Patrick Mahomes Goes Through ESPN “Car Wash”

With the NFL Draft just two weeks away, Patrick Mahomes made the rounds at ESPN on Monday representing himself and Texas Tech very well.

Patrick Mahomes has seen his stock as a NFL draft prospect rise steadily in the months since he declared he was leaving school early to turn pro.  On Monday, he was invited to go through the ESPN “car wash” appearing on a number of the networks programs thus suggesting he is one of the most intriguing players in this year’s draft.

Mahomes was initially labeled as a second-round prospect when he announced his intentions to leave the Red Raiders.  In fact, numerous pundits had him slated to be drafted as late as the fourth round.

But after strong showings at the NFL Combine and the Texas Tech pro day in March, the record-setting quarterback is now almost certain to be a first-round pick.  And his appearance across the ESPN family of networks on Monday is further proof that he is one of the draft’s rising stars.

He began the day with an appearance on ESPN Radio’s morning show “Mike & Mike”. Among the topics he discussed were his baseball background, how Kliff Kingsbury has helped prepare him for the NFL Draft, what the scouts have told him about his game and why he decided to play football over baseball.

A repeating topic throughout the day was what Mahomes learned from the numerous professional baseball players he observed as the son of a Major League pitcher.  He repeatedly spoke of his admiration for the work ethic of former MLB infielder Alex Rodriguez.

He explained to ESPN’s Hannah Storm just what he picked up from watching the 14-time All-Star.

On ESPN Radio’s mid-day show,

“Russillo and Kanell”

Mahomes talked about why he picked Texas Tech and how Kliff Kingsbury sealed the deal when recruiting him.  This interview was the most interesting of the day.

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Aside from the standard questions about draft preparation or his mechanics, Russillo and Kanell went in depth with Mahomes about the nuances of playing quarterback in the “Air Raid” offense.  Mahomes provided some interesting thoughts on how the Texas Tech offense could benefit him as an NFL quarterback.  This is contrary to the prevailing opinion that Kingsbury’s offense does not prepare quarterbacks to play at the next level.

In addition, Mahomes appeared on ESPN’s “NFL Live” where analysts Ron Jaworski and Todd McShay analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of his game right in front of him.  And through the entire day, the former Red Raider was as impressive in the television studio as he ever was on the field.

When he wasn’t on set or in the studio, Mahomes took time to show off his ridiculous arm. First he threw a football out of a window into a trash can at least thirty yards away.

Next, he easily tossed a ball over an elevated walkway to hit a target. 

 Watching Patrick Mahomes go through the process of preparing for the NFL Draft has given Texas Tech fans an opportunity to watch him take the next step in his maturation.  The way he has presented himself, through his professional attire and his well-thought-out answers in interviews, shows how far the 21-year-old has come since he arrived on campus.

Questions about whether or not Mahomes will be picked in the first round of this month’s draft seem to be fading.  ESPN only runs the top prospects in the nation through its “car wash” so the consensus in Bristol, Connecticut (home of ESPN headquarters) must be that Patrick Mahomes is one of the top players in the 2017 draft class.

For three years, Texas Tech fans were privileged to get to watch Mahomes play and we were always proud of how he represented the university.  Now, the rest of the Nation is starting to see exactly what it is that makes him so impressive both on the field and off.

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Note: Patrick Mahomes’ appearance on ESPN’s “Gruden’s Quarterback Camp” will air tonight at 8 pm CST.

This program will feature Mahomes working both on the field and in the film room one-on-one with former NFL head coach John Gruden.