2025 NFL Draft Recap and Analysis, Focus on NY Jets and AFC East
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Release Date: 05/14/2025
S4 E2 NY Jets 2026 NFL Draft Preview - Special Guest Paul "Boy Green" Esden Jr.
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Guest: Paul "Boy Green" Asden Jr., host, Boy Green Daily Podcast and Heavy.com Jets reporter Segment 1: Background/origin of how Paul's Boy Green Daily Podcast came to be (2:20) Segment 2: Jets Off-Season Review, Insights (3:16) Headline: Unexpected family reunion: QB Geno Smith (drafted by Jets, second stint) and LB Demario Davis (third run w/the team) return Team greatly improved on paper, especially on D, especially with new faces on the D line through trades and free agent signings to fix a porous run defense Great personal story of free agent signee CB Nashon Wright (who led the league...
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S4 E1 2026 NFL Off-Season Observations
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1: 2026 Off-Season is Underway, Observations (starts at 0:55) 4 players designated with franchise tags; Daniel Jones later signed a 2-year deal worth up to $100M with the Colts Free agency signings/trades Raiders very busy traded stud edge rusher Maxx Crosby to Ravens for two no. 1 picks...Baltimore canceled after the physical made three major signings quickly, including signing Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum to the richest center contract in NFL history (annual average average) Ravens lost 7 players on first day, apparently weaker on paper pivoted to sign edge rusher Trey Hendrickson...
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S3 E16: Special Guest NFL Great Eugene Robinson on Sam Darnold, suggested NFL rule changes and Frank Reich as Jets new OC
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1: Mr. Robinson's NFL Resume/Career Highlights (Starting at 0:50) Walked on to Colgate University's Football team, had academic scholarship; member, Colgate Wrestling Team (leverage and power needed was a strong background for playing football and tackling techniques) inducted into the Colgate University's Hall of Fame NFL Career 16 seasons: 250 games played, 232 started 57 Career INTs: exceeded by only 11 players, 4 of whom are in the Hall of Fame Seattle: 11 seasons, made the Pro Bowl twice had some great mentors, Dave Brown (RIP) and Kenny Easley (RIP) detailed film...
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S3 E 15: Super Bowl 60 Recap, Key Observations Leading into the Off-Season
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1: 4 Observations from SB 60 and the playoffs (0:45) Defenses win championships (4 down lineman to hit/sack QB winning formula) More head coaches to call defensive plays after Mike Macdonald's SB success in Seattle? Running backs matter! Seattle WR Kenneth Walker III best offensive player on the field, won the MVP without scoring a TD, credit offensive line, owned the edge 10 New NFL Head Coaches Hired: Which ones are best set up for early success? Segment 2: SB 60 Recap: Seahawks 29, Patriots 13 (13:40) Seahawks dominant D the top story; offense: 5 FGs, 1 TD Pats O Line challenges...
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S3 E 14 Super Bowl Preview and Predictions, AFC/NFC Title Game Observations
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Taped on Jan. 27, 2026... Segment 1: 3 Observations After the AFC and NFC Championship Games (Starts at 1:02) Surprise that Sam Darnold will be the first QB to make the Super Bowl from the 2018 NFL Draft class that included Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson Has Rams QB Matthew Stafford played his last NFL game after throwing for 4,700 yards and a career-best 46 TDs? Concerns about his previous back issues at 38 years old What are the Jets doing? Head Coach Aaron Glenn has fired 8 assistant coaches including both offensive and defensive coordinators...(Note: since taping, the...
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NFL AFC & NFC Championship Preview, Divisional Round Review and Coaching Carousel Update (Bills fire head coach)
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1: Divisional Round Game Top 3 Observations (Starts at 1:00) Niners at inflection point? Is there doubt about CJ Stroud being the long-term QB solution in Houston? Sit tight on contract extension? One example of surprisingly poor QB play this postseason Bears had a great first season under new Head Coach Ben Johnson; record setting number of comebacks, will be tough to win THAT many games trailing at the end of so many games (Nigel's return to the mean theory) in 2026/27 Segment 2: Divisional Round Detailed Recap (15:53) Broncos 33, Bills 30 (OT) Scored 30 points despite 5...
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NFL Divisional Playoff Round Preview and Wild-Card Weekend Recap
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1 - NFL Wild-Card Weekend Results (0:47) 3 Observations Bears building something potentially special offensively with QB Caleb Williams and first year Head Coach Ben Johnson Chargers QB Justin Herbert's 0-3 playoff record and play is raising questions Who would you prefer to QB your team: Herbert vs. Jordan Love? While...4 playoff QBs led their team to a win after trailing late in the 4th Q: Matthew Stafford, Josh Allen, Caleb Williams, Brock Purdy Josh Allen willed the Bills to win against very good Jags team, but does he have the skill position talent around him to go to the...
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S3 E11 NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview and Black Monday Observations
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1 - (Cranky) Thoughts on Jets' Week 18 35-8 Loss at Buffalo (Starting at 1:05) Neil was wearing a shirt, JETS...Just Endure the Suffering Jets D allowed almost 500 yards of offense against Bills' backups 2025 was one of the Jets' worst seasons in franchise history Set two ugly records worst December negative point differential (-107) zero interceptions for an entire season (how is that possible?) Jets miss the playoffs for the 15th straight season Dismal performance led to securing the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft Segment 2: NFL 2025 Season Surprises (5:08) The success of...
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Last Week of the 2025 NFL Season: 3 Key Games to Decide 3 Division Titles, No. 1 Seed in the NFC
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1: Quick rant about the Jets' disasterous season, not showing up to play New England in season home game finale (0:57) Pats 42, Jets 10: Jets D gave up TDs on each of the Pats' first possession Pats QB Drake Maye had 4 TDs and only 2 incompletions (one of which was a dropped pass) The team has regressed in all phases with the exception of special teams Jets playing with third string QB, traded away two best defensive players, missing best offensive weapon in WR Garrett Wilson, fired defensive coordinator...understood. Still, team unprepared to play -- unacceptable Have gotten blown...
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S3 E9: Colts Sign 44-Year-Old QB/Grandpa; Is Eli Manning a Hall of Famer? NFL 2025 Weeks 15 and 16
H20man & Friends Sports Podcast
Segment 1: Jets 27, Falcons 24 Recap (starts at 0:53) 4 TDs and 2 missed FGs in second half Found a way to win late in game despite bad sack and two false start penalties Jets' special teams continue to shine, strong punt return sets up... K Nick Folk's clutch, game-winning 56-yard FG Jets 3-2 over five game stretch after 0-7 start Continue to evaluate first year head coach Aaron Glenn Segment 2: Dolphins 34, Jets 10 Recap (5:11) Interesting pre-game stat on Miami's previous games vs Jets that of course proved prophetic Miami up 21-0 after the first quarter, averaged 9.9 yards per offensive...
info_outlineSegment 1: 3 Major Needs Going into the 2025 NFL Draft (Starts at 0:26)
- Protect New QB Justin Fields/Offensive Line Protection
- Acquire additional offensive weapons, including WR and TE, to help score more points
- Improve the defense, especially against the run
Segment 2: Analysis: Were Major Needs Addressed? (0:55)
- Is the team better now, given free agent and undrafted signings, and the new draft picks?
- For the second year in a row, major decision: OT or TE?
- 2006 Draft: first two picks (Ferguson and Mangold) landed the team two offensive lineman for a decade
- 2025 Draft Picks Rundown:
- First Round: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
- Second Round: Mason Taylor, TE, LSU
- Third Round: Azareye'h Thomas, CB, Florida State
- Fourth Round #1: Arian Smith, WR, Georgia
- Fourth Round #2: Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
- Fifth Round: Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
- Sixth Round: Tyler Baron, DE, Miami
- Observations and Insights:
- Needs addressed: OL and TE (still need more depth)
- Needs not addressed: WR -- still gaping hold past Garrett Wilson, and DL (signed 4 DL in free agency for depth)
- QB Update
- Opted to add weapons for Justin Fields, did not draft a QB (signed UDFA QB Brade Cook, Missouri)
- 2024 Fifth Round Pick QB Jordan Travis, Florida State, retired after the draft
- Wise to draft a QB every year for competition and to fight a QB diamond in the rough
- Biggest name in UDFA signings: Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
- Concern: ability to score enough points?
- Jets Cap Space: $27 million+ providing options to sign more players
Segment 3: AFC East Draft Review (33:00)
- Bills: traded up three times directly ahead of Jets during the draft; first five picks were on defense
- Dolphins: drafted three defensive linemen; former Jets QB Zach Wilson now the main backup for oft-injured (concussions) Tua Tagovailoa; major mistake? Team a QB injury away from rebuild?
- Patriots: apparently good draft; first four picks on offense to help rebuild one of the NFL's worst offensive units in 2024
- Road to Super Bowl runs through KC, with pitstops in Buffalo (and Baltimore?)
- Eagles (and Tampa Bay before that vs. KC) has shown best way to beat the Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes: strong pash rush
Segment 4: Final Thoughts (39:45)
- Do the Jets have a puncher's chance to fight for a wild-card playoff slot with first year head coach and GM?
- Fan expectations: develop young players, fewer 3 and outs on offense, better discipline (fewer penalties, especially on third down), be competitive every week
- Strong running game and improved defense critical to success