Stanford wide receiver had a chance to become a riser in the 2015 with a good performance at the NFL last month, but he didn't give his stock a boost with his performance at the event.He had a much better showing at the , and NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks
Jerome Robinson Jersey Montgomery could be an impact player early on for the special-teams units of an NFL team."He's an interesting guy because when you watch on tape this fall, you see him drop a lot of pa ses and that's a little bit concerning," Jeremiah said on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" Friday. " ... I think he's day
Landry Shamet Jersey one a starting kick returner. He could be a kickoff returner in his NFL career. He's a little bit of a project at the wide receiver spot."Montgomery's 40-yard dash time of 4.55 at the combine turned a few heads, but not in a positive way, as he was thought to be one of the faster receivers coming out of the Pac-12. He ran a 4.5 and 4.51 at his pro day to help recapture some buzz.
Blake Griffin Jersey The bottom line remains that he'll be a bit of a conundrum for teams due to some inconsistencies in his game, despite plenty of intriguing physical traits."Personally, I didn't think he had a great week and I don't know how much that is going to linger in the eyes of the pro scouts," NFL Media analyst Charles Davis said on "Path to the Draft" Friday. "... But I'm with you on this -- excellent kick returner right out of the gate. Let's see how
Montrezl Harrell Jersey he develops as a wide receiver going forward."In many ways, Montgomery will likely end up filling a role similar to the one he played at Stanford during his final few seasons on the Farm. He could spend time at wide receiver, on special teams and po sibly serve as a running back or wildcat
Rodney McGruder Jersey quarterback.At the very least, some franchise will be drafting a quality option to return kicks.You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at .
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HOUSTON (AP) Houstons C.J. Stroud was excited to talk to Los
Corey Kluber Jersey Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford on Thursday.But the second-year signal caller tried to play it cool after the Texans and Rams practiced together in advance Saturdays preseason game. He walked over to where their quarterbacks were standing and greeted the rest of the quarterbacks before approaching Stafford. I have been a fan of Matthew Stafford for a long time, he said. (But) I wasnt trying to be a fan boy.Stroud also wasnt going to pa s up the opportunity to pick the brain of Stafford, who is entering his 16th NFL season.ADVERTISEMENT I asked him a lot of questions, Stroud said. I tried to just learn, and he was really honest with me and wasnt mean, which I appreciate so I am definitely a huge fan of his. Definitely one of my favorite quarterbacks of all time. I feel like sharing a field with him was dope.Stafford and Stroud both got extensive work in the two-hour joint practice Thursday with neither quarterback expected to play Saturday in the final preseason game for both teams. Stafford, who has mi sed practice time with a tight hamstring recently,
Michael Brantley Jersey is also dealing with a cut on his left thumb.Im not going to take you through the details, he said. I cut it at my house, like a normal human being and I have to protect it for a little bit. Ill be fine.For Stafford, its humbling to have young quarterbacks such as Stroud and Chicagos Caleb Williams look up to him. He remembers admiring Brett Favre and Peyton Manning when he was just starting out in the league and the thrill he got from meeting them.Ill never forget playing Brett when he was in Minnesota and I was in Detroit, and he came up to me and was like: Hey man, Im a big fan, Stafford said. Im like: You cant say that to me, right? Im the fan of you. Ive been watching you play for forever. So, it is cool.Stafford, who is entering his fourth year with the Rams, believes its important for quarterbacks to support one another.This position is hard, he said. Its humbling. Its difficult. There are ups, there are downs. Guys that play this position for
Roberto Perez Jersey a long time know you have to stick together and pull for each other so Im pulling for those guys.And although Stroud has played just one season, Stafford said hes already become a fan of last
Bradley Zimmer Jersey years AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Stroud, the second pick in the 2023 draft, threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdown last season, leading the Texans to the AFC South championship and a wild-card win over Cleveland.Stafford was particularly impre sed threw to Tank Dell in Houstons second preseason game this season.Thats buzz coverage right into a dagger window, Stafford said. Usually not throwing that ball, but hey, they didnt play it as well as they could, and he fit in there for a touchdown. Thats playing ball in an aggre sive way, but smart. I let him know that I thought it was a pretty sweet play. He plays at a really high level, especially for a
Leonys Martin Jersey young kid.It isnt just Stafford that Stroud was excited to be around Thursday. He was also happy to get some time with Rams coach Sean McVay, too. The coach walked with Stroud after a couple of plays and the two had a lengthy discu sion after one of them.I am a superfan of his, Stroud said. The type of scheme he runs, the way he calls it, the way he uses guys in motion, and just a whole bunch of different things. He seems like a good guy and he just had some tips and pointers and also showed me a lot of love which I appreciated.___AP NFL:
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FALL RIVER, Ma s. -- Prosecutors in the murder trial of former player Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday played video surveillance that showed his fiancee removing a trash bag from the home and putting it in a car the day after the victim was killed.Hernandez is charged with the June 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of his fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins.
Ernie Banks Jersey Also charged are two Hernandez acquaintances, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace, who have pleaded not guilty. Ortiz and Wallace
Jose Quintana Jersey will be tried separately.On several video clips played for the jury Tuesday, Jenkins is seen leaving the basement of the home with the trash bag that contains what looks like a large box. She puts down the bag and rearranges what appears to be clothing on top. Then she walks through the backyard and is shown putting the box in the trunk of her sister's car.The .45-caliber Glock that investigators say was the murder weapon has never been found. Ortiz told police Hernandez put guns in a box in his basement
Justin Steele Jersey after the killing, and prosecutors have said Jenkins disposed of a box from the basement after receiving a coded text me sage from Hernandez.Jenkins' sister, Shaneah, previously testified that Shayanna had asked to borrow her car the day after the killing so she could go to the bank to get cash to pay the housecleaners. But this week, the housecleaners testified that Shayanna did not pay them cash that day. Instead, one testified, she paid by check.One of the housecleaners, Carla Barbosa, cried Tuesday after she saw surveillance video of herself moving her car so Shayanna Jenkins could leave. She said Shayanna was gone for a while, then
Greg Maddux Jersey came back and seemed normal. A little while later, she said, she saw her speaking on the telephone and looking out the window."She was crying. She was nervous, and she was walking back-and-forth," Barbosa said through a Portuguese translator.Also Tuesday, Lloyd's mother, Ursula Ward, repeatedly mouthed the words "my baby, my baby" as photos of her son's body in the morgue were shown in court. She finally broke down and had to leave the
Drew Smyly Jersey courtroom after photos of her son's bare back with several bullet holes were shown. Shaneah Jenkins, who was sitting with Ward, also cried and wiped her eyes.Copyright 2015 by The A sociated Pre s
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The have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the early 2020 NFL season. While this franchise hasn't registered a winning season since 2015, Kliff Kingsbury's squad has won its first two games and currently has the No. 6 offense in the NFL in terms of total yards per game (421). A big reason for their succe s has been second-year quarterback , who has already appeared to take a major step forward in his second season.In wins over the and Washington Football Team, the former No. 1 overall pick has completed 66.
Jedd Gyorko Jersey 7 percent of his pa ses for 516 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and he has also rushed for 158 yards with three more touchdowns. Even though the Cardinals reside in
Lance Lynn Jersey arguably the toughest division in football, they have the early look of a playoff team -- and maybe something more. Murray's teammate, cornerback , believes that the 23-year-old quarterback is ready to take the league by storm, and will in fact win a Super Bowl one day.During the first episode of his new podcast "All Things Covered with Patrick Peterson and " of CBS Sports, the eight-time Pro Bowler said he can't help but get excited every time he sees his offense take the field."I'm telling you, every time I'm watching No. 1 on the field, I can't watch on the jumbo screen. I have to be front row," Peterson said. "Because you don't know what to expect. You're going to be expecting something great, but
Albert Pujols Jersey you don't know how great it's going to be."His confidence level has always been (high) since he got here -- since we picked him up. To see him continue to grow into the player that he's becoming right now -- like we talked about earlier -- he's one of those guys that has that
Matt Wieters Jersey "it" factor and it's a pleasure to call him my quarterback and watch him grow as well, because I truly, truly believe if he continues to keep that mentality and that mindset that he has, he definitely, definitely at some point will bring a Super Bowl here if he's still playing with the Cardinals. That's how confident I am in him and that's how confident he is in himself as well."Each week, Peterson will review the Cardinals' previous game while looking ahead to Arizona's upcoming opponent. Peterson will also tackle other NFL-related topics that may come up throughout the course of the season. The podcast, which will be released each Tuesday throughout the season, will include several prominent NFL guests such as All-Pro safety , who stopped by this week.Murray already appears
Lou Brock Jersey to be a legitimate dual-threat weapon. His accuracy has already appeared to improve from his rookie season and he's making defenders mi s with his feet. Just last Sunday, he rushed for two touchdowns against Washington in the 30-15 victory. The Cardinals may not be favorites to win the Super Bowl this season, but they could be in the coming years.
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If anybody had doubts about West Virginia wide receiver
Steve Carlton Jersey 's speed, they shouldn't anymore. White measured 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds at the 2015 NFL , and on Saturday, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds. The 10-yard split was 1.66 seconds. White, Alabama's and Louisville's went into the combine as the
Randy Arozarena Jersey top three receivers on seemingly every draft board. The question was: who should be No. 1? White certainly made his case with his 40 time, as there had been questions about his straight-line speed. Cooper (6-0 7/8, 211) and Parker (6-2, 209) turned in good unofficial 40 times, as well, and both bettered White's 10-yard split. Cooper
Junior Fernandez Jersey was clocked in 4.42 seconds, with a 10-yard split of 1.62, and Parker was at 4.45 and 1.56. NFL Media analysts and had White as the top receiver in their position rankings, while atop his wide receiver board. Last week, Mike Mayock if he were to turn in a strong 40 performance."Kevin White is my No.
Mike Matheny Jersey 1 wide receiver," Mayock said. "He has strong hands and is a physical runner after the catch. The only question is his long speed, and there is a huge difference between him running 4.58 and 4.48. If he runs 4.5 or better, I think he's a lock top-10 pick."Mike Huguenin can
lex Reyes Jersey be reached at
[email protected]. You also can follow him on Twitter .
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The NFL has one of the best offseasons among major sports, and every year, the NFL Draft captures the attention of fans looking toward the future. At a time when information and rumors about the NFL are scarce, the draft fills a void. Everyone from fans to NFL writers to draftniks spends time trying to figure out which players each team will take in the first round. As much as we all like to pretend that we know exactly what will happen on draft night, we typically don't. Prospects slip, teams reach, and trades happen that make even the best NFL Draft analysts out there struggle to correctly predict 10 picks. MORE: We here at Sporting News are naturally participating in this fruitle s pursuit of trying to correctly mock the . We have , a mock draft with , a , and many more. But can artificial intelligence predict the 2024 NFL Draft better than us? AI tools are still being developed, so their knowledge tends to lag even in the inexact science of mocking the draft. SN decided to put that to the test, using to predict what will happen in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The proce s of doing so was simple. Meta couldn't quite handle the request to write a full mock draft on its own it kept including players from the 2023 NFL Draft cla s along with present-year players but it was able to create a mock on a pick-by-pick basis. As such, we prompted Meta to make each pick in the 2024 NFL Draft one by one. The program was largely able to provide picks for each team, but when it listed multiple options for each pick, we defaulted to use the first player on Meta's list as the pick for each team. If the program provided players who were already chosen, we re-did the query. The result of the AI mock draft experiment is listed below, starting with the Bears selection at No. 1 overall. SN's NFL DRAFT HQ | | NFL mock draft 2024: Meta AI predicts the first round (Getty Images) 1. Chicago Bears Caleb Williams, QB, USC Meta started well in its NFL mock draft projection, giving likely No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams to the Bears. The program erroneously listed the Panthers as having the top selection this pick originally belonged to Carolina but the Panthers traded it to the Bears as part of the Bryce Young trade but still was complimentary of Williams' fit in Chicago. "Williams is a dynamic quarterback prospect with exception arm talent, athleticism, and playmaking ability," Meta noted in its analysis. So far, so good for the AI mock drafter. IYER: BENDER: 2. Washington Commanders Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU The Commanders selected Daniels over Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy with the second selection, with Meta noting that the LSU product is "a highly talented quarterback prospect with a strong arm, quick release, and excellent mobility." Daniels is the prohibitive favorite to be the No. 2 selection, so this was another win for team Meta. MORE: 3. New England Patriots Drake Maye, QB, UNC Meta listed Daniels, Maye, and J.J. McCarthy as options for this selection, but it ultimately decided that Maye was the better selection. It noted the UNC's product's "Exceptional arm strength" and "elite athleticism and mobility" as key reasons the Patriots would prefer him over McCarthy. , so it's easy to see why the Patriots would like him in this spot. 4. Arizona Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State The Cardinals are believed to be targeting a wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft, so Meta gave them Harrison Jr., who is considered by many to be the . That choice was sensible and so, too, was the program's analysis that trading down with a team hoping to land McCarthy would be its second-best option. Meta listed the Vikings, Raiders, Broncos, and Giants as threats to trade up and get McCarthy. 2024 NFL DRAFT TOP 10 LISTS: |
Seth DeValve Jersey | | | 5. Los Angeles Chargers Malik Nabers, WR, LSU Meta noted that to the Bears during the offseason, which gave the Chargers nine picks but a hole at receiver. Trading down was a strong consideration for Los Angeles with Minnesota being listed as its top candidate to be a trade partner but ultimately, they stayed put and grabbed Nabers. Many believe that the Chargers will choose between Nabers and Joe Alt unle s Harrison is still on the board. 6. New York Giants Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame Here's the first unusual pick for Meta, but evidently, it isn't a big fan of Evan Neal. Alt is a 6-7, 322-pound tackle prospect who could play on either side of the line but would bookend left tackle Andrew Thomas on the right side. Alt would be an upgrade for New York's offensive line, and Neal could find a home at left guard to complete New York's blocking unit. That said, few have the Giants taking a tackle here, as Neal was a first-round pick in 2022. It may be too early to give up on him on the outside, so New York would likely prefer to add a top pa s-catching weapon while getting offensive line competition in the second round. But, hey
Nick Chubb Jersey , maybe Meta knows something we don't about New York's opinion of Alt versus what the team currently thinks of Neal. 7. Tenne see Titans Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia Meta wanted to give the Titans both Alt and Nabers ahead of Bowers, but each was off the board. It settled on the Georgia product in a cla sic best-player-available situation and noted his 175 receptions, 2,538 receiving yards, and 26 touchdowns were the most ever by an SEC tight end. This pick would give the Titans another weapon for Will Levis and would give them a great receiving tight end room of Bowers and Chigoziem Okonkwo. 8. Atlanta Falcons Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA Credit to Meta, it seems to know that Latu is trending up and has a chance to overtake the favored Dallas Turner to become the first defensive player selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. It noted Latu's "agility, snap time, and pa s-rushing techniques" as his strengths, and it pointed to his 96.3 player grade from Pro Football Focus as a reason to be confident in Latu translating to the NFL level. Latu had 23.5 sacks over his past two years with the Bruins, so it seems po sible that Meta could ultimately get this one right. (Getty Images) 9. Chicago Bears Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington Fautanu over Taliese Fuaga and Rome Odunze? That's a bold choice for Meta, but this is a pick-your-flavor type of offensive line cla s. If Chicago really likes Fautanu, it could roll with him here. Meta notes that Fautanu is "athletic and moves well" and could be the Bears' "Day 1 starter at left tackle." Braxton Jones may put up a fight for that role, but selecting Fautanu could upgrade the position while making Jones a more-than-qualified swing tackle. 10. New York Jets Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State This pick almost got weird for the Jets, with Jermaine Burton, Keon Coleman and T'Vondre Sweat earning mentions as considerations for this slot. Luckily, Fashanu was rated higher among the options it believes the Jets should target. Fashanu's "prototypical frame and plus athleticism" were of interest to Meta when mocking him to the Jets. New York acquired Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses during the 2024 NFL offseason, so Fashanu wouldn't be a Day 1 starter, but he would provide excellent depth and a long-term answer on the left side for New York. 11. Minnesota Vikings J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan Meta wanted to give the Vikings a shot at Drake Maye given his connection to Minnesota's quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, but it settled for McCarthy with Maye off the board. The Vikings considered moving up twice to get the Michigan quarterback, so why wouldn't they take him with the 11th pick if he's still on the board? BENDER: 12. Denver Broncos Bo Nix, QB, Oregon The run on quarterbacks begins. Meta apparently wanted to join the so-called in-crowd, as it noted that Nix "is a popular pick for the Broncos" in its analysis of the Oregon quarterback's potential. The program also considered going with Michael Penix Jr. here, stating that he is "another name to watch for Denver." Meta may be following the crowd with this pick, but it's for a good reason. is headlined by Jarrett Stidham, , and Ben DiNucci. 13. Las Vegas Raiders Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington Jayden Daniels was mentioned as a Raiders target here Meta cited his relationship with Antonio Pierce from their Arizona State days as the reason behind that but it decided that Penix was the way to go with Daniels off the board. Penix would be a great scheme fit with the Raiders and has been mentioned as a target for them. This is another sensible team-and-player match by Meta, even if Las Vegas might ultimately draft an offensive lineman or cornerback over Penix. 14. New Orleans Saints Taliese Fuaga, OL, Oregon State Here's another great team-and-player match by Meta. The Saints are searching for help on the offensive line, as 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning hasn't developed well, and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is dealing with a career-threatening injury. Fuaga can provide insurance in case Ramczyk is forced to retire, and he'll challenge Penning on the left side if Ramczyk can continue playing. In the worst-case scenario, Fuaga could end up replacing the departed Andrus Peat as the team's starting left guard. 15. Indianapolis Colts Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama Through 15 picks, Meta has remained fairly chalky, except for the still unselected Rome Odunze (more on that later). The program wanted to give the Colts a cornerback here badly, however, and Arnold was its top option. Arnold had five interceptions during his final season at Alabama and is expected to be the first cornerback off the board Thursday. Quinyon Mitchell may rival him for that honor. 16. Seattle Seahawks Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama Turner has largely been mocked as a top-10 selection, but Meta has him slipping to the Seahawks at 16. It notes that Turner "posted a top-10 pa s-rush win rate among edge defenders in 2023" and that his measurables are "top-end." and racked up 10 sacks in 2023, so it's hard to argue with Meta's logic. The only gripe you can have with Turner's selection is that he should have come off the board earlier. (Getty Images) 17. Jacksonville Jaguars Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo Meta believes the Jaguars are another cornerback hotspot, listing Mitchell as the team's top option. The Toledo product dominated the NFL Combine and put together strong film playing in the MAC. Granted, he'll face a big jump in competition going to the NFL, but this looks like another solid pick from Meta. 18. Cincinnati Bengals Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas Meta must read Sporting News because in our alternating picks mock draft from last week. The Bengals have a big need at the position after losing D.J. Reader to the Lions in free agency, and Murphy is a great value at this juncture. 19. Los Angeles Rams JC Latham, OT, Alabama This pick is where the mock starts to get a bit weird. The Rams worked hard to fix their offensive line last season and rebuilt the interior while finding a serviceable left tackle in Alaric Jackson. Perhaps Latham is meant to serve as a long-term succe sor to right tackle Rob Havenstein, 31, but he has been a solid starter for nearly a decade since being a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Latham (6-6, 359 pounds) is viewed by many as a right tackle prospect, so the fit here seems odd. It might make more sense for Los Angeles to take a pa s rusher like Jared Verse rather than settling on a player who might only be a backup as a rookie. 20. San Francisco 49ers (via trade with Steelers) Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama OK,nowwe
Phillip Gaines Jersey 're in busine s. Meta really wanted the Steelers to trade out of this pick so it took inspiration from and sent it to the 49ers as part of a package for Brandon Aiyuk. The terms of the deal were as follows: Steelers get: WR Brandon Aiyuk No. 31 pick No. 63 pick No. 132 pick 49ers get: No. 20 pick No. 51 pick No. 84 pick Basically, the 49ers are moving up three times while moving on from Aiyuk. That's not bad, especially considering how barren Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft might be. The high-ceiling McKinstry ended up being the 49ers' pick, as they could use some help at cornerback. Parting with Aiyuk and not getting receiver help may be a hard pill to swallow, though, especially with Rome Odunze still inexplicably available. MORE: 21. Miami Dolphins Jackson Powers-Johnson, G/C, Oregon This time, Meta decided to stay put and wanted the Dolphins to add some help on the interior offensive line. Powers-Johnson was described as "a good fit" for Miami. He could either help to replace Robert Hunt at guard or battle Aaron Brewer for the starting center spot vacated by Connor Williams. 22. Philadelphia Eagles Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson Meta described Wiggins as "a slender cornerback with strong playmaking ability," though some teams have actually been critical of his back-to-the-ball playmaking ability, per . Regardle s, the Eagles need to add young corners to the roster to serve as long-term options behind Darius Slay and James Bradberry. Wiggins has a high ceiling and could compete with Eli Ricks and Keele Ringo for playing time. 23. Minnesota Vikings Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State Meta is a big fan of Verse's production. It noted that he had 18 sacks in just 25 games at Florida State after transferring there from Albany in 2022. Some will be surprised not to see another offensive player as the pick given that Minnesota selected McCarthy at 11, but the Vikings have a strong group of weapons and two good offensive tackles, so it can afford to wait on interior line help. 24. Dallas Cowboys Graham Barton, OL, Duke The Cowboys can't afford to wait too long for offensive line help after losing Tyron
Denzel Ward Jersey Smith and Tyler Biadasz to free agency. They have holes at left guard and center with Tyler Smith projected to move out to left tackle. Barton could fill either role, as Meta notes that he "can play anywhere on the offensive line." Still, the program projects him to be a center and believes that he would be the team's best option at the position since Travis Frederick's heyday. (Getty Images) 25. Green Bay Packers Payton Wilson, LB, NC State This was the first pick in this mock that may shock readers. It won't be the last. Wilson was a solid, productive linebacker during his time at NC State, logging 138 tackles, six sacks, and three interceptions as a fifth-year senior, but he dealt with injury concerns with the Wolfpack, as well. and could become a good NFL linebacker, but few have him as a first-round talent. Perhaps Meta is projecting a reach with one of these later-round picks because there always is one, but it would be surprising to see the Packers roll with Wilson over a cornerback like Cooper DeJean unle s they trade down. 26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia Many believe the Buccaneers could take an edge rusher, but Meta thinks going with Mims is the better option. Perhaps the program believes that current right tackle Luke Goedecke, a second-round pick in 2022, would be better served at left guard. That would solidify the interior offensive line while opening the door for Mims to start at right tackle (or left tackle, if he's more comfortable there). The Buccaneers this offseason, so it makes sense to protect him. Perhaps Meta's pick here is one that more mock drafts should be following. 27. Arizona Cardinals Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State Meta wanted the Cardinals to focus on defense after targeting offense with the fourth pick. That led to Robinson becoming the high-upside pick. A brief scouting report of Robinson from Meta: "A Penn State edge rusher with a 4.48 40-yard dash and a lot of potential." Potential is something that the Cardinals could use as they continue to rebuild their roster. 28. Buffalo Bills Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas Bills fans, if you've made it this far, feel free to let out a deafening groan after seeing your team pa s on both Brian Thomas Jr. and Rome Odunze (who remains, inexplicably, available). Why did Meta give Mitchell to the Bills over those more highly regarded receivers? It didn't say. All it provided was this explanation: "The Bills need a wide receiver after trading Stefon Diggs. Some po sible picks include Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell." Maybe Mitchell will shock the world and end up being the best of the bunch, but unle s Meta knows something we don't, Buffalo fans won't be too happy with this projection. MORE: 29. Detroit Lions Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU Buffalo fans will be even more annoyed to know that Thomas Jr. comes off the board one pick after their selection. The Lions certainly need a true No. 2 receiver acro s from Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the 6-4 LSU wideout would fill that need. Meta was intrigued by Thomas' 4.33 40-yard dash and believes that speed will make him a solid fit in Detroit. 30. Baltimore Ravens Darius Robinson, EDGE/DL, Mi souri Robinson "is a good match for the Ravens' scheme," according to Meta. That's enough to make him the 30th pick here. It's hard to argue with this selection, as the Ravens could use a versatile edge defender to help replace Jadeveon Clowney. 31. Pittsburgh Steelers (via trade with 49ers) Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State And here we have it: The biggest reach in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Johnson may be , but he shouldn't sniff the first round. The good news for Steelers fans
Jarvis Landry Jersey is they at least moved down to take Johnson. That said, not only is the Penn State tight end not projected to be a first-round pick, but he also doesn't even fill a need for the Steelers. Pittsburgh spent Day 2 picks on Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington in 2021 and 2023, respectively, so unle s Arthur Smith wants to run a lot of three-tight-end sets (po sible) or is planning to demote either Freiermuth or Washington below Johnson (also po sible), it's hard to justify this pick. Meta might be analyzing the Steelers' recent trend of taking Day 2 tight ends including Freiermuth, a Penn State product and using it to justify this pick. Even so, this seems like an outlandish choice for the Steelers and would likely cause the Pittsburgh faithful to revolt. Yes, Aiyuk is factored into this selection as part of the trade involving the 20th pick. Still, this would be an easy F grade considering that Johnson ranks 116th overall on . 32. Kansas City Chiefs Rome Odunze, WR, Washington An inexplicable reach is followed by an equally insane value pick. How did Odunze fall into the Chiefs' lap? One working theory was that Meta is secretly a Kansas City fan. It denied that when asked point-blank about it. "I don't have a favorite NFL team or any sports team for that matter," Meta said. "I am a neutral AI language model, and my purpose is to provide information and answer questions to the best of my ability without taking a side or showing bias towards any particular team or individual." Likely story. Anyway, the second working theory is that the program simply didn't realize that Odunze was still available and thus didn't consider him as an option for the mid-round picks. Why did that change with the Chiefs? Meta might believe that the Chiefs could be willing to trade up to get Odunze. After all, they are desperate for wide receiver help with Rashee Rice's future uncertain . Odunze is largely projected to be a top-12 pick. Meta notes that he has "ball-tracking skills paired with great hands" that should make him a rock-solid starter. The Chiefs don't seem likely to get this lucky in real life, but if they trade up for Odunze, Meta will get the last laugh. And all told, Meta's first-round mock isn't too outlandish. The top 15 picks all seem reasonable, and even the second half of the mock has some solid projections within it. Soon enough, we'll see just how well Meta's mock draft compares to the ones completed by numerous draft analysts acro s the industry, but as it stands, the Johnson and Odunze picks remind us that the AI mock drafters haven't overtaken humans quite yet.
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Sometimes on 'Hard Knocks,' it feels like the emphasis
Trey Burton Jersey should be on "Hard." The most recent subject of the HBO docu-series, the Giants, have gone through plenty of hardships since the end of the Eli Manning era. The G-Men's Super Bowl odds ahead of the 2024 season suggest the tough times won't soon be over.New York QB Daniel Jones who's completing rehab for his November 2023 ACL tear could be facing a career cro sroads in his sixth NFL season. Jones has enjoyed one winning campaign, when he led the Giants to a 9-7 record in 2022. Despite that halfway-decent season, the Giants have still gone just 38-77 since September 2017.MORE NFL 2024: | Breakout players:|During that seven-year span, New York has finished in either third or fourth place in the NFC East six times
Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey . Their lone second place during that stretch came in 2020, when the team finished 6-10 and the Washington Football Team won the division with a 7-10 record.To add insult to injury, the Giants lost Saquon Barkley to the Eagles this offseason and tight end Darren Waller to retirement. As might say, "how much more betrayal can they take!?"Still, there's something to be said about wiping the slate clean. The Giants still have a very good head coach in Brian Daboll, the former architect of the Buffalo Bills' offense during Josh Allen's ascent to stardom. They just drafted electric wideout Malik Nabers, who could very well be the most talented offensive player in the 2024 cla s.If veteran wideout Allen Robinson II and running back Devin Singletary can help soften the blows left by Waller and Barkley's departures and Jones can stay healthy and take a step forward as a pa ser we might be talking about one of the sneakier good teams this season.Let's see what the futures odds on say, both in terms of the Giants' chances to win the Super Bowl and their likelihoodof winning the NFC East.betmgm_coloredGET IN ON THE ACTION! SIGN UP TO THE KING OF SPORTSBOOKS NOWPLAY NOW2024 Super Bowl futures odds: Outright winnerAll odds courtesy of .TeamOddsChiefs+60049ers+650Ravens+1000Lions+1200Bills+1400Bengals+1400Texans+1400Eagles+1400Packers+1600Cowboys+1800Jets+2200Dolphins+2500Falcons+2800Bears+3000Rams+3000Browns+4000Chargers+4000Steelers+4000Jaguars+5000Colts+6600Saints+6600Seahawks+6600Raiders+8000Vikings+8000Buccaneers+8000Cardinals+10000Broncos+12500Giants+15000Patriots+15000Titans+15000Commanders+15000Panthers+25000Giants
Eddie Goldman Jersey ' 2024 Super Bowl odds: +15000Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Giants and Patriots, teams that have battled each other in two different Super Bowls since 2008, sit tied at +15000 to win it all this coming season. Only the lowly Panthers have lower odds to hoist the next Vince Lombardi Trophy.This odds
Tarik Cohen Jersey board tell us that the NFL has plenty of parity, but that the Giants aren't a part of it. New York still has a lot of building left to do before it can even think about contending for a title, never wind beating out the 31 other teams in the league.MORE NFL: Giants' 2024 divisional odds: Best betThe Giants are +1000 to win the NFC East, but let's just send that train away before you consider hopping on. If you want to back the Giants but also have realistic expectations, you can bet them at +180 to finish third in the NFC East. It's actually a halfway-decent bet, considering the Commanders also +15000 long shot to win the Super Bowl now have a rookie QB under center in Jayden Daniels.Of course, you might be like a lot
Roquan Smith Jersey of Giants fans and just expect the worst. If you don't like New York to finish with a better record than the Cowboys, Eagles, or Commanders, you can bet the G-Men to finish fourth in the division at just -125 (or, even better, you could bet Washington +160 to finish third). Then you at least have a silver lining to go with yet another hard-knock year!
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I'm a big believer in the value of offseason workout programs in the NFL. They provide an opportunity to establish a tone, log some quality work and see who gets it ... and who doesn't.Per league rules, teams with new head coaches get to begin their programs first -- and they're allotted one additional voluntary veteran minicamp. This makes perfect sense. As a new head coach, that first offseason is vital, full of monumental trials. (After all, in almost every coaching transition, the previous guy on the post got canned for failing to live up to ownership's expectations.)Five of the seven new coaches started their offseason programs this week. The two others -- John Fox () and Gary Kubiak () -- kick off workouts next week.One thing all of these coaches have in common: They're facing immense pre sure to cultivate a winning culture. That said, their individual circumstances are unique. Pre sure comes in many forms ...So let's take a look at these seven teams (in alphabetical order) and examine the
Ketel Marte Jersey biggest challenge facing each new head man at the outset of his tenure:Atlanta FalconsDan Quinn's initial challenge: Bringing energy to a sleepwalking defense.The former defensive coordinator certainly made his mark on the league over the past couple seasons, directing the D that guided Seattle to consecutive appearances (and earned the franchise's first Lombardi Trophy). Even with the defensive-minded Pete Carroll as his bo s, Quinn's preparation, scheming and energy earned him a fine reputation around the NFL.If only he could have brought the "Legion of Boom" with him to Atlanta ...The had the worst defense in the league last year. It was a sieve. Atlanta ranked and . There's nowhere to go but up in 2015.Now, while no one's going to confuse the defensive roster with that of the '85 , I refuse to believe the have the worst defensive players in the NFL.Quinn needs to establish a culture of accountability and winning. Mike Smith's won a lot of regular-season games, but the coach went 1-4 in the postseason and the team wholly underachieved in the past two years. As I said back in October, .New sheriff. New culture. It's time for Atlanta to win with Quinn. And that begins with a reinvigoration of effort and energy on the defensive side of the ball. Quinn is a fine man for this job.Buffalo BillsRex Ryan's initial challenge: Getting veterans on board with his larger-than-life vision.As readers of this space know well, I'm not a believer in Rex's in-game coaching. And precedent says he will put his foot in his mouth and generally do inflammatory things. But for the sake of accuracy and fairne s, I have to say Rex has a gift -- a knack -- for rallying the troops.Rex
Nick Ahmed Jersey certainly isn't shy when it comes to daily activities. He's driving around Buffalo , , , and .Now he needs to find his guys, his veterans who buy in and deliver the me sage. The hype is building around this team; Rex needs a hot start with the program.It was easy to rip Doug Marrone, who doesn't have Rex's bravado and gift of gab, on his way out of town. Now Rex needs to make sure his talented team is ready to walk the walk.Chicago BearsJohn Fox's initial challenge:Dealing with the albatro s that is .John Fox has won a lot of games while preaching unrelenting energy. has lost a lot of games while looking completely uninterested. This is a fundamental contradiction -- and a rather large problem for the .Cutler has plenty of talent, but his lackadaisical demeanor and underwhelming play have made him into a modern-day coach killer of the Jeff George variety.A divorce would serve the best, but they're stuck with Cutler because of his bloated contract.Can Fox's rah-rah me sage break the mopey spell of that looms over Chicago? Color me
Zack Greinke Jersey skeptical.Denver BroncosGary Kubiak's initial challenge: Striking a balance with .John Elway allowed John Fox to move on because he understandably felt that Denver underperformed in the postseason under the coach. (Two one-and-dones and a embarra sment over three years doesn't leave the best taste in your mouth.) Denver has talent and a legendary quarterback -- albeit one in the twilight of his career. And therein lies the challenge: Kubiak, Elway's long-time friend, needs to win now -- but he also needs to strike a balance.The last time we saw Kubiak as a head coach, he was presiding over a
Rob Refsnyder Jersey gro sly underachieving team in 2013. That should increase the scrutiny he'll face. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenges he's dealing with in Denver.Manning is omnipresent. When he is your quarterback, he is the face of your franchise and a pseudo-coach. I'm sure Kubiak will embrace that. But Manning before after last season, with physical ailments piling up and play sputtering in the final quarter of 2014. In 2015, Kubiak must find a way to protect the prideful quarterback from himself.In blowouts, should Kubiak look to early, to see if the quarterback will be ready to take the torch when Manning eventually hangs 'em up? Sounds smart, but good luck selling Peyton on this plan.It's all a delicate balance.New York JetsTodd Bowles' initial challenge: Dealing with the absence of his top dog.A few months ago, Bowles received for his brilliant work with the ' defense. He certainly deserved the honor -- he got my vote -- and he deserved to become a head coach. The landed themselves quite a catch. But it'd be nice if Bowles were entering his first offseason with his best new toy in the playpen. is . The safe a sumption is that Wilkerson wants a new deal, something overmatched/former general manager John Idzik should've taken care of last offseason. Wilkerson, not , is the best player on the -- and should be compensated accordingly.Bowles understands the busine s of football. And I don't blame Wilkerson for not attending something voluntary. It's his right and he's making a purposeful statement. He deserves to get paid. It's early in the proce s, but that's a rather large (literally and figuratively) player to have absent from your first team workouts as an NFL head coach.Oakland RaidersJack Del Rio's initial challenge: Tuning out all the noise.Are the ? Is the team's attitude improved? Have the Powers That Be done enough this offseason?Quarterback i sues and franchise drama after a relatively succe sful start in Jacksonville.The should be improved this year. Del Rio can enjoy some succe s in Year 1. Maintaining focus in the locker room and learning from past mistakes is paramount.San Francisco 49ersJim Tomsula's initial challenge: Making fans/players/media forget about Jim Harbaugh.Frankly, I don't know how he accomplishes this.I didn't like the hire at all, as . Tomsula's best trait was that he was there. Location is everything in real estate, but not so much in a coaching
Eduardo Escobar Jersey search. The Niners let one of the best coaches in football leave town because he had a strong personality and clashed with Jed York and Trent Baalke. It's unfathomable.And with an offseason full of retirements and free-agent defections, there's very little reason for hope in San Francisco, which is sad for a fan base that realistically thought about the every year Harbaugh was on the job.No coach has bigger shoes to fill than Tomsula. Thus, no coach faces a more crucial offseason.Follow Adam Schein on Twitter .
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The have an opportunity to pull into a four-way tie at the top of the NFC with a win on Monday night. If they can run their record to 11-3, they'll match the Seahawks, Packers, and 49ers, sending the conference into a complicated four-team tiebreaker.Standing in the Saints' way are the , who are trying to keep their own fading playoff hopes alive. The Colts have lost three consecutive games to drop their record to 6-7, and they're a game and a half behind Pittsburgh and Tenne see in the race for the AFC's No. 6 seed at the moment. To keep themselves in the mix, the Colts badly need to come away with a win.With all that on the line, this should be quite an interesting game. Let's break things down.How to watchDate:Monday, Dec. 16, 2019 |Time:8:15 p.mLocation:Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)TV:ESPN|Follow:Odds:Saints -9.5, Over/Under 47.5, perWhen the Saints have the ballLet's start with , who has simply not been the same since returning from injury. In six games prior to injuring his knee and ankle, which forced him to mi s two games, Kamara gained 649 total yards (108.1 per game) on 119 total touches (5.45 per touch). In five games since returning, Kamara has gained 425 total yards (85 per game) on 87 total touches (4.89 per touch).But a slight dip in yards per game and yards per touch is not the only difference we've
Orlando Cepeda Jersey seen. As Rotoworld's Hayden Winks noted earlier this week, Kamara's has dropped through the floor since his return: Prior to the injury, Kamara had a 34 percent avoided tackle rate on runs and a 27 percent rate on catches. Since returning, those figures have dropped to 13 percent on runs and 14 percent on catches.The Saints have still managed a 3-2 record in those five games, but this decline in Kamara's ability to make opponents mi s is about to become of paramount importance on Monday night. The design of the Colts' defense encourages opponents to make short throws to check-down options, counting on their linebackers and safeties to come up and make tackles before the opponent can gain too many yards after the catch. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus prioritizes not giving up deep throws ahead of almost all else, and when the Saints are making shorter throws, that almost always means the ball is going to Kamara or .Drew Brees has been arguably the league's best quarterback on short throws against zone defenses, completing 86 of 106 pa ses within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, for 719 yards, one touchdown, no picks
Darren O Day Jersey , and a 98.1 pa ser rating. His 6.8 yards per attempt average on those throws is actually third-best in the NFL, per Sports Info Solutions.Including the throws from , Thomas has caught 43 of 52 of those same types of throws, for 416 yards. That's 8 yards per pa s, with a near-guarantee that the throw will be completed. There are 30 receivers who have been targeted 30 or more times on short throws against zones, and Thomas has the second-highest rate of positive plays, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Julio Teheran Jersey This is why the Saints are able to methodically work their way down the field so often.Perhaps the biggest area where the Saints have the advantage on Monday night, though, is along the offensive line. New Orleans has had a dominant unit up front for the better part of the past few seasons, and this year has been no different. The Saints rank first in the NFL in Football Outsiders' Adjusted Line Yards, and tied for third in Adjusted Sack Rate. Only 15 percent of New Orleans' runs have been stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage, per Football Outsiders, the fourth-lowest rate in the league. The Colts have been one of the best teams at stopping opponents in the backfield (22 percent, fifth in the NFL), but their Adjusted Sack Rate only ranks 21st in the league, raising doubts about their ability to get pre sure on Brees.When New Orleans turns to the ground, has been more effective than Kamara of late, but one thing to note about the Saints running game this season is the relative lack of big plays. Only 10 of their 314 carries have gained 20 or more yards. According to Pro Football Focus, there are 13 individual players who have more explosive runs than that on their own. (And that's before accounting for Sunday's games.)When the Colts have the ballThe big question here is whether or not T.Y. Hilton will be able to play through his latest injury. As we wrote in our Week 15 preview, has been a much different -- and far more effective -- quarterback with Hilton on the field than in games where he's sat.In games without Hilton, Bri sett is just 87 of 151 (57.6 percent) for 1,042 yards (6.9 per attempt), seven touchdowns, and four interceptions. That's an 83.3 pa ser rating. In games with Hilton, Bri sett is 141 of 210 (67
Bobby Cox Jersey .1 percent) for 1,454 yards (6.9 per attempt), 11 touchdowns, and two interceptions. That's a 100.4 pa ser rating.Hilton is listed as questionable after getting in limited practices on Thursday and Friday and not practicing on Saturday. He's stated that Colts coach Frank Reich will only let him play if he's 100 percent, which would seem to point toward him sitting out this game, but perhaps the Colts will get him out there in what looks like their last shot to keep themselves alive in the playoff race.If Hilton is unable to play, the Colts will again be down to only , , and, after Parris Campbell's latest injury, and on the outside. With also out, will presumably be a big part of the pa sing game once again. None of those options seem all that likely to scare the Saints defense all that much, and considering how poorly (relative to his performance earlier in the season) Bri sett has played since returning from an injury of his own, it would not be surprising if the Saints went all out to force him to beat them through the air.Whether Hilton is in or out, the Colts seem likely to employ a run-heavy game plan, counting on to grind out yards and control the clock against what is suddenly a very banged up Saints defensive front. New Orleans lost both and to injuries this week, ravaging the depth of a top-10 run defense unit in the league. The Colts have turned to this type of offense when they played the earlier in the season, for example, handing Mack the ball 29 times and giving it to seven more.The question for the Saints will be how their run defense holds up without two of their best defensive linemen. They still have , , and , but players like , , and will be thrust into larger roles now that two of the Saints' studs are down. Tuttle got the most work at the nose tackle spot against the 49ers last week, and while he seemed to hold up fine, the 49ers ran the ball extremely well. (24 carries for 162 yards and a touchdown.)The Colts will need a similar performance on the ground, on even greater volume, to overcome the injuries they're facing that seem likely to hold back their pa sing offense. Their offensive line has not been quite as good blocking up the run game this season as it was last year, though, so they seem somewhat le s likely to be able to physically impose their will on
Greg Maddux Jersey an opposing defense -- even one facing injury i sues like this Saints team.Prediction: Saints 24, Colts 14Correction: A previous version of this post mistakenly a serted that the Saints would ascend to the No. 1 seed in the NFC if they were to win the game.
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tight
Blank Jersey end suffered a stable fracture in his left hand during Friday's 23-21 preseason win over the ."The good news is that it's quick healing ... The tough news is that he is going to be out probably the rest of preseason," coach Gus Bradley said. "But hopefully, if everything works alright, he'll be back ready for the first game."Thomas left the field in the first quarter and did not return. The team confirmed Saturday that the tight end will mi s the rest of the preseason.The gave Thomas a five-year, $46 million contract in the offseason to lure him away from the . If healthy, the league's highest-paid tight end figures to be the primary target for second-year quarterback . Here are other injuries we've been monitoring during Friday's six preseason games. RB took a
Jose Cruz Jersey big hit from after tackle appeared to mi s his block in the first quarter against the . Anderson fumbled and then limped off the field favoring his left ankle slightly. He did not return to the game. backup QB left the field favoring his right leg after taking a hit in the fourth quarter. After being carted off the
Alex Bregman Jersey field,. He did not return to the game. WR headed to the locker room after suffering an apparent shoulder injury. He did not return. safety was taken to the locker room in the first half for X-rays on his left knee,
Ken Giles Jersey which were negative. He did not return, and after the game of The Bergen Record that the injury is "not bad at all," though he plans to have an MRI tomorrow to get a better look at any damage.The are quickly thinning out at safety: left the game and did not return with an Achilles injury,. Coach Tom Coughlin said after the game he is worried Thompson might have an Achilles tear.It was a cringe-worthy night for the Big Blue secondary: CB Tremaine McBride did not return after suffering
Gerrit Cole Jersey a hamstring injury, . receiver sustained a grade one MCL sprain, and coach Rex Ryan said the injury wasn't serious. DT left the game early because of a knee injury, and did not return. Ryan said he wasn't concerned about the injury. safety left the game with a hand injury and later returned, .The latest Podcast .
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