Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: NFL

  • NFL Draft: Best Picks From Day 2

    NFL Draft: Best Picks From Day 2

    With the first and second round of the NFL Draft in the books. There was a lot of talent still available, and the flurry of moves really reshuffled the order. Let’s take a look at THE best picks of Day 2.

    QB Malik Willis
    The best quarterback in this class, and the only one worth a first round pick in my opinion. He goes to an excellent situation in Tennessee, as he gets to sit behind Ryan Tannehill and play with the best RB in the game behind a pretty good OL. He, also, has a stud WR in Treylon Burks.

    RB Breece Hall
    The best RB in the class was available despite some talk of him going at the end of round one. With exceptional vision and the ability to not come off the field, he’s the modern RB that ended up being the target for the Jets at 38. He slots right in as the 1A to Michael Carter’s 1B, and gives Zach Wilson a home run threat out of the backfield.

    LB Nakobe Dean

    Matt Corral, Malik Willis, Kyler Gordon, Nakobe Dean remain in the NFL draft green room - ProFootballTalk

    He saw five of his collegiate teammates go in Round One, knowing all the while that he was the leader of that vaunted Georgia Bulldog defense. Dean is the evolution of the linebacker position, as he can both rush the passer and drop in coverage. His refusal to get shoulder surgery is what reportedly caused him to fall, but I had mocked him to the Eagles at 18, so for them to get him in day three is highway robbery. A really excellent draft by the Eagles so far.

    CB Andrew Booth, Jr.
    One of the more athletic cornerbacks in the draft, Booth has the potential to be this year’s Eric Stokes in terms of a young corner who comes in to a great situation and can produce. He can play man or zone, and he would’ve fit a team like Seattle (who needs a replacement for DJ Reed) or the Giants (who may be releasing James Bradberry). Instead, he ended up in Minnesota, where he gets to learn from all-time great Patrick Peterson.

    DT Travis Jones
    Has the opportunity to outproduce guys that went ahead of him from the interior. He’s a nimble pass rusher for a man his size, and gives maximum effort against the run. He lands in Baltimore, who has had a top 5 draft class, and fortifies that defensive front for new Ravens DC Mike Macdonald.

  • 2022 NFL Draft Drinking Game

    2022 NFL Draft Drinking Game

    Welcome to the 2022 NFL Draft Drinking Game! Below are a few predictions of how the draft tonight will go. Play at your own risk.

    1. Take a shot whenever a prospect is drafted and the analysts tell us the worst thing that’s happened to the prospect’s family.
      1. The 2020 draft was hyper focused on this. We had multiple “Get to Know” lists directly after the prospect was drafted, and one I remember the most was Tee Higgins, current Bengals receiver and Clemson standout. They listed his hometown, high school accolades, and that his mother fought drugs for 20 years. Why on Earth would you think that’s necessary to include? It’s this person’s biggest moment of their lives so far and you have to air out dirty laundry? Do better.
    2. Finish your drink if a running back is taken in the first round.
      1. DON’T TAKE RUNNING BACKS IN THE FIRST!!! I am going to list the number of First Round RBs that have won the Super Bowl with the team that drafted them in the last 20 years. Sony Michel (Patriots, 2018), Reggie Bush (2009), and Joseph Addai (Colts, 2006). And all 3 were quarterbacked by Hall of Famers. If you want a ring, do not take a first round running back.
    3. Take a drink if Bill Belichick trades back, finish your drink if he trades out of the First round altogether.
      1. Bill hates first rounders. He’s a late round specialist (See one Brady, Tom for evidence, or more recently, Michael Onwenu), and almost always finds a way to trade out of his current draft slot.
    4. Take a shot if a team trades into the top 8 and overreaches on a quarterback.
      1. I’m firmly of the opinion that there should be no quarterbacks taken in the first round this year. But some team (Watch for the Saints, Commanders, Seahawks or maybe even the Eagles) to trade up, likely for Malik Willis.
  • The Superhero Mock Draft

    The Superhero Mock Draft


    Rules:
    All superheros are draftable
    Rosters include a QB, 3 Offensive Weapons, 3 Defensive Weapons
    No Variants

    Hunter is on the clock.

    Round One:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #1:

    Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man (WR)

    Dalbin’s reaction: Going young right off the bat doesn’t make me nervous. I’d be more concerned if Hunter chose a wide receiver that can catch (sorry Gwen Stacy).

    Hunter’s response: Betting on Parker learning from his mistakes in college. He’s a young guy but it’s his spirit, determination, and ability to adapt that catch my eye. The sticky fingers don’t hurt either.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #1

    Steve Rogers, aka Captain America (QB)

    Hunter’s reaction: This is an intimidating pick. Incredible leadership ability and one of the most accurate throws in his class. Rogers was definitely someone we kept an eye on. Maybe could have picked someone with better arm strength though.

    Dalbin’s response: What better way to combat the kid from Queens than with the kid from Brooklyn? Throwing vibranium around means the adjustment to the pro game will take a minute, but please believe that the intangibles are through the roof.

    Round Two:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #2

    Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman (QB)

    Dalbin’s reaction: A leader who never compromised his values despite what Injustice says. He’s faster than a speeding bullet, which means he’d revolutionize the game, so I’m really worried now. Defensively, I may have to draft someone with his mother’s name to stop him.

    Hunter’s response: Heard from a few scouts he’s resolved his conflict with Mr. Wayne. Some described it as a “rebirth.” I’m excited for his future as both a leader and an athletic talent, not to mention I think the camaraderie between Kent and Parker will result in Burrow and Chase levels of success.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #2

    James Howlett, aka Wolverine (RB)

    Hunter’s reaction: A little guy, good for putting his head down and getting through the line. Scrappy and sturdy. I’ll need a sturdier, angrier linebacker if I have any hope of putting him down.

    Dalbin’s response: With the selection of Cap, I wanted someone with a strong relationship with him in the backfield, and the only person with a better relationship with Cap than Logan is Bucky, but I couldn’t draft a former war criminal who Cap himself didn’t pick. Logan is my Derrick Henry.

    Round Three:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #3

    Bruce Banner, a.k.a. The Hulk (LB)

    Dalbin’s reaction: Oh, dear God. I wouldn’t like when he’s angry and playing for Hunter means he will always be angry. This is a good way to counter my first two picks, but will the comics repeat themselves on a screen pass? We’ll see!

    Hunter’s response: Hulk smash.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #3

    Barry Allen, aka The Flash (WR)

    Hunter’s reaction: Talk about a prospect with speed. No way I can draft anybody who can keep up with Allen, but I can draft someone (witch) crafty enough to get around it.

    Dalbin’s response: The only worry with Barry was immaturity, but the speed is too tantalizing a prospect to pass up here in round 3.

    Round Four:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #4

    Mark Grayson, a.k.a. Invincible (S)

    Dalbin’s reaction: *An audible gasp exits from the Illumaniti war room, and it doesn’t come from a Captain Marvel variant while fighting the Scarlet Witch* I had Hunter’s word that he wouldn’t take Grayson. He was MY sleeper!

    Hunter’s response: If there’s anything Grayson is familiar with, it’s shocking betrayals from people he trusts. This is a defensive player who can be anywhere on the field, and no longer trusts anyone else to do his job for him.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #4

    Harley Quinn (LB)

    Hunter’s reaction: A bit confused by this one. Quinn is brutal and unpredictable, the definition of a wild card, but I would have thought she’d end up on the offensive side of things. I’ll need to make some picks that can handle her chaos.

    Dalbin’s response: I needed a leader on defense, and who better than the person who leads DC’s best movie (Birds of Prey)? With the array of weapons, ahem, I’ll add around her, it’s really over for you jokers.



    Round Five:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #5

    Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch (CB)

    Dalbin’s Response: She lacks vision, but the potential is through the roof now that she’s embraced her true self. A true mutant at the position, this might be Hunter’s best pick.

    Hunter’s response: There’s really no cap on her potential, and what she lacks in vision she makes up for with a fierce sense of team play. She’ll do anything to make sure her family comes out on top.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #5

    John Stewart, aka Green Lantern (S)

    Dalbin’s reaction: How do I support the wild card in the middle of the defense? By giving her a player with range behind her. The best Green Lantern brings leadership skills and no desire to fall to the dark side like his predecessors from Green Lantern University.

    Hunter’s reaction: Egads! This was going to be my next pick. A truly multifaceted talent, with the ability to make up defensive plays on the spot. I’ll need someone with experience and endurance to get through Stewart, because there may be no going around.

    Round Six:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #6

    Hellboy (TE)

    Dalbin’s response: *A visible smirk is shown on the face of the new GM in the Illumaniti war room*


    Hunter’s response: Needed someone who could drop a shoulder, stiff arm, or block just as well as they can catch. Hellboy is the definition of that skill set. It’s almost like he’s got two different hands, one for the soft touch and one you hope he never uses on you.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #6

    T’Challa, aka Black Panther (WR)

    Dalbin’s reaction: Completing my offense with a franchise player in round 6? Too hard to pass up. With Cap, Flash, Wolverine, and T’Challa on offense, we are talking vibranium over Baghdad.

    Hunter’s reaction: Hard to believe T’Challa was still on the board. He never fit into my offensive scheme, but I was praying to Bast that he didn’t fit the Illuminati’s either.

    Round Seven:

    The Defenders Draft Pick #7

    Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man (RB)

    Dalbin’s response: When we talk shifty, this is what we mean. Plus, when you singlehandedly save the universe by planning a time heist, you’d think there’d be more hype, but this might be Hunter’s best pick. Plus, there’s so much potential for him to play bigger than what he currently is.

    Hunter’s response: This is someone who can carry the ball anywhere on the field, and fits in perfectly with an offense designed to constantly adapt. Good luck catching a guy you can barely see breaking away downfield.

    The Illuminati Draft Pick #7:

    Diana, Princess of the Amazons, aka Wonder Woman (EDGE)

    Dalbin Reaction: Diana, Harley, and John on defense gives me range, versatility, and downright power. It’s the ultimate bend but don’t break defense, but one that will do what’s needed given the offense will score points.

    Hunter’s reaction: This pick makes me glad I have a quarterback with steel nerves. Nothing scarier than a Themyscira alum coming hot off the corner.

  • 2022 NFL Draft Preview: 3 Things to Know

    2022 NFL Draft Preview: 3 Things to Know

    With the first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select…well, we don’t know. Will it be Aiden Hutchison? Will it be Travon Walker? Will the Jags shock everyone and trade down? The answer is obviously unknown, but let’s take a look at what we do know about this year’s NFL draft.

    MUST KNOW #1: Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

    All eyes seem to be on the QB needy teams, but the buzz around the league is that teams aren’t in a rush to grab a QB within the top 10. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that several general managers he’s spoken to in the past few days believe there could be a run, at the back half of the first round, for QB’s like Desmond Ridder or Sam Howell, should Liberty’s Malik Willis or Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett be off the board. Keep an eye out for teams like the Lions, Panthers, and Falcons, or even a dark horse like Seattle, to nab their franchise player.

    MUST KNOW # 2: Teams Will Get Creative

    There’s always one team that historically stays active in acquiring picks or moving up to get their guy and the Philadelphia Eagles are no stranger to such moves. That said, National Insider for the NFL Network and NFL.com, Ian Rapoport, noted that it is not just the Eagles, but the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants who’ve had conversations in recent days about moving back. The Panthers have no second or third round picks and the Giants, who have two picks in the first round, would like to potentially flip their second pick for others.

    MUST KNOW #3: It Pays to Be a Shark

    There’s a universal understanding that where there is deep water, you don’t swim. The sharks tend to lurk there and unless you’re looking to be lunch, it’s best to stay away. But what if you’re the shark? This year’s draft class is dripping with talent and if you have done your homework, you’ll find some amazing talent in the deeper rounds. Players like TE Grant Calcaterra of SMU and DL Christopher Hinton, Jr. of Michigan having been shooting up draft boards for quite some time and could help teams in need. Ready to go hunting? You can find Bleacher Report’s full list of sleepers here.

  • 5 Thoughts Ahead of The NFL Draft

    5 Thoughts Ahead of The NFL Draft

    About a month ago, I detailed where I think teams were leaning in a post-combine mock draft. As the first night of the draft approaches, the locations where players will most likely land is beginning to crystallize. There are still four days for a Deebo Samuel to the Jets trade to be announced, but here are 5 things I’m thinking as I sip my Monday morning coffee.

    1. Travon Walker going 1st overall is a mistake that the Jaguars are poised to make. This pick will create a domino effect, as with the Jags taking Walker, the Detroit Lions will be free to take hometown boy Aidan Hutchinson. With the Lions taking Hutchinson, it means the Houston Texans have their pick of any offensive lineman on the board, or a wild card like CB Derek Stingley, Jr. or S Kyle Hamilton. Walker is settling around the 50th ranked player on my big board: no, that’s not a typo, as I am pretty sure I’ll have 49 guys ahead of him and really think taking him first overall because you’re banking on a ridiculous ceiling isn’t the kind of move a team with a rookie QB should make. However, Trent Baalke has banked on upside in the past, and this is no different. Plus, he’s never drafted a Michigan player since he and Jim Harbaugh began their blood feud, so Walker at 1 feels like a lock the Jaguars will regret.

    2. Chris Olave is going to be the most productive rookie WR in year one because of how he’s being underrated and where he will end up being drafted because of it. Olave had a really good shortened season at Ohio State and would’ve been one of the first WRs taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he opted to go back and essentially replicate his standout sophomore season. His teammate Garrett Wilson got all the attention, but Olave’s game is just as polished as Wilson’s, and you have the benefit of Olave producing each year versus stellar competition. He will most likely go after Wilson, Drake London, Jameson Williams, and Treylon Burks, which means he will probably wind up in a situation with a veteran QB (Aaron Rodgers?). This one feels like an easy prediction.

    3. Breece Hall will be the best running back from this class. He’s a modern NFL back and, as teams go to more position-less offenses, can play in any offense even if he might be better suited for more of a wide zone. He won’t go Round 1 because running backs don’t go in the first anymore, but if a team like the Jets adds him in R2 to pair with 2nd year player Michael Carter? That’s suddenly infinitely better than the rushing attack they have now. He will outproduce his draft slot.

    4. Dax Hill is a better prospect than Kyle Hamilton, will go lower, and be an All-Pro sooner. I mentioned position-less football: defenses have adjusted to the spread offenses that offenses are using by making Nickel their base defenses. The next adjustment was drafting safeties/Uber-athletes to play closer to the ball as de-facto linebackers. Kudos if you were a unicorn like Isaiah Simmons! Kyle Hamilton is the natural evolution of that position, but given Dax Hill’s versatility in coverage (particularly his ability to play man and zone effectively) he is the better value pick. Hamilton will, if he goes to Houston, be typecast as a free safety and be used away from the line of scrimmage. A smart defensive coordinator wouldn’t do that, instead utilizing him like the Seahawks use Jamal Adams. Dax Hill won’t have those issues.

    5. Two big trades will occur, and the order we have now won’t be where we end up on Thursday. Teams have been more likely to move off guys these past off-seasons, choosing to find the replacements in the draft. Stefan Diggs to Justin Jefferson and Deforest Buckner for Javon Kinlaw are two of the most recent high-profile moves, and with Deebo Samuel, AJ Brown, Terry McClaurin, and DK Metcalf reportedly available to some degree, we could see a flurry of action this weekend. I think we get two big moves: one, the Deebo trade, is kind of expected, but one, maybe Terry McClaurin, will be unexpected. Buckle up, football fans.

  • Deebo Samuel’s Trade Request Creates Questions, Uncertainty for the 49ers

    Deebo Samuel’s Trade Request Creates Questions, Uncertainty for the 49ers

    I find it WILD that the best offensive player for the San Francisco 49ers is asking for a trade. Deebo Samuel stated, per Jeff Darlington of ESPN, “He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but he has indeed let the 49ers know his desire to leave the organization.” Deebo is such a versatile player that he is, essentially, positionless. He can play any skill position the team needs and is not pigeon-holed into being just a wide receiver or running back or punt returner or kick returner. This makes him unique, and thus, valuable. There is no one in the NFL like Samuel. Deebo is not a player you can just replace with a veteran or through the draft. He understands his current role, how to play in the league, AND how to have and maintain success.

    Additionally, Kyle Shanahan has done a masterful job of creating touches for Deebo that has allowed him to use his full compliment of skills…and those skills have helped lead the 49ers to past two NFC Conference Championship Games. The same cannot be said for every coach, including coaches in the NFL. Think Percy Harvin when he was in the league. Shanahan has been given the moniker of “genius” throughout his time as an offensive coordinator. Where that “genius” lies is in his ability to find the weakness of the defense, create formations and motions that attack those weaknesses and then an ability to counter the defenses adjustments. In layman’s terms, Shanahan uses his most gifted and explosive athletes against the softest part of the defense. The relationship between Shanahan and Deebo seemed to be symbiotic, with each party benefiting from the skills of the other.

    Something has occurred between the Niners and Deebo that has pushed Samuel to ask for a trade. Samuel stated it’s because of how he was used in the offense, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport. That could be the reason. It seems improbable. Finding more ways to take advantage of Deebo’s skills is, seemingly, in Shanahan’s wheelhouse. What seems more probable is the communication, personalities, and/or off-field interactions between Samuel, Shanahan, and the Niners have created a chasm so wide that it’s unable to be mended. While he may have been frustrated with how he was used in the offense, it doesn’t seem plausible that that singular issue would create such discontent as to implode the relationship.

    As of now, two things are clear: Samuel’s request and the 49ers desire not to trade him. It’s important to note that the Niners have the leverage in this situation. The “why” hasn’t been shared and we may never know the real reason and, invariably, any comments that come from Shanahan or 49ers’ general manager John Lynch will be “coach speak.” Lots of words that say little to nothing about the topic.

    The Niners will, most likely, start 2nd-year quarterback Trey Lance from North Dakota State this coming season and, unless they get a TRUCKLOAD of talent and picks, will be playing with an unhappy WR/RB/PR/KR1.

    In the end, the only person who knows the real reason is Deebo.

  • The Multiverse NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine Edition

    The Multiverse NFL Mock Draft: Post-Combine Edition

    We are full speed ahead here with our NFL coverage at the Multiverse HQ. Today, we bring you our first mock draft, and this comes on the heels of a flurry of moves by teams during this free agency period. We’ll have winners and losers up on the site soon, but let’s pivot to the NFL Draft and see what we think teams will do now that they’ve made all their big acquisitions.

    1. Jaguars select EDGE Aidan Hutchinson: once they franchise-tagged LT Cam Robinson and signed former Commanders OG Brandon Scherff, this firmly took them out of the Ikem Ekwonu/Evan Neal conversation. With Pro Bowl OLB Josh Allen being the only pass rushing threat on this team, the Jags get him some help in the form of the former Wolverine. Hutchinson had 14 sacks last year and should be a workhorse at the next level.

    2. Detroit Lions select QB Malik Willis: with two first round picks, the Lions select the most talented QB in this class with one of them. Willis is dynamic off platform and has shown the ability to make all the throws. Where he needs help the most (accuracy), he can work on while sitting behind Jared Goff.

    3. Houston Texans select S Kyle Hamilton: a new contract for LT Laremy Tunsil has me thinking the Texans don’t opt for OL in this scenario, and instead give Marvin Lewis a moveable chess piece on the backend of his Texans defense. Hamilton isn’t Ed Reed or Troy Polamalu, but he’s a good player with the kind of versatility you need from your safeties in this NFL.

    4. New York Jets select EDGE Kayvon Thibadeaux: the Jets will be tempted to go OL here if they don’t sign Cowboys OL La’el Collins, and Ikem Ekwonu is the 2nd best player in this class, in my opinion. However, Robert Saleh saw what the Niners got from a top-rated pass rusher added through the draft and I think that’s the pick they make here. Thibadeaux has been scrutinized to no end, but he’s got a Osi Umenyiora floor and a Javon Kearse ceiling, and improves this Jets pass rush.

    5. New York Giants select OT Charles Cross: the Giants get a best-case scenario in this setting where they get to pick which OL they want to pair with Andrew Thomas to bookend their unit. I think new Head Coach Brian Daboll prioritizes a nimble OL as oppose to a mauler, and this gives the slight edge to Charles Cross. Ekwonu and Evan Neal are both better, but Cross isn’t that far behind, and he helps the Giants keep Daniel Jones/Tyrod Taylor when he takes over upright.

    6. Carolina Panthers take OL Ikem Ekwonu: Sam Darnold and Matt Rhule will probably both be off this team next year, but Rhule leaves the Panthers with one parting gift in the form of the best OL in this class. Ekwonu could’ve gone at any slot ahead of this one, but falls here to Carolina where he will block for Darnold for a year before the Panthers GM cleans house and gets their QB of the future in here.

    7. New York Giants select EDGE Travon Walker: a player I’m not admittedly high on, as his pass rush repertoire is virtually non-existent at this point, but the NFL seems determined to make this happen. Walker had an insane combine and, coupled with no red flags, this means a team in the top 10 will most likely roll the dice. The only team that has that type of a leash to where they can sit and develop a guy is the Giants, so Walker goes here.

    8. Atlanta Falcons select WR Drake London: as of this writing, Matt Ryan is still their QB, and they need another pass catcher in the building given that Calvin Ridley is gone for a year and they lost Russell Cage to the Bucs. They could opt for the more-polished Garrett Wilson, but I think the Falcons prioritize the ability to win contested catches, and that’s London’s game. With this pick, Arthur Smith tries to replicate the bully pass catcher mantra he had with the Titans.

    9. Seattle Seahawks select CB Sauce Gardner: the first pick of the post-Russell Wilson era has Pete Carroll trying to shore up what was once a strength for this team. With Gardner, you get a confident player who has the results to back it up. He gave up no touchdowns in college, albeit against some weak competition.

    10. New York Jets select WR Garrett Wilson: if the Falcons had taken Wilson, the Jets would’ve taken London, in my opinion, but I don’t think the Falcons do that so the Jets get a top 3 WR in this class at 10. They have Elijah Moore and Corey Davis, and I’d trade for Robert Woods if I’m them because I don’t think you can have enough pass catchers, but giving Wilson to Zach Wilson after all the work up front means you’ve given him a chance now. Wilson is a polished route runner with the hands of a catcher, and he elevates the Jets pass catching group.

    11. Washington Commanders select LB Devin Lloyd: Ron Rivera wants his Luke Kuechly, and he gets that in the Utah standout. Lloyd is a modern LBer who can play sideline to sideline and cover, and is better than last year’s first rounder Jamin Davis. This pick allows Rivers to slide Davis to OLB, where the Commanders are currently playing Cold Holcomb. Lloyd and Davis give Rivera his Kuechly/Thomas Davis LB duo in the nation’s capital.

    12. Minnesota Vikings select CB Kair Elam: the film was always pretty good, but the great 40 time solidified him as a top 16 pick, in my opinion. There will be talk of the Vikings taking Derek Stingley, but I do not think the Vikings make him the first pick of a new regime given the Lisfranc injury he suffered. I think they opt for a lower ceiling corner with less injury concerns, and Elam slots in opposite Patrick Peterson from day one.

    13. Houston Texans select OT Evan Neal: Charlie Heck is currently starting at RT and, while I liked him coming out of UNC, that doesn’t mean the Texans should not try and uograde. They moved former first round pick Tytus Howard to LG, and now they add a monster in Evan Neal who can either play RT or slide into RG to replace Justin McCray. The Texans seem committed to giving Davis Mills a chance, and improving the OL with Neal gives him that chance.

    14. Baltimore Ravens select C Tyler Linderbaum: the best Center to enter the draft in a long time lands in the perfect spot. The Ravens have added Morgan Moses to start at RT, get Ronnie Stanley back at LT, and have a returning Kevin Zeitler who was very good for them last year. They are most likely losing Bradley Bozeman, so Linderbaum slots right into the starting C spot. He is perfect for the Ravens and their running game, and will become best friends with former MVP Lamar Jackson.

    15. Philadelphia Eagles select EDGE Jermaine Johnson: Jermaine Johnson is a better player and prospect than Travon Walker, but that doesn’t seem to be a universally-held belief in the NFL as we rarely see Johnson mocked ahead of Walker post-combine. Here, the Eagles are the beneficiary, as they add the more polished edge. Johnson will replace former first round pick Derek Barnett, and give the Eagles some much needed pass rush juice. A sound prospect who will produce at the next level, Johnson helps the Eagles here.

    16. Philadelphia Eagles select CB Derek Stingley, Jr: with their 2nd first round pick, the Eagles add the cornerback who owns the best tape of the last 5 years in Derek Stingley, Jr. The reason they can take this chance is because they have Darius Slay and Steven Nelson as their starters, which means Stingley can be brought along slowly if there are concerns about his injury. Javon Hargrave, Stingley, and Johnson become the cornerstones of this next era of Eagles defenses.

    17. Los Angeles Chargers select WR Treylon Burks: every move this team has made this off-season has been about winning now. There will be temptation to roll the dice on Jameson Williams, but I think Brandon Staley gives his QB a third big body pass catcher to overwhelm AFC West defenses with. Burks hasn’t had the best offseason, but the film is nasty, and he is a guy that will repeatedly feast on nickel cornerbacks at the next level. He can win outside, can beat press, and can win jump balls, and this gives the Chargers arguably the second best trio in football at WR.

    18. New Orleans Saints select QB Kenny Pickett: Dennis Allen wants to upgrade at QB, and the bar is low to do that after Taysom Hill. They could bring back Jameis Winston, who looked good early in Sean Payton’s offense, but I think they opt for the most accurate QB in the class in Kenny Pickett. He doesn’t have the arm strength you’d like to see from a signal caller, but with playmakers in place and former Saints QB Drew Brees not having the same arm he used to and the offense still being successful? That may not matter, so Pickett goes here.

    19. Philadelphia Eagles select LB Nakobe Dean: three first round picks, and they all go to defense? Yeah, I think that’s what the Eagles do because the offensive side of the ball in this class is substantially deeper, and I think they opt to add a WR in R2. The Eagles signed an edge in free agency in Haason Reddick, and now they get the leader in the middle of this defense with Nakobe Dean. Dean had an excellent season in Athens, and slots right into this young but talented Eagles defense. He is Nick Sirianni’s Darius Leonard.

    20. Pittsburgh Steelers select QB Desmond Ridder: the Steelers wish Malik Willis dropped this far, since they signed the bridge in Mitch Trubisky, but they still follow that plan here and add Desmond Ridder. Ridder is a project: he’s everything folks said Zach Wilson was last year, but Mike Tomlin and his staff have the leash to where they can sit him and develop him behind a guy who has won games in this league.

    21. New England Patriots select OG Zion Johnson: they just gifted Shaq Mason to the Bucs for a 5th round pick, and now need a replacement. They don’t look too far, as they go right to my alma mater and add a monster in Zion Johnson. There is no way Bill Belicheck goes into the season with James Ferentz up front protecting Mac Jones. They need to upgrade at WR, but Bill is old school: he opts for OL reinforcement here.

    22. Green Bay Packers select WR Chris Olave: with Devante Adams in the desert, the Packers need a new number one WR. Enter the former Ohio State Buckeye and best WR in this class. Olave gets to play with the league MVP not too far from where he shined in college, and goes to arguably the best situation for any of the young pass catchers drafted here. He’s a deep threat with great hands and is an excellent route runner: he reminds me of Roddy White.

    23. Arizona Cardinals select EDGE George Karlaftis: they lost Chandler Jones, and probably should trade Kyler Murray, so they replace the former here while hoping they don’t have to replace the latter. George Karlaftis was talked up as a potential top 10 pick early in this process, but this feels where he should go. He’s got some refining to do, but he’s a maximum effort guy now going to play with the NFL’s ultimate effort guy in JJ Watt.

    24. Dallas Cowboys select OT Trevor Penning: they foolishly cut Lael Collins, and look to the draft for his replacement. Penning didn’t have the best Senior Bowl, but the Cowboys overlook that because they like the traits he has. With this offense in a bit of a flux (trading Amari Cooper, cutting Collins), their saving grace is that they have drafted well. Now, if they could find a taker for Ezekiel Elliott or a coach that’ll actually use him, they’d be cooking.

    25. Buffalo Bills select DL Jordan Davis: a freakish combine from a guy that rotated snaps is going to be a good test to see what these GMs value more. I think film is still what matters to Brian Beane, which is why he loves that Davis falls to him here. With this pick, the Bills four man front is Ed Oliver, Gregory Rousseau, newly-signed Von Miller, and Davis, and that is music to Beane’s ears knowing that he’s going to have to build the DL that can get to these QBs. For Davis, it’s the best situation for him given how loaded the Bills defense is at every level.

    26. Tennessee Titans select WR Jameson Williams: the Julio Jones experiment very clearly didn’t work, and it cost the Titans two picks. One could argue they can’t afford to take a chance at the position, but this is a team that sticks to its board and the former Alabama WR at this spot is too good value to pass up. They will be tempted to take a QB, but I think it’s more likely they reset next year at the position. Williams, if healthy, gives AJ Brown a running mate that will beat one on ones all day. Last year, the Titans took Caleb Fairley regardless of injuries, and I think they do the same here.

    27. Tampa Bay Bucs select QB Sam Howell: Tom Brady’s short-lived retirement makes me think that he’s closer to being done, and I think Jason Licht is a very good GM who will plan for that. Taking a QB here gives you the fifth year option in case Brady does play until he’s 50. Howell is an accurate passer with limited arm strength, so Brady should see the young him in Howell, and will mentor him all while trying to win another SB ring.

    28. Green Bay Packers select OG Kenyon Green: after adding Chris Olave with their first 1st rounder, they opt to add to the OL with their second. Kenyon Green played literally everywhere, and his draft stock ironically took a hit for it. He can replace Bryan O’Neill at RT, or slot right in to RG over Royce Newman. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon immediately will like him because of the holes he opens up for them, and who knows: maybe he will block for Jordan Love one day.

    29. Miami Dolphins select OT Bernhard Raimann: this Dolphins OL isn’t very good, and they need some talent up front. Raimann is still pretty raw, but if he develops you now have a potential bookend tackle. The problem is the Dolphins took Austin Jackson in round one with the same thinking, but Chris Grier doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing, so he repeats the same mistake again.

    30. Kansas City Chiefs select CB Trent McDuffie: the short arms cause this standout corner to fall, but the Chiefs are the beneficiaries. They lost their top corner, and now replace him with someone who fits seamlessly into their defense. McDuffie is a pest, and shows good patience when mirroring WR routes. He doesn’t bite often, and he has a knack for breaking on routes that will help him at the next level. Chiefs get a steal.

    31. Cincinnati Bengals select EDGE David Ojabo: the Achilles injury is brutal news for the Wolverine prospect, but the Bengals picking this late means they can essentially draft and stash him. Ojabo provides significant juice for a defense that really only got pass rushing production from Trey Hendrickson last year. Ojabo could be better than Aidan Hutchinson in three years.

    32. Detroit Lions select CB/S Daxton Hill: the Lions could’ve taken Kyle Hamilton at 2 and then taken whatever QB was left at 32. However, in this scenario they do the smart thing by taking the higher ceiling QB and the better safety later in the draft. Daxton Hill has the versatility to play corner or safety, is a sure tackler, and is a playmaker on the back-end. The Lions brought back Tracy Walker, but I do not think they are done adding talent to a secondary that was ranked 24th in yards allowed. Hill improves this secondary from when he steps on the field.

  • History and Time Aren’t On Tom Brady’s Side as He Returns to the NFL

    History and Time Aren’t On Tom Brady’s Side as He Returns to the NFL

    Tom Brady is the greatest football player of all time. There’s no debating this, especially not now, after his 22nd season. Career highs in attempts (719), passing yards (5,316), and this season’s touchdowns (43) and completion percentage (67.5%) were only eclipsed by his 2007 MVP season.

    As great as he has been, his recently announced return doesn’t come with the promise of future greatness. In fact, Brady may be about to fall off a cliff due to a couple of key factors.

    Offensive Line


    While the Buccaneers just resigned Ryan Jensen, arguably the league’s top center, there are some questions regarding the offensive line. Ali Marpet just retired, and Alex Cappa is a free agent, so there are two holes on each hole alongside Jensen, and so far the solution has been to re-sign a backup guard. The Bucs have stars at Center and Right Tackle. Can they fit pieces in to plug at the other 3 positions to mesh well? We’ll find out.

    History doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme


    Think back to 2009. Brett Favre is finally on a team that wasn’t green (nobody remembers his early Falcons days). It was a pretty striking image, seeing him in bright purple on the Vikings. Let’s use these years to compare to Brady’s Buc’s career, skipping the Jets because I, and the rest of history, would like to forget Favre’s Jets career. I listed out Brady’s accomplishments for his 2022 year, let’s list out some of Favre’s 2009 year. Career high in completion percentage (68.4%), QB rating (107.2), and top five in yardage (4,204) and touchdowns (33). Vikings were rolling with a young Adrian Peterson and a dominating Sydney Rice, with a Super Bowl well within their reach. Until that infamous cross body interception in the NFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl champion Saints. If that throw doesn’t happen, maybe Favre beats Peyton two weeks later and he rides off into the sunset. The same could be said for Stafford’s late game heroics to Cooper Kupp. If Stafford doesn’t nail that throw to get them into field position and win, does Brady even think about unretiring with an 8th super bowl ring on his finger? I don’t think so. But he should look at every QB who has decided to put on the pads one last year, and the results don’t tend to be pretty.

    Tom Brady may have outsmarted Father Time all of these years, but Father Time is a hurricane. And Tom, at this point in his career and life, seems to be trying to hold back the tide with a broomstick.

  • Tom Brady is Bad for the NFL

    Tom Brady is Bad for the NFL

    Well, folks. The inevitable has happened. After two blissful months of a Tom Brady-less National Football League, the legendary quarterback has announced that he will not retire. Instead, he will return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, intent on looming over the sport for at least one more year. No doubt this is music to the ears of Bucs fans, who have likely just released a breath they’ve been holding in since the beginning of February. It’s also probably great news for any celebrity whose only knowledge of football is that Tom Brady is good, and own a version of his jersey to prove it. Unfortunately, for the rest of the world, it means yet another season in which nobody is allowed to shine brighter than TB12.

    Brady, now entering his 23rd year in the league, is indisputably the greatest player of all time. Statistically speaking, it’s just impossible to argue against. Nobody in the history of football has had a better career, with 7 Super Bowl wins stacked on top of 10 appearances, 3 NFL MVPs, 15 Pro Bowls, and countless individual NFL records broken. The man is a monster who just keeps going, and going, and going, and going. Yet, his endless employment may not be the blessing his numbers suggest it would be. In fact, whatever deal the oddly youthful quarterback may have struck with the Devil is probably going to be worse for the NFL than it is good. Not necessarily in a competitive way, but more so in qualitative one.

    You see, just like any other television program, live sports are dependent on ratings. Television ratings tend to go up when your show has a famous lead that people would like to tune in and see, and there has not been an athlete since Michael Jordan that’s felt like as big of a leading man as Tom Brady. The NFL knows this, and it’s been apparent since they joined the modern age of social media that Brady would be the face of their sport. When Tom is doing well, the NFL seems to be doing well, and somehow Tom is always doing well. What this means is that every year, without fail, no matter how incredibly well other younger quarterbacks may have performed, the conversation always comes back to Brady.

    While this may seem impressive for now, it actually has the potential to stunt the league’s growth in the long run. As with most natural cycles, football must be allowed to usher in new eras as the old take their leave. Fresh young stars, duking it out in exciting newborn rivalries, telling original stories and letting them live on the field. A game adapting to new play styles and a wide variety of teams with drastically different skillsets. Think about those glorious few weeks of playoff football in January, the ones after Brady had been eliminated from Super Bowl contention. They were unpredictable, thrilling, and most importantly, the general public were rooting for good games instead of a good player. There is a place for veteran players with “unfinished business”, as Brady claims to have, but he simply doesn’t fit satisfyingly in the narrative.

    A lot of what keeps fans invested in the NFL is it’s storytelling. One would hope the games aren’t rigged, but if they were, one might at least hope they were rigged to be enjoyable. There is nothing fun about watching the same person win repeatedly for decades. This is not to say Brady hasn’t earned his victories, or that anything should be done to stop him from winning. That wouldn’t be ethical, and it’s not the point of the article. It’s just to say that the 5x Super Bowl MVP should have a better idea of when to make way for the next generation. By sticking around, Brady ensures that the NFL remains more or less the same one fans have come to know. Any hope of seeing a competition for his G.O.A.T. successor, any enthusiasm for other veterans who’ve yet to snag a ring to maybe finally get one (a la Matthew Stafford). Compelling storylines thrown to the wind for yet another year of “but can he do it again?”

    To link the message being conveyed with another recent hot topic, think of this in terms of Batman movies. People have always loved Batman, from the whimsical 1960s Adam West series to the gothic Tim Burton movies of the late 1980s. Of course, certain takes had more fans than others, but there was a place for each version of the character to be appreciated. That was, until Christopher Nolan changed the game by dropping his trilogy of critically acclaimed films. Since then, as they are still considered the greatest Batman adaptations out there, any and all Batman film or television projects have been graded based on how they stack up to The Dark Knight. No live-action Joker can exist without being compared to Heath Ledger, and every frame of every one of Batman’s movements will be put in an hours-long YouTube video explaining why the former is still the better. If this was not obnoxious enough, imagine The Dark Knight re-released in theaters every year to remind people it was still the best, casting a huge shadow over any other mint editions that dare come after it. It would get old, quickly, and people might stop caring for Batman movies altogether.

    Tom Brady is an excellent, time-defying football player. It’s just that every year he stays in the league, it prevents the league from crafting any sort of identity away from him. There is a new dawn on the horizon in football, we might simply have to wait a little longer for it. Cross some fingers that it’s another early playoff exit, because it’s time to move on from Tom. Even if he won’t admit it yet.

  • Return of the GOAT: Tom Brady Announces His NFL Return

    Return of the GOAT: Tom Brady Announces His NFL Return

    Surprising mostly nobody, Tom Brady announced his intentions to “unretire” and return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

    Brady, who will be 45 by the time he enters his 24th NFL season this Fall, already holds NFL career records most championships by a player (7), passing yards (84,520), passing TDs (624), completions (7,263) and, to balance the scales, most times sacked (622). Essentially an afterthought following his career at the University of Michigan, Brady has become a professional sports icon.

    His return follows a loss in the Divisional Playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champs, the Los Angeles Rams. Despite not leading the Bucs to a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, Brady threw for a personal best 5,316 yards in 2021 in a 13-4 campaign. Since his retirement, speculation has grown that Brady would return, though many fans believed he’d switch coasts and end up in San Francisco. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but for now, it’s enough to welcome back the GOAT to the NFL.