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A comprehensive analysis of the 31st pick in the history of the NFL draft reveals significant insights into its evolution over the past 90 drafts. The discussion, anchored by the esteemed Ed Cleese and Darren, delves into the notable transitions of pick number 31, which has oscillated between second-round selections and recent first-round prominence. The episode meticulously explores the demographics of players selected at this position, highlighting a notable trend where running backs and offensive tackles dominate the selection history, with twelve players each drafted in these categories. The episode further contextualizes this data within the broader framework of the NFL draft's history, providing listeners with a nuanced understanding of the strategic importance of pick 31. As the speakers navigate through the statistics, they draw attention to the lack of impact players in recent years, with few selections yielding substantial contributions to their respective teams. This analytical approach not only enriches the listener's appreciation of the draft's complexity but also underscores the often-overlooked narratives that shape the careers of these athletes.

Mentioned in this episode:

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You're at the right place.

Ed, welcome back to the Pig Pen.

Thanks for having me, Darin.

That definitely Ed. We're glad to have you here and we had a great conversation yesterday about the history of pick 32.

If you missed that, go into the show notes and you can catch that one and get caught up with that. What we talked about and now talking about pick number 32, it's you know, coming up last. I'm sorry, pick number 31.

Yeah, we, we have two hall of Famers that came out of this draft in the first 90 years of the draft and it's got the most popular pick in this draft has been running backs and offensive tackles, 12 each drafted at pick number 31 over the years. What do you have to say about the history of pick 31?

Just like we talked about a little bit yesterday, you know, this is another one of those picks that for about half of the drafts was the second round pick and more rename more than half of the Drafts was the second round pick and, and more recently the last 25 years or so has been become a first round pick with more teams.

The very first thing that stood out is again because you know I'm going back to, you're going back to the beginning of the draft for some of your numbers.

Yeah, there has been very few quarterbacks actually I don't see any quarterbacks have been taken in this Traffic pick number 31. So that's, that's really an odd, odd place. You think at least somebody would want a quarterback in that?

Yeah, it's, it's kind of, it was kind of weird to me too, especially because on, on pick number 32, we had some, some fairly notable quarterbacks. There's a few other notable names that did not make my top five that I think are at least worth mentioning.

Really.

His rookie year, he flamed out quickly, but he was a really fun player with the icky shuffle.

Unfortunately, career got totally derailed by injuries fairly early and unfortunately we just got the news, I think about a week or a couple a little while ago that he passed away at a very young age. He had become a coach and a teacher and a mentor, but he was, and for a very brief period was a really, really good offensive lineman in the league.

Yeah, that's, that's a very tragic thing for such a young man with a lot life left to live to lose his life. So. Yeah, definitely glad you mentioned him on there. All right.

Something that we talked about yesterday is, you know, pick 31 hasn't always been a first round pick, but it gets a little bit more even. Yesterday was a little bit more dramatic.

The second round was more popular for 32, but for 31 there's been 28 first round times it's been a first round pick and 32 that it's been a second round pick. And you know that it was third and fourth back before the merger and things like that, so. But you have a top five for us today?

The reason, you know, he had a very brief burst the mid-90s. That 95, 96. I believe Jeff Blake was the quarterback for those years. He, Pickens led the league in touchdowns one year.

He had 199 receptions combined over a two year span. And then he was just kind of okay for a couple years. Then he was gone. So a nice career.

Looked like he might be a superstar and then just kind of faded from there. But, but, but good enough to make my list.

Yeah, I definitely, I think that's a great, great pick there, I think. But he might have had Boomer Siason for a year or two.

I don't know. I can't remember. I know Boomer came back. You know, he left the Bengals. I believe he came back. I cannot remember then.

The 90s Bengals were pretty forgettable. So I can't. A lot of it, a lot of it runs together and I'm not sure what year but, but he did have a couple massive years on a couple bad teams.

Yeah. Okay, so who'd you have a number four.

Number four. Another guy who kind of flamed out. It looked like he was going to be on his way to the hall of Fame.

He'd be like he, he was just like he was a guy and then all of a sudden people said hey, this might be one of the best corners in the league.

If you recall, he, he signed a massive free agent deal with the Eagles and it was like cover of Sports Illustrated I think or some other like it was like a big deal. And he did fine for the Eagles for a year or two and then just kind of faded out.

And he is an actor now and he has a couple of upcoming shows on both Netflix and Apple plus, if you are, if you desire to find out what, miss what, what Mr. Asamo is doing now, you'll be able to stream him very soon.

Yeah. Or you can watch him play football where he played a very high level in his good years.

So there you get that out back on the NFL and other things like that. So okay, who's your third pick?

Probably one of the best centers in the NFL in the past 25 that last quarter century, at least. Get this, man. The dude made three straight all pro teams now. That is awesome. That's. And you know, obviously in center, there's one right?

There's not two guards. Two, there's one center. So, you know, for his career, he was considered basically the best center in the NFL. Almost every year he had that.

I think I'm pronouncing it correct. The Gilliam Barr syndrome. It's a muscle disease that kept him out of one season. He came back and played another season.

I believe he made the Pro bowl in that season and then had to retire. It's potentially pretty dangerous. I think he's. From what I can understand, he's doing fine now. He just was not able to play football anymore.

But that guy was headed to Canton for sure. He probably does not have enough years under his belt to get there, but he was on his way.

Yeah, I remember him playing, but yeah, it's unfortunate he had that disease. Okay, so who do you have above him?

I think most of us are going to remember him from the Panthers, but he is in the top 10 all time in both receptions and yards for a tight end. And that is big time. I mean, in the history of the NFL, you, you've got, you know, top 10 and two massive categories.

He played all 16 games, Darren, nine years in a row, so at a pretty physical position where you're blocking in and receiving.

So nine years in a row, he played every game and he was on some very good Panthers teams, highly competitive, played in the super bowl, even had a couple of decent years there. At the end of his career with the C Seahawks, I would say maybe like a sneaky Canton resume at least can should be in the argument probably.

And now I realize that he is now the number two analyst for Fox, but he's really the best. He is really good, I think so. He's got a real bright post career future here and doing what he's doing now as well.

So he's going to be a guy that's going to be in your football life probably for quite a while.

Yeah, most definitely. All right, I, I think I probably know the answer to this, but who do you have at number one?

First of all, he's got to be one of the more likable guys in the league, one of the better leaders, one of the more vocal players. Just, just a real. He's very impressive. But then this is impressive too. He's been extremely durable.

He went to six straight Pro Bowls, 92 sacks and, and that's a lot of sacks for a guy that plays interior also. So I don't think he has a Hall of Fame resume. I think at this point, he is a Hall of Fame lock.

Yeah, I, I think you're right there. He's headed that way. And it's amazing.

Ironhead would be proud.

Yeah, definitely would. Definitely would. All right, those are some really solid picks, I think one that maybe, maybe escaped a little bit.

I don't think you mentioned them earlier. How about Todd Heap, tight end for, for Baltimore for many years in Arizona. He had a couple of Pro bowl seasons and some very good seasons.

Ended up having 499 receptions, 42 TDs over 12 year span. So not too bad for a tight end.

Yeah, I kind of, I looked at him. I didn't have him in the list. Maybe I should have mentioned him with the other honorable mention types. Yeah, nice career for Heat, for sure.

Yeah. And I, I mentioned earlier we had two hall of Famers, and these are go in the wayback machine.

Another great player, defensive tackle that had a very good career, now has a bust in Canton. So those are our, our two hall of Famers at pick 31.

Yeah, and it's been a while since we've had it. Like I said, Hayward's gonna go. I don't think anybody else is.

So pick pick number 31 is, is ripe for the picking if somebody wants to have a big career.

Most definitely. All right, are you ready for our draft stat of the day that we're

doing here I was impressed with with number 32. So let's see if you can beat it with number 31.

Okay, so this is interesting from a coaching standpoint. Talking about the first round of the draft now.

Thanks to Caleb Williams selection, USC head coach Lincoln Riley became the first college coach in common draft era to produce three number one overall picks.

Excellent.

Yes. So fun.

You know where they all went, right?

Where they went to school. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think you probably got that on your hat there too. I've got a beer mug up in front of me. Same school on it.

Nice.

All right, Ed. Well, I think that wraps up our pick 31 night, 31 days before the draft.

See you tomorrow.

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