I listened to it twice, and lol just now a third time.
Love and Tate are the only two offensive players who would be in consideration for "him" at 7 -- yeah, of course. So you seem to be hanging on to that point. But I didn't take that as a key point, that's him stating the obvious.
To quote him on the podcast " As to Carnell Tate at 7 "honestly, I don't think that's where they would go." And then talked about some of his flaws. Talked about their need for a WR, then goes "you don't just take him because you need him...that's not the way to go. Then he gives a counter point, if you are sold, then that's different. That lol, doesn't feel like he thinks they are hot for Tate at 7 but its still possible albiet unlikely they take him if you factor his other points including other podcasts.
When I talk about decoding Keim speak, and lol I risk being made fun of responding to you on this point -- its how he talks. He doesn't report stuff generally, he gives hints but doesn't typically hit them hard. Saying honestly I don't think that's where they would go -- in Keim terms is pretty hard.
He also goes you can possibly trade back and get Tate, or Lemon, or Tyson. Those are the three mentions in a trade back.
None of this is inconsistent with anything I've said in the last day or two, piecing together different Keim podcasts and the article on ESPN from a week ago
Tier 1: Love, Styles, Delane
Tier 2: Tate, Downs, Bain (maybe Tyson-Lemon)
if they trade down a little that Tier 2 is in play. If Love, Styles and Delane are gone, tier 2 in play at 7.
Does it make it gospel? Nope. But some of it overlaps national insider takes. And Keim's nuggets are generally at least in the ballpark correct. Will see. Also sometimes info-gossip shifts the week of the draft so I'd feel much more comfortable riding with theories whether its Keim, Schefter or whomever next week versus this one.
Here's as close to I can come to a word for word translation of Keim speak because he really stutters and stumbles a lot. Not easy to translate. And I can only type so fast so accurately, and I didn't have 2 devices where I could use talk to text. So here goes, this is the section on Tate basically word for word:
"Canell Tate at 7, he would make sense.
Honestly, I don't think that's where they would go. But if they went there, clearly it would make sense, because you need a guy, I know he ran a 4.53, but he has good size, great tracking ability, very good route runner, very strong hands.
The question I would have for him, and I talked about this with Logan, is getting off the line of scrimmage, consistently against press coverage. Did we see that enough in college, 'cause if you're going to be a #1, you're going to have to do that in the NFL. And if you want to elevate him to a #1 because of McLaurin's contract IF something happens, then you better be able to do that.
I think he can help you. But is it going at #7, well in this case you're going to take a receiver because you need a guy.
I'm going to contradict myself here.
You don't just take him because you need him. You take him because you like him, you love him more than anybody else. Because there are guys there that if you don't love the guy, you're not taking the receiver because oh, we need a #2, so we gotta take him, that's not the way to go. Take the guy you think can make the biggest impact. As Adam Peters said, "impact now, impact down the road." So, but
if you think Carnell Tate, you think he can do that, you take him. (lots of stumbling).
Because he is the best player available at a position of need if that's how you view it.
It's also possible you could trade back a few spots and get POTENTIALLY either him or one of the other receivers, either him or Lemon, Jordan Tyson, [stuff about other receivers]. But there is an absolute need for a receiver, so
if you go there at 7, and that's your guy, then you take him, and say good, problem solved. And then if you sign Aiyuk, now you're even stronger. "
** Translation stopped at the 6:12 left to go mark of the podcast.
That's the full quote.
I bolded pieces of the quote which I find significantly relevant.
I get that he started the segment with "Honestly, I don't think that's where they would go." HOWEVER, I'd also like to point out, he said, "I'm going to contradict myself." And then started talking about why they might take Tate. He literally, in a 2 minute span said "I don't think that's where they would go." and "I'm going to contradict myself." So he said BOTH he thought it was unlikely AND gave the case for why they might take Tate. Which is, for the record, EXACTLY what he should do. He's covering both sides of the discussion. Kudos to him.
At the end he said there were only 2 offensive prospects, Love and Tate. Clearly he feels (and I think literally every other scout/reporter/Schefter, literally everybody has said this) Love is higher on their board than Tate, and he might be the #1 prospect on their board, who knows.
And I say none of this to slam Keim. I found it to be a really good listen. And I've been reading and listening to Keim for probably 20+ years. I kindof know his style also.
I think in this case, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you want to read the first "Honestly, I don't think they would go that way" in terms of he's heard something definitive, I have literally no issue with that at all.
If you want to read it as he just presented both sides of the argument and gave his personal opinion, unverified by the team (that's my read), then that's fine too.
I personally don't think that segment really indicated what the team thought, either way. If he sortof knew or had a strong feeling on what they were going to do, I don't think he would have added the "I'm going to contradict myself" and then all of the reasons why they would take Tate.
My $.02. I think you can read this any way you want to.
My read is Tate is absolutely still in play depending on what happens above them. But certainly not a sure thing. And if Styles or Delane are there, maybe they pick one and not Tate. Or, maybe not.
And I don't think Keim was trying to be "right" in this case. And I think at the end, regardless of the way they go, if you listen to that segment, I could make an argument he was "right" whether they end up taking Tate or not taking Tate. Which is totally fine.
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