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Good morning! Watch the draft with us tonight.
Draft Night: You’re on the clock
Finally, it’s here. Real picks, real data, and real trades begin tonight as the NFL Draft’s first round unfolds in Detroit. We have pored over countless mock drafts and fake trades, and used the word “smokescreen” 47 times this month. Let’s get on with it.
We can wax about sweeping story arcs after the picks are in. Three things to watch for:
1. When are the Vikings swooping in?
Minnesota seems assured to move up from No. 11 to claim a quarterback, but it remains unclear which QB they want and which team in the top 5 (or even 10) is willing to trade back. The Patriots are open for business at pick No. 3, but the price will be high because they want a QB, too. Expect this news at some point today (follow live here), and maybe even after the first round starts.
2. Who’s WR1?
Debate has raged over the last few weeks about which wideout — Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze — is the best in this class. Consensus says Harrison, but coaches and scouts told Bruce Feldman that Nabers might be the guy. The pressure on these teams to choose the right guy is enormous.
3. Who’s the first non-QB/WR off the board?
Two names to know: offensive tackles Joe Alt (Notre Dame) and Troy Fautanu (Washington). Drafting an elite offensive tackle is a lot like taking medicine: it’s never “fun,” per se, but it will always help your team. One of these guys figures to go in the Nos. 8-10 range after some shuffling ahead of them for skill players.
We have plenty of coverage for the entire day. Our latest beat writer mock draft is full of daring trades, and the sports betting crew put together a list of best wagers to make for tonight — including fading my beloved Jayden Daniels. Hm.
If you do anything, make sure to pull up The Athletic Football Show’s livestream at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight. Robert Mays, Nate Tice, Dane Brugler and Dianna Russini will all be there, giving up-to-the-minute analysis and breaking news as the draft unfolds. I’ll be watching.
Playoff Peek: The Heat can’t keep getting away with this
In the back of our minds, we knew, right? No matter the circumstances — no Jimmy Butler this time(!) — Miami was always going to make life hard for Boston, no matter how good the Celtics are. Remember: Boston won the East by 14 games.
Game 1? Snooze. Maybe this would be a breeze after all. Game 2 last night? Whoops:
- Miami evened the series with a simple strategy: shoot and make a lot of 3-pointers. Well, Erik Spoelstra’s crew hit 23 triples, a team record for a playoff game.
- It’s one game, but hoo boy, the Celtics’ defense showed holes, which does not bode well for them in any format going forward, even if they survive the Heat. This was the best team in the NBA this year, and they’re in trouble in the first round? To the Heat, of all teams? Saturday’s Game 3 in Miami will be must-see stuff.
See all our takeaways from this game and the Thunder’s 124-92 romp over the Pelicans. To the ice:
- The defending champion Vegas Golden Knights once again dispatched Stanley Cup favorite Dallas, 3-1 this time, in what could be one of the more surprising upsets in these playoffs. The Stars finished the regular season with the second-most points, made some nice deadline moves and looked ready to make a playoff run. Might go poof real soon. They’re down 2-0.
- Elsewhere: Boston reclaimed a 2-1 series lead against Toronto with a gutty 4-2 win, while the Kings outlasted the Oilers 5-4 in overtime. That series is 1-1. Canada gulps.
News to Know
A flurry of NFL transactions
As we wait on the NFL’s new stars to emerge, one team — the Detroit Lions — took care of their current stars yesterday, signing both receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive lineman Penei Sewell to long-term contracts. Both deals reset the market for WRs and OL. Still waiting on a long-term deal: Cowboys star Micah Parsons, who had his fifth-year option exercised yesterday. At the other end of the spectrum, All-Pro Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson requested a trade after contract extension talks stalled.
A new Belichick?
Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick was famous for being gruff with the media. The phrase “We’re on to Cincinnati” has become ubiquitous. Jobless as a head coach, he’s now set to become a media star himself, as our Andrew Marchand reported yesterday. He’s co-hosting a live draft show with Pat McAfee, set to appear on the “Manningcast” this year, has a book deal and is possibly creating a podcast. I hope one of those things is called “We’re on to Cincinnati.”
More news
Overdue: Our most gif-able athlete gets his Heisman back
It is a moment we all knew would arrive, but it’s nonetheless cathartic for, oh, about every sports fan over the age of 30: Reggie Bush got his Heisman back yesterday. He probably never should’ve lost it, but at least we’re here.
A quick recap:
- Bush won the Heisman in 2005 at USC and was generally one of the most electric players to grace a college football field in the sport’s history. He was forced to forfeit the trophy in 2010 after the NCAA deemed Bush’s family had received impermissible benefits during his time as a Trojan.
- The NCAA then pushed USC to completely dissociate itself from Bush, which was always absurd. Over a decade later, those “impermissible benefits” are completely allowed in the NIL era of college athletics. Thus, the Heisman returns to his stead — and a replica goes back to USC.
I am delighted this charade is over, and that it gives me a chance to relive some of Bush’s best highlights. It also made me wonder: Is Bush the most gif-able football star … ever? Just look at his iconic start-stop against Fresno State:
That may be his best one (he scored on the play, of course). I’m also partial to this NFL run, known around these parts as the Fleur de Leap:
𝙁𝙡𝙚𝙪𝙧-𝘿𝙚-𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙥!
📺: Saints vs Dolphins on Monday Night Football (7:15 pm CT on ESPN) pic.twitter.com/EXCw0TJKcF
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 27, 2021
Time for a new Pulse Poll. Am I missing anyone? Make your voice heard here.
Watch This Game
NFL: 2024 Draft
8 p.m. ET on ABC
The pregame shows will start much earlier, but the first round programming officially begins in prime time. Our live blog will be updated throughout the day, too, hopefully with trade news.
NBA: Knicks at Sixers
7:30 p.m. ET on TNT
This still might be our best series, at least for another game. Philly has everything to lose, even if Joel Embiid says they’ll still win the best-of-7. I expect a fired-up crowd and chippiness on the floor.
Get tickets to games like these here.
Pulse Picks
Four quarterbacks could go in the top 10 of tonight’s NFL Draft, and every team will believe they’ve found their franchise QB. Yet drafting a signal caller remains an extremely inexact science, as Mike Jones writes. A lot of interesting comments from NFL talent evaluators in there.
One interesting quirk of the transfer portal era in college football: many big programs don’t even bother recruiting high school kickers anymore. They simply prefer poaching proven talent at other schools.
Speaking of the portal: Max Olson updated his transfer rankings after a busy spring window. Always an important read.
Andy McCullough observed a more approachable Shohei Ohtani, who has connected more with teammates and staff members post-gambling scandal. Doesn’t hurt that he’s raking.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: NHL Stanley Cup projections. Still as relevant as ever.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Our inaugural MLB front office rankings, which is worth a read if you missed it. You’ll see some surprises.
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