Welcome to the Athletic Football Show.

I'm Robert Mays.

The 2025 draft is in the books, and we are here to wrap up our analysis of that draft

class.

I do a show every year.

I've written this piece in some form going all the way back to the ringer.

I mean, it's probably been like a decade since I've done this.

I've always enjoyed doing it. When we're going into the draft, teams can tell you whatever

they want about their plans, about their roster. There's a lot of cloak and dagger stuff. There's a lot

of subterfuge. After the draft happens, there's nowhere to hide. We know what teams think about themselves,

about certain position groups, about certain talent levels, about areas they needed to hide. We know what teams think about themselves, about certain position groups,

about certain talent levels, about areas they needed to address. And so each year, I always enjoy

looking at the draft and trying to decipher the messages that teams sent us because of their

draft process. Last year, we did that show with Field Yates from ESPN, who now is a full-time draft analyst there or doing the draft more than he was previously, I guess I would say. Field wears a ton of hats at ESPN. He's a very talented man. But Field joined us for that show last year, and he's back to do it again with us this year. It's a show I look forward to every year. I've been really looking forward to doing this again with him. So let's get

to that discussion, that exercise, what messages teams sent us in the 2025 draft with Field Yates

right now.

There are some shows that you do that you like so much that you just have to run them back the next year.

And so last year after the 2024 draft, the first show we did out of that weekend was me and Field Yates from ESPN discussing the messages that teams sent to us with their draft classes.

I always like doing this because before the draft, teams can lie.

They can lie pretty easily. After the draft, it's a little bit harder. Their intentions are clear. So here to help me run through the same exercise we did that this time last year, it is Field Yates from ESPN. So good to have you back, buddy. How you feeling after a very long weekend? feeling great you You know, it's funny. I was I was joking with you over text. You were like,

man, you must be white from a handful of days in Green Bay. And I responded, you know, I came back to two children. So I actually, when I go to Green Bay or anywhere that's not my location in Connecticut, I actually feel like I get some rest. So despite the nonstop activity for five days and the incredibly unhealthy eating habits

that I adopted during the draft, we are feeling good right now.

...