouldn’t say…There needs to be a sensitivity to the idea that anything you say can and will be used against you, so you better be careful what comes out of your mouth.”

Florio on the Dolphins potentially trading for the Bengals’ No. 1 overall pick: “I think (Dolphins owner Stephen) Ross is going to do everything he can to make it happen. Whether it does or doesn’t — it’s still a longshot — but he’s going to do what he has to do to make it happen.”

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

CeeDee Lamb on what he’ll bring to an NFL team: “Great competitive nature, loyalty to the team and I’m always going to be respectful.”

Lamb on what being drafted tonight will mean to him: “It will mean the world. I’m going to have the opportunity to play with the best of the best.”

Jordan Love on how many teams he’s spoken to leading up to the Draft: “I’ve almost talked to everybody, but within this past month I’d say 10 teams.”

Love on his response when teams ask him about his college statistics: “There’s a lot about this last season. My numbers were very different than the 2018 season…My answer is that I was trying to do too much out on the field. Trying to force some balls that didn’t need to be thrown, trying to make every play when we didn’t need it.”

Love on one thing about his evaluation that is unfair: “That I’m not smart enough to play in the NFL, breakdown defenses and learn an NFL (offense) based on the offense I played at Utah State.”

Love on people comparing him to Patrick Mahomes: “That’s a huge comparison. I’m not saying I’m worthy of that comparison. He’s a fantastic player. I love watching him, but it is what it is. They’re going to compare me to whoever they want to compare me to. I don’t have an opinion on that. I play how I play.”

Love on who he’s modeled his game after: “The main one I grew up watching was Michael Vick. Love watching him. Had the shoes growing up, so that was a huge part. But me, I watch everyone — Peyton Manning, Brett Favre. Trying to take bits and pieces of their game.”

David Shaw on Tua Tagovailoa’s draft stock: “Every team has to find out what risk they want to take. It’s really tough to say, if you believe there is any chance he is truly not healthy enough to compete year one, that you’ll draft him that high. But if you say, long-term wise, he’s going to be the guy…If he’s not 100% year one, but ready to go year two and be our franchise guy, then you won’t hesitate.”

Shaw on whether he’d select Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa if Tua had no injuries: “I’d have a tough time passing up Tua.”

Shaw on reports that Miami is trying to trade up for Cincinnati’s No. 1 pick: “From my nine years in the NFL and doing this with you all for so long, it’s never worth it. You end up with a great player with no one to put around him.”

Shaw on Justin Herbert: “Every single box is checked. Size, athletic ability, arm strength. He’s streaky accuracy-wise. The guy can make some special, special plays.”

Shaw on his top WRs in this year’s Draft: “I love Jerry Jeudy because I love guys that can run routes and run every route in the book….And I’d look at his teammate (Henry) Ruggs also…You have to account for him, because he can score from any place on every single play. That to me would be the discussion between those two guys because they are both game changers.”

Eric Stonestreet, an avid Chiefs fan, on Kansas City: “I love our draft right now because of the volatility of the board. First of all, not knowing who’s going to go, where they’re going to go…Who knows who’s going to be available at No. 32.”

Stonestreet on Andy Reid: “He truly is everything you hear the players and personnel say about him. He really is an all-world guy.”

Stonestreet on advice he gave NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about tonight’s Draft: “I told him, ‘Look man, you gotta just embrace it. Just embrace that you’re in your basement’…He’s a funny guy, he’s got a great sense of humor. He’s a kind individual to people around him. I don’t know what it will mean for him to embrace his environment, but I suggested sweat pants and flip flops.”

–NBC SPORTS–