3 and Out with John Middlekauff

On this episode of 3 & Out, John Middlekauff breaks down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft and what their selections say about the team’s direction moving forward. Did they do enough to stay competitive in a loaded AFC, or are there still major questions to answer?
John also revisits the Rams’ decision to take Ty Simpson, diving into how he fits in Los Angeles and what the pick means for the future of the franchise.
Plus, a full look at the San Francisco 49ers’ draft—how they approached their roster needs and whether they did enough to keep their Super Bowl window wide open.
Later, the SEC once again leads the way with the most players selected in the NFL Draft. John discusses what continues to separate the conference and why it remains the premier pipeline to the league.
From certain team breakdowns to big-picture draft trends, it’s all covered on this episode of 3 & Out.
Follow John on Twitter, and Instagram for the latest.
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Colin is joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the NFL Draft.
Colin begins by arguing that GM Brett Veach of the Chiefs drafts predictably & he can’t figure out 49ers GM John Lynch, and John explains that Lynch doesn’t run the 49ers draft… head coach Kyle Shanahan does (3:00).
They discuss the backlash to the Bears taking speedster Zayvian Johnson and Colin explains that if any coach picked him, it may not be a great pick…but with Ben Johnson as coach it can work (9:00).
They move to the Rams & Colin argues that while their draft won’t grade well… outside of Ty Simpson, the Rams are drafting for the near term while they still have Matt Stafford and John believes Simpson wasn’t talented enough to justify the 13th pick (15:00).
Colin believes the Raiders crushed the draft and Fernando Mendoza could change the trajectory of the franchise (25:00), and they discuss the impact of NIL creating less seasoned, older prospects with multiple years of high-end college football experience in the later rounds (28:30).
They break down the Chiefs draft and why it made total sense for them to draft 3 defensive players with their three Top 40 picks (31:30), and Colin lauds the Cowboys for focusing on improving their defense as well by getting the steal of the draft in Caleb Downs (37:00).
They debate whether Carson Beck will see the field for the Cardinals in his first season (45:00), and they each predict four teams that didn’t make the playoffs last season that will make the playoffs in 2026 (48:00).
Finally, they react to the Steelers choosing Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (54:00).
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John reacts to Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Have the Jets won the first two days of the draft? Are the Eagles making moves that will make them a much better team? All that and more!
Follow John on Twitter, and Instagram for the latest.
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On this episode of 3 & Out, John Middlekauff breaks down a wild NFL Draft slate starting with the Los Angeles Rams selecting Ty Simpson at No. 13. Is he the long-term answer under center, and what does the pick say about the Rams’ direction?
John also dives into the Tennessee Titans’ connection to Carnell Tate and how he could fit into their offense, before taking a closer look at the New York Giants’ overall draft approach and what they’re trying to build.
Plus, the Kansas City Chiefs make another aggressive move, trading for an LSU corner—how it strengthens an already loaded roster and what it means for the AFC. And one of the more surprising storylines: Reuben Bain sliding all the way to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Did Tampa just land one of the steals of the draft?
From bold QB decisions to late-round value and team-building strategies, it’s all covered on this episode of 3 & Out.
Follow John on Twitter, and Instagram for the latest.
All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet
#Volume
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colin is joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the NFL Draft.
They start with the Rams drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at pick #13 and why it was shocking for them to pick him so high after a limited sample size in college, but Colin argues if anyone can turn Simpson into a great quarterback…it’s Sean McVay (3:00).
Colin heaps praise on the Cowboys for drafting Caleb Downs and highlights the massive upgrades Dallas has made to their defense rather than paying Micah Parsons (10:30). They agree that the Bucs got great value in taking Reuben Bain at #15 after experts projected him as a top 10 pick (13:45).
They discuss the Chiefs moving up to #6 to take cornerback Mansoor Delane and both agree they had no issues with the trade up to get a much cheaper replacement for Trent McDuffie (15:00). Colin argues that both New York teams did well with their combined 4 first round picks and doesn’t see any busts in the group (23:00).
They react to the Titans taking Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at #4, and John believes Tate was a massive reach and that Tate doesn’t have the elite upside that would justify such a high pick (26:00). They both believe that Kadyn Proctor is the most likely Top 15 pick to bust based on reports about his lack of work ethic (29:15).
Colin predicts accurately that the Eagles would take USC wide receiver Makai Lemon after trading up, and says that it's the perfect move to patch the hole that will be left after the team trades AJ Brown (33:00).
They discuss the overall quality of this first round draft class, note that it’s been very offensive line heavy and explain why you can’t go wrong drafting o-line in the first round (39:00).
Finally, they discuss why the Big Ten is leaving the SEC in the dust when it comes to producing first round NFL talent and react live to the late first round picks for the Chargers, Cowboys & more (50:00+).
(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.)
Follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates!
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