Pod Fodder with David Brandt
Laremy Tunsil signed autographs at Rebel Rags in Oxford this past Saturday. David Brandt of the Associated Press went to the apparel store to get a one-on-one opportunity with former Ole Miss left tackle, Laremy Tunsil. He found a very candid subject and shared his impressions on today’s Oxford Exxon Podcast.
“When I asked him about the Titans, he didn’t give some stock answer, Brandt said. He said, ‘You know, it hurt,’ when the number one pick was traded. He thought he was going to Nashville. He thought he was going to play close to Oxford. He thought he was going to be the number one pick. It hurt a little.”
Brandt also got the impression that sting was more than simply acknowledging the fact that he would be the first name called by Roger Goodell on Thursday evening.
“Of course he loved the idea of going No. 1,” Brandt said. “I mean that’s what everyone wants to be, but I think Nashville made a lot of sense for him just because of who he is. Obviously, it’s close to his college home. His agent, Jimmy Sexton, is based in Tennessee. All the people around him, they wanted him to go to Tennessee too because it would just be easier to keep track of him. He’s from Florida. He likes warm weather. There were just a lot of reasons that Nashville made a lot of sense, so yes, I think he wanted to be the No. 1 pick and I think his feelings are hurt a little bit that the Titans decided to trade it although they kind of got a king’s ransom back for it. But part of it was Nashville too. There were just a lot of things that made sense there.”
With Los Angeles and Philadelphia all but certain to take a quarterback with the first two picks, Tunsil’s next stop has become much more speculative than it was a few weeks ago.
“I got the sense just from the people around him that Laremy doesn’t think he’s going to fall any farther than No. 6 at Baltimore,” Brandt said. “I think he feels that he could go to San Diego. I think Jacksonville is a possibility at five. He feels that he will go in that three-to-six range.”
While the NFL Draft is a thrilling process and a unique opportunity for Ole Miss to showcase itself with the three potential first round picks, Brandt believed that Ole Miss didn’t make the most of its three years with its stars, particularly Tunsil.
“I think (Ole Miss) missed an opportunity for a guy that’s probably, unless injuries strike, is going to be a 12-to-14-year player in the league who is an All-Pro,” Brandt said. “I think he’s a really safe pick. There definitely were some circumstances around it, but I think they missed an opportunity to get his face out there. I think that it’s not Laremy’s favorite thing in the world, to talk to the media, so that’s fine. That’s his prerogative, but it’s a shame, from his perspective and from Ole Miss’ prospective because, really, there’s a lot to like there.”
“They’re probably not going to have too many more classes like this again where they have three potential first round picks. I think not just with Tunsil but sometimes with Nkemdiche – Treadwell talked quite a bit – with this class, you didn’t know it quite as much as you could have.”
Ole Miss is at a point it hasn’t ever been in the NFL Draft as it is one of three schools that Sportsbook is taking wagers on number of first round selections, sharing the company of Alabama and Ohio State. Ponder that fact for a moment. A program that has had only two draft picks since Hugh Freeze became Head Coach is now in the same company with Alabama and Ohio State on draft night.
The night is uncharted and exciting territory for the Ole Miss athletic department and fans alike. However, the same doesn't necessarily apply to Tunsil.
“I don’t think nervous was the right word, but I think that he had just come to grips with it that it’s sort of out of his hands,” Brandt said. “You know what I mean? He’s definitely ready for it to be over with and just to know where he’s going. As he said, ‘It’s not like recruiting. You don’t pick the team. The team picks you, and you just kind of have to roll with it.’”
While Tunsil, Treadwell, and Nkemdiche will be professionals this fall, Tunsil noted another former adversary that won’t be far behind.
“I talked to him about Myles Garrett this Saturday because he came back for that (Texas) A&M game, and Garrett got him once,” Brandt said. “Tunsil was interesting about it too because he said, ‘Yeah, he got me once. He’s good. He’s going to play on Sundays, so I’ll probably see him again. I had to get my feet back under me, and then I got going.’”
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