Big Play

NFL Draft Talk With Lindsay McCormick

Lindsay McCormick. Photo credit: jeremy lee @germyinsocal; Hair: @hasbladyguzman at @bokaospasadena; Makeup: @lerer.c.

[as originally published on bigplay.com]

This past week I had the pleasure of interviewing football guru Lindsay McCormick to talk some 2016 NFL Draft. Suffice it to say, her mental prowess is second to none and her football I.Q. could rival Madden in his prime. Let’s start by getting to know the woman, the myth, the legend, Lindsay McCormick.

Lindsay McCormick is a sports broadcaster whose career has taken her from hosting the live events for Super Bowl XLIX to guest corresponding for Showtime at the most anticipated fight of the decade- Mayweather vs Pacquiao. She recently hosted the Maxim Super Bowl Party in San Francisco, was a sideline reporter for the quarterfinals of ESPN’s The Basketball Tournament, and in 2013 hit the road with NBC’s “Sunday Night Football as their Social Host.

Lindsay hosted the 2012 NFL Draft for CBS Sports “The Fan” on Comcast SportsNet, and was a panel analyst for “Rip City Live.” She also appeared on ESPN.com’s “Streak for the Cash” and “ESPN College Pick’em,” MtvU’s “The Dean’s List,” and on TopRank.com covering the Timothy Bradley vs Jessie Vargas fight. Now with a Bigplay feature under her belt, she can officially say she has done it all in the world of sports.

Now for the main event, my 2016 NFL Draft interview with Lindsay McCormick.

Alright, let’s start this interview off with a bang. Who, in your opinion, is the biggest question mark in this upcoming NFL Draft?

LM: “If I’m being perfectly honest…the biggest question for me is the quarterback position in general in this draft class. There’s not a stand out or a sure bet in my eyes. I’m just not completely sold on any of them. The NFL Draft I worked for CBS Sports was in 2012 when you had Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, RGIII, Ryan Tannehill, Kirk Cousins, Brock Osweiler – the list went on and on. So you can see why I would be skeptical of this quarterback class where you’ve got a guy like Carson Wentz, who hasn’t faced tough competition, and Paxton Lynch, who didn’t look like a QB I would want leading my team in his play against Auburn. But as we all know, any of these guys could be successful if you get them the right surrounding cast, great weapons and a tough line protecting them.”

Speaking of QBs…the Rams traded the farm for their guy at #1. Who the hell is it, and was this full on panic mode to bring LA fans someone to cheer for not named Case Keenum?

LM: “It’s clear it is a quarterback the Rams are going after. You don’t trade all of THAT away for an offensive tackle. I’ve heard from several people that it’s Jared Goff they are leaning towards, but you know how draft day goes. They could change their minds to Carson Wentz once in the war room. Goff is more NFL ready right now in my mind, but Wentz might have the higher upside. Either way I would keep Case Keenum at all costs, who has been consistent and would make for a great back-up. Plus, he’s a great team player and class act.”

Next up, Carson Wentz. Many have heralded Wentz as being the top QB prospect, while others are skeptical of his potential. Is this guy the real deal? Or, simply another big name we hear about right before the draft that flops at the next level?

LM: “He hasn’t ever faced tough competition. He wasn’t going up against those tough SEC defenses in college. But he moves pretty well, can make all of the throws and has great arm strength. I would put him as the #2 QB in this draft, since he doesn’t have much competition, but teams know they will have to spend some time developing him more and focusing on mental processing and ball security. There have been rumors that Eagles coach Doug Pederson really wants Wentz, so learning behind Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel might be a good fit for him.”

Is RGIII the answer for the Cleveland Browns? They have the number two pick and need some serious help at the QB position. If the Browns take a quarterback, who do you think they draft and why?

LM: “If I had the answer to this I would either have my own psychic show on Bravo or currently be employed by the Cleveland Browns, since they just let six scouts go. Since 1999, they’ve had 24 different quarterbacks. We’ve seen the best in RGIII in his rookie season and we’ve seen the worst. Like I said earlier, no QB in this draft is a sure bet in my mind. We all know that unless you are Tom Brady, offensive line and weapons matter. Cleveland has so many issues as a team, not just QB; they need to do what Oakland did last year and take the best player available at the #2 spot and then go and get a QB with their next pick. That’s the smartest move.”

What made Paxton Lynch soar down the draft board? A Few months prior, he was the top prospect at the position. Now, we could see him falling to the second round. What was Lynch’s downfall?

LM: “His play towards the end of the season and then his play in the Birmingham Bowl against Auburn was less than impressive. He was 16/37 and only threw for 106 yards and 1 INT. He was erratic with his ball placement and judgment, and that was the last game and biggest stage we saw him on, so it’s still fresh on everyone’s mind. That’s why he dropped from the #1 QB pick to the #3 or #4 QB pick.

Are there any franchise changing players in this draft class? Who would you risk it all on? That one player that you just have to trade up on the draft board to acquire.

LM: “There’s not a single player in this draft that I would consider a franchise player like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Von Miller. UCLA LB Myles Jack would be an extremely solid pick, but I wouldn’t consider him to be a franchise player.”

Who is your sleeper pick?

LM: “Myles Jack. They have him going at 7th or 8th, but I would take him with the 2nd or 3rd overall pick. His coverage skills are excellent and he’s fast and can attack runners. He’s easily one of the most talented players in this draft.”

Let’s end this interview with one non-draft question. Where do you see Johnny Manziel in five years?

LM: “Having absolutely nothing to do with the National Football League.”

If you would like to connect with Lindsay on social media follow her via Instagram @lindsaymccormicksports or via Twitter @LindsayM_Sports.