The Rams are testing Ty Simpson's COMMAND of the offense at mini camp! - Jeremy Fowler | SC

0:00 Jeremy Fowler, our senior NFL writer, is with us.

0:02 I didn't come up with the studio move, but I think it's great.

0:06 Are the Raiders silver and back?

0:08 Oh,

0:08 number one overall pick.

0:09 You wrote that cuz I did.

0:10 I didn't.

0:11 Fernando Mendoza is going to be back on the field

0:12 today for the Raiders at rookie mini camp.

0:15 Jeremy, what will Las Vegas and this coaching

0:17 staff be focusing on with him during this practice?

0:20 Yeah, Randy, the big thing is under center.

0:21 How much can he handle with the play action, all that fun stuff?

0:24 Cuz he didn't do a lot of that in Indiana.

0:26 But talking to people with the Raiders,

0:27 they say he's been ahead of schedule with all that pre-draft.

0:30 He was awesome asking a ton of questions, really intentional.

0:33 So, they feel like he's going to come in completely ready to do that.

0:36 Also, Randy, the Fernando Mendoza charm factor

0:39 is on full display in the Raiders building.

0:41 He was there for his press conference,

0:42 and I was told he was sending text messages afterward

0:44 to people like in different departments just to say thank you.

0:47 So, he's breathing some new life into that building right now.

0:51 He's networking.

0:52 He already is.

0:53 He's he's LinkedIn.

0:54 He's got the LinkedIn app.

0:55 I really really hope he updates his LinkedIn

0:57 today with orientation at work went great today,

0:59 you know, after getting under center.

1:00 As for the second quarterback taken in the draft,

1:03 it was Tai Simpson, 13th overall at Rams rookie camp next weekend.

1:07 What can you tell us about the team's plans for Simpson this off seasonason?

1:10 So, G, I checked with somebody with the team about Rams mini camp.

1:13 What do they want to see from Simpson?

1:14 They said just command of the operation, ability to adjust, process information,

1:19 those aspects are going to be his superpowers with the Rams.

1:22 He's not the huge Matthew Stafford arm.

1:24 He wins mentally, so that's why they like him.

1:27 Lesne, the GM, told me he likes Simpson's central nervous system.

1:31 He just has the ability to figure out the game with his mind.

1:35 So, they want to see that on a full display.

1:36 Also, they have a second round tight end,

1:37 Max Claire, who's trying to crack the lineup.

1:39 I'm told he's expected to play this year, not only this year,

1:41 but could be one of their top tight ends in 2027.

1:44 So, they want to build a rapport between Claire and Simpson.

1:46 Come on.

1:47 Okay, listen.

1:47 They've already established a tight end position

1:49 last season is impactful with Matthew Stafford.

1:52 We'll see what they do moving forward.

1:53 Jeremy Fowler with the very latest for us.

1:55 NFL teams holding rookie mini camp this weekend.

1:57 Raiders are one of them with number one pick

1:59 Fernando Mendoza taking the field for the first time.

2:02 And it looks like a perfect morning in Las Vegas.

2:04 We say hello to our Raiders reporter Ryan McFaden.

2:07 Ryan, what kind of action can we expect for Mendoza at his mini camp today?

2:14 Yeah, Phil.

2:15 During Fernando Mendoza's second official practice as an NFL player,

2:18 I'm anticipating at least 30 other rookies involved.

2:21 And Mendoza is going to go through individual drills.

2:23 Maybe

2:23 head coach Clint Kubak, an offensive mind likes to run this West Coast style.

2:28 How has Mendoza been prepping for that thus far?

2:32 Yeah, the West Coast offense is different

2:33 from what he's accustomed to from the college level,

2:35 operating mostly in a shotgun formation, but ahead of the draft,

2:38 he reached out to former NFL quarterback Brian Greasie,

2:41 and the two of them went over under center concepts and the West Coast offense,

2:44 so that whenever his number is called,

2:46 whether it's in September or October or whenever, he'd be comfortable.

2:50 He'd be comfortable and ready to go.

2:52 Yes, the Raiders team nowhere to go but up.

2:54 They had 14 losses last season, tied a franchise record in this team looking

2:58 for its first playoff win since Rich Ganon era 2002.

3:02 Ryan McFaden, thanks so much for joining us here on Sports Center.

3:09 Phil, former Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia became the first Heisman

3:12 Trophy finalist to go undrafted in over a decade this year.

3:15 He ended up signing a three-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens

3:18 and will attend the team's rookie camp to earn himself a roster spot.

3:21 Pavia was one of the most productive and efficient quarterbacks

3:25 in the country in leading Vanderbilt to a 10 and3 record,

3:28 the first double digit win season in school history.

3:32 We now welcome in Ravens reporter Jameson Hensley from Ravens Rookie Camp,

3:36 the place where he says they call it the castle.

3:39 Uh Jameson, what are the Ravens saying about Diego Pavia?

3:44 Yeah, let's just say New Ravens head coach Jesse Menter probably got

3:48 one of the most detailed scouting reports there is on Diego Pavia.

3:52 That's because one of Mentor's closest friends is Vanderbilt coach Clark Lee.

3:57 And Mtor called Pavia a force multiplier because he

4:01 makes everybody in this building better with his work ethic.

4:04 And Ravens general manager Eric Dcasta loves Pavia's fire and grit.

4:10 And in watching film on Pavia,

4:13 Dcasta said it was ridiculous with what he was able to do

4:16 out there on the fil out out there on the field.

4:19 And Dcasta absolutely loves that Pavia led Vanderbilt

4:23 to that 10 and3 record because as you said,

4:25 it's the first time Vanderbilt has ever

4:26 had double digits in their entire school history.

4:29 So the Ravens are certainly intrigued with what Pavia can do at this next level.

4:34 So what are the chances that Pavia actually makes the Ravens roster?

4:40 Yeah, it's an open competition at this point

4:43 for that number three quarterback job.

4:45 And how Pavia performs at this Ravens rookie mini camp will go

4:49 a long way in determining how long he sticks here in Baltimore.

4:53 And the Ravens are certainly not handing that spot over to Pavia.

4:57 The Ravens signed Yukon quarterback Joe Fagnano.

5:00 And the reason that they signed both quarterbacks this week is because they

5:04 want both to be on equal footing in this rookie mini camp competition.

5:08 And from what I'm told, all options are open.

5:11 They could keep both quarterbacks going forward.

5:13 They could cut one, or they could release both.

5:16 But Pavia, he should fit very well in this Ravens quarterback room

5:20 because he's a dual threat quarterback

5:22 just like Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley.

5:24 Yeah.

5:24 And his numbers in college reflected that.

5:27 Pavia threw for 29 touchdowns and had

5:29 just eight interceptions at Vandy last season.

5:32 And he also ran for 10 touchdowns.

5:34 Jameson, thank you.

5:36 The Cowboys rookie mini camp opens this weekend.

5:38 Dallas had two first round selections at 11.

5:41 They drafted former Ohio State safety Caleb DS.

5:43 ESPN analytics draft predictor said there was just

5:46 a 12% chance downs would be available at 11.

5:49 DS should help a Cowboys defense that allowed the most

5:52 25 yd plus completions last season in the NFL.

5:57 Cowboys reporter Todd Archer joins us now on Sports Center.

6:01 Hey, Todd.

6:01 I don't know, maybe you limit the 25 yard catches.

6:03 You can improve on being dead last and scoring.

6:05 What kind of vision does new defensive coordinator

6:07 Christian Parker have for downs in this defense?

6:12 Yeah, they view him as the ultimate chess piece.

6:15 He can play in the slot.

6:16 He can play deep safety.

6:18 He can play box safety.

6:19 He can uh blitz.

6:21 He can set the edge.

6:22 All these different things.

6:23 And Parker saying he has premium instincts.

6:26 He's a natural football player.

6:27 He said he'd be the number one player

6:29 picked in any difference maker at Ohio State.

6:33 And downs for his part, he says he's looking forward to this challenge.

6:35 He wants to know everything there is to know about this defense.

6:38 And in some ways, Phil, this is reminiscent of what the Cowboys with Darren

6:41 Woodson in the 90s when they're winning Super Bowls,

6:43 drafted as a safety, played slot, lining up against receivers, blitzed.

6:48 Woodson became a Ring of Honor member, Hall of Fame finalist,

6:51 and DS has similar feelings of his career.

6:53 He said his goal wasn't just to get drafted.

6:56 going to say that's a hell of a name to put on that young man's plate,

6:58 but he has a toutelage going from Tuscaloosa to Columbus and at Ohio

7:01 State in two years allowed zero touchdowns as a primary defender.

7:05 Todd, the Cowboys also took edge rusher out of UCF, Malachi Lawrence at 23.

7:10 How was Parker feeling about the pieces he has in year one as DC?

7:16 First, they love Lawrence uh his athletic ability,

7:19 his ability to chase things down.

7:21 When you think of the quarterbacks that they have to play in the NFC East,

7:24 that's going to be important.

7:25 But but here's one thing that Parker said his defense won't be.

7:29 It won't be the Eagles defense.

7:30 It won't be Vic Fangio's defense.

7:32 It's going to be quote our defense.

7:34 And certainly this defense is going to look

7:36 a lot different than it did a year ago.

7:39 At least eight different starters for opening day

7:42 this year compared to opening day last year.

7:45 But Parker and you look at what the Cowboys have done through trades.

7:49 Rashawn Gary Dwinners.

7:51 You look at free agency and see Jaylen Thompson

7:53 and then the draft we talked about DS and Lawrence.

7:55 But for Parker, 34 year old guy,

7:57 never called defenses in his life, but from Jerry Jones to Brian Shottnimer,

8:02 they think he is going to be

8:03 the biggest difference maker the Cowboys have in 2026.

8:06 And he's got to love getting the keys.

8:08 They spend two first round picks on defense.

8:10 Last time Dallas did that, 2005.

8:13 Demarcus Lawrence, he's enshrined in Canton.

8:15 And Marcus Spears, I don't know what ever happened to that guy.

8:17 a 10-year career in the NFL before joining us here at ESPN.

8:21 Todd Archer, thank you for joining us here on Sports Center.