🏈 Draft Day!

It’s Draft Day! Thirty-two young men will hear their names called tonight and see their dreams come true. Then ESPN will tell a tragic story about their family on national television for absolutely no reason. But other than that, it's a pretty fun time! We’ll share our mock draft for you to laugh at tomorrow. But first, let’s talk playoffs. In the NBA, the Heat went unconscious from downtown to stun the C’s in Beantown, and the Thunder rained on the Pelicans to rumble to another win. In the NHL, the Knights outshined the Stars yet again, the Kings laid claim to free hockey, and the man wearing the “C” for the B’s got the W. Plus, Liverpool muddied their Premier League title hopes with a shocking stumble at the derby, and Reggie Bush finally got his Heisman back. *NFL draft chime*… the Blitz is in!

WTF Stat: Angels OF Mike Trout leads the MLB with 10 home runs. He has 13 RBIs. Braves DH Marcell Ozuna has the second-most home runs in the MLB with nine. He has 29 RBIs - the most Angels stat ever!

🏈 Reggie Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy was “formally reinstated” by the Heisman Trophy Trust amid what the organization calls “enormous changes in the college football landscape” - Bush forfeited his Heisman in 2010 after the NCAA deemed he received impermissible benefits while playing at USC

🏈 Lions extended WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on a 4-year, $120M deal with $77M guaranteed and RT Penei Sewell on a 4-year, $122M deal with $85M guaranteed - Sewell’s contract is the largest ever for an offensive lineman

🏈 Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, a three-time Pro Bowler, requested a trade yesterday, but the team reportedly has zero intention of moving him - Hendrickson joins WR Tee Higgins as the latest Cincinnati star to request a trade this offseason

🏀 Timberwolves C Naz Reid was named the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, narrowly beating out Kings G Malik Monk for the award - the NBA will continue to announce the winners of its 2023-24 awards throughout the week

NBA Playoffs - First Round, Game 2s

• East | #8 Miami Heat 111, #1 Boston Celtics 101 (Series tied 1-1): We have a series, folks! After getting 20-pieced in Game 1, Tyler Herro (24 PTS, 6-11 3PT, 14 AST), Caleb Martin (21 PTS, 5-6 3PT), and the shorthanded Heat came out firing and went a ridiculous 23-of-43 (53.5%) from beyond the arc while holding Jaylen Brown (33 PTS, 13-23 FG, 8 REB), Jayson Tatum (28 PTS, 10-20 FG, 8 REB), and the Celtics to just 40 points in the second half, as Miami broke things open in the 3rd quarter and didn’t look back to silence TD Garden, evening the series at one apiece - Miami’s 23 threes is a franchise playoff-record, and Bam Adebayo (21 PTS, 9-13 FG, 10 REB) was a problem in the paint

• West | #1 Oklahoma City Thunder 124,#8 New Orleans Pelicans 92 (OKC leads series 2-0): The Pels pushed OKC to the brink on Sunday, but this one wasn’t even close. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33 PTS, 13-19 FG, 5 AST) and Chet Holmgren (26 PTS, 9-13 FG, 7 REB) had a field day with Zion Williamson still in street clothes, while the “Dorture Chamber,” Lu Dort (15 PTS, 4-6 3PT) locked up Brandon Ingram (18 PTS, 5-10 FG, 3 AST) on the other end, as the Thunder rolled over New Orleans to protect home court - Williamson (hamstring strain) is set to be reevaluated next Tuesday after Game 4

See the full box scores here.

Tonight’s Schedule - First Round, Game 3s

• East | #4 Cleveland Cavaliers @ #5 Orlando Magic 7:00pm ET, NBA TV - CLE leads series 2-0

• East | #2 New York Knicks @ #7 Philadelphia 76ers 7:30pm ET, TNT - NYK leads series 2-0

• West | #2 Denver Nuggets @ #7 Los Angeles Lakers 10:00pm ET, TNT - DEN leads series 2-0

See the entire NBA playoffs bracket here.

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs - First Round

• East, Game 3 | Boston Bruins 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 2 (BOS leads 2-1): No love was lost last night in Toronto, as the two rivals combined for a barbaric 133 hits, but it was Brad Marchand (2 G, 1 A) who delivered the biggest blow, as the B’s captain buried a nasty go-ahead wrister in the 3rd period just 28 seconds after Tyler Bertuzzi (1 G) tied the game for the Leafs, and then Marchand landed the knockout punch with an empty-netter to give Boston a hard-fought victory at Scotiabank Arena

• West, Game 2 | Vegas Golden Knights 3, Dallas Stars 1 (VGK leads series 2-0): Home-ice advantage? I don’t think so! The reigning champs have the top-seeded Stars on the ropes, as the Knights overcame an early 1-0 deficit with three unanswered goals from Jonathan Marchessault (1 G), Noah Hanifin (1 G), and Jack Eichel (1 G) to beat Jason Robertson (1 G) and Dallas on the road in dominant fashion, allowing Vegas to return home with a commanding 2-0 series lead

• West, Game 2 | Los Angeles Kings 5, Edmonton Oilers 4 / OT (Series tied 1-1): After trading a trio of goals in the first two periods, Kevin Fiala (1 G) gave the Kings a 4-3 lead early in the 3rd period, only for Dylan Holloway (2 G) to tie the game 90 seconds later with his second bingo of the night, but Los Angeles never wavered, and Anze Kopitar (1 G, 2 A) shelved the OT-winner two minutes into the extra frame to split the two-game stand in Edmonton - Adrian Kempe (2 G) scored an utterly outrageous goal in the 1st period (hockey rocks)

See the full box scores here.

Tonight’s Schedule - First Round, Game 3s

• East | (A1) Florida Panthers @ (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning 7:00pm ET, TBS - FLA leads series 2-0

• East | (M2) Carolina Hurricanes @ (M3) New York Islanders 7:30pm ET, ESPN2 - CAR leads series 2-0

See the entire Stanley Cup playoffs bracket here.

MLB - Top Games

• Baltimore Orioles 6, Los Angeles Angels 5: Gunnar Henderson (3-3, 1 HR, 3 RBIs) continued his hot streak with a solo shot in the 3rd and a two-run single in the 6th to help build the O’s a 6-0 lead, and although Mike Trout (1-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and the Halos cut the lead to one in the bottom of the 9th, Jo Adell (1-3) was controversially ruled out while stealing second base to end the game, and the close call was upheld after a lengthy replay review

• Los Angeles Dodgers 11, Washington Nationals 2: Shohei Ohtani (4-6, 2 R, 2 RBIs) had three doubles to extend his nine-game hitting, rookie Landon Knack (6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 Ks) got his first career win, and the Dodgers had a season-high 20 hits to rout the Nats in the nation’s capital - Ohtani has an MLB-best .371 batting average, and Mookie Betts (4-6, 2 RBIs) also had a big night

• San Diego Padres 5, Colorado Rockies 2: Let’s show the Padres some love for getting above .500! Ha-Seong Kim (2-4, 2 RBIs) drove in two with an RBI double to spark a four-run first inning for the Pads, and that was all the damage they needed, as Matt Waldron (6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 Ks) and the bullpen gave up just five hits to rock Colorado at Coors Field

See the full MLB scoreboard here and the current standings here.

English Premier League - Top Match

• Everton 2, Liverpool 0: In a stunner at the Merseyside derby, Everton prevented Liverpool from joining Arsenal atop the Premiership table as the Toffees looked sharper from start to finish and used goals from Jarrad Branthwaite (27’) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (58’) to shock Jurgen Klopp’s squad at Goodison Park - Liverpool (22-8-4, 74 PTS) is three points behind Arsenal (24-5-5, 77 PTS) with four games remaining

See the full international scoreboard here and the current EPL table here.

🏈 Chicago is on the Clock…

The 2024 NFL Draft gets underway tonight in Detroit, MI, where the Chicago Bears will officially be on the clock starting at 8:00pm ET. I’m not going to act like I’ve been grinding tape all spring, but with help from the patented Blitz computer algorithm, I’ve formulated a neat little mock draft for you to gauge the board. I really have no idea what I’m talking about, but if you haven't noticed — when it comes to the draft, nobody knows what they're talking about. However, I do know one thing: “Vontae Mack no matter what.”

Schedule

• Round 1: Thursday, April 25 at 8:00pm ET (ABC / ESPN / NFL Network)

• Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 26 at 7:00pm ET (ABC / ESPN2 / NFL Network)

• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 26 at 12:00pm ET (ABC / ESPN / NFL Network)

Blitz Mock Draft - Top 10 Picks & Analysis

• 1. Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams (QB, USC): Barring an alien invasion, Caleb Williams will be a Bear by this time tomorrow. The 2022 Heisman winner is the heavy favorite (-20000) to hear his name called first for a reason: Chicago needs a new signal-caller, and he’s one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory. Williams has all the tools to become a superstar, and the Bears trading QB Justin Fields to Pittsburgh last month practically made this pick inevitable.

• 2. Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels (QB, LSU): Another Heisman winner off the board. Washington has been yearning to put a franchise guy under center for years and reportedly has its eye on Daniels, who has jumped Drake Maye as the largely consensus No. 2 quarterback. At 23 years old and five seasons of college ball under his belt, he’s polished and can step in right away. But his lack of size is a concern.

• 3. New England Patriots - Drake Maye (QB, North Carolina): It’s been four seasons since Tom Brady donned a Pats jersey, and they still haven’t found his replacement. There’s buzz that New England may trade back if their preferred passer is no longer available. But something tells me owner Robert Craft will make sure they stay put and take a quarterback. Maye has flawed mechanics but loads of talent. Plus, he can start on the bench while learning under veteran QB Jacoby Brissett, who is a viable bridge to a more long-term solution.

• 4. Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR, Ohio State): Arizona will likely field calls from teams looking to trade up for a quarterback, but rumor has it they plan to hold their ground for the No. 2 prospect in the draft. Ohio State receivers are usually pretty good, and Marvin Harrison Jr. lives up to his name. He’s a generational talent, and the Cardinals’ biggest need is at wideout. Don’t overthink it, Arizona!

• 5. Minnesota Vikings (via LAC*) - JJ McCarthy (QB, Michigan): I wanted to zag on this trendy prediction, but the tea leaves advise otherwise. The Vikings are in the market for a QB and have the ammo to outbid other suitors to move up for McCarthy, who isn’t generally considered to be a top-tier quarterback but is an intriguing prospect with great physical tools. Meanwhile, the Chargers fall back to No. 11 and snag JC Latham, an imposing tackle with a mean streak that HC Jim Harbaugh is sure to love.

• 6. New York Giants - Malik Nabers (WR, LSU): Trading up to find a replacement for QB Daniel Jones could be tempting, but the Giants will likely stay put for a wide receiver or tackle. And after bolstering the offensive line around All-Pro LT Andrew Thomas in free agency, the signs point to receiver. With Harrison off the board, New York will have its choice between Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze — two tantalizing prospects who would enter Week 1 as their top target. It’s a toss-up, but the majority believes Nabers has a higher ceiling.

• 7. Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt (OT, Notre Dame): If the Giants elect to go with a wideout, things will shake out perfectly for the Titans, who added weapons around QB Will Levis in free agency but have a glaring need at left tackle. Alt is the best player at his position and as close to a sure thing as you can get. He would be an immediate upgrade for Tennessee and has the potential to become the cornerstone of their offensive line for the next decade.

• 8. Buffalo Bills (via ATL**) - Rome Odunze (WR, Washington): The offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis have left a significant void in the Bills receiver room. With QB Josh Allen in his prime, the championship window is now for Buffalo, and the front office can’t afford to waste another season. This year’s wideout class is loaded, but there’s a drop-off after Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze. So don’t be surprised to see the Bills trade up from No. 28 to land the last can’t-miss receiver, while Atlanta moves back with a full board of defenders remaining.

• 9. Chicago Bears - Troy Fautanu (OT, Washington): The Bears’ second pick will be interesting. They could trade back, add another weapon for Williams, or possibly select the first defender in the draft. But I suspect they’ll go with the next-best tackle to protect their prized jewel. Who that is, is up for debate, but Fautanu is a good bet. He can play several positions, and Chicago needs to address their interior line. Having him start at guard before moving to tackle is a solid fix. With that said, he could be available later on…

• 10. New York Jets - Brock Bowers (TE, Georgia): The Jets get their wish in this scenario. With the top three wide receivers off the board, New York goes for the next-best weapon in Bowers, one of the most productive tight ends in college football history. Bowers is a vacuum and elite after the catch. He’s one of the best players in the draft, and he’ll serve as a much-needed security blanket for QB Aaron Rodgers, who has been campaigning for pass-catchers, among other things.

*LAC trades No. 5 to MIN for Nos. 11, 23, and a 2025 third-rounder.

**ATL trades No. 8 to BUF for Nos. 28, 60, and a 2025 first-rounder.

Blitz Mock Draft - The Rest of Round 1

• 11. Los Angeles Chargers (via MIN) - JC Latham (T, Alabama)

• 12. Atlanta Falcons (via DEN*) - Dallas Turner (EDGE, Alabama)

• 13. Las Vegas Raiders - Michael Penix Jr. (QB, Washington)

• 14. New Orleans Saints - Taliese Fuaga (T, Oregon State)

• 15. Detroit Lions (via IND**) - Quinyon Mitchell (CB, Toledo)

• 16. Seattle Seahawks - Laiatu Latu (EDGE, UCLA)

• 17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Terrion Arnold (CB, Alabama)

• 18. Cincinnati Bengals - Olumuyiwa Fashanu (OT, Penn State)

• 19. Los Angeles Rams - Byron Murphy II (DT, Texas)

• 20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Tyler Guyton (OT, Oklahoma)

• 21. Miami Dolphins - Graham Barton (OG, Duke)

• 22. Philadelphia Eagles - Cooper DeJean (CB, Iowa)

• 23. Los Angeles Chargers (via MIN) - Jer’Zhan Newton (DT, Illinois)

• 24. Dallas Cowboys - Jackson Powers-Johnson (C, Oregon)

• 25. Green Bay Packers - Amarius Mims (OT, Georgia)

• 26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jared Verse (DE, Florida State)

• 27. Arizona Cardinals - Chop Robinson (EDGE, Penn State)

• 28. Denver Broncos (via ATL*) - Nate Wiggins (CB, Clemson)

• 29. Indianapolis Colts (via DET**) - Brian Thomas Jr. (WR, LSU)

• 30. Baltimore Ravens - Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB, Alabama)

• 31. San Francisco 49ers - Xavier Worthy (WR, Texas)

• 32. Kansas City Chiefs - Ladd McKonkey (WR, Georgia)

*DEN trades Nos. 12, 121 to ATL for Nos. 28, 43, and a 2025 third-rounder.

**IND trades Nos. 15, 117 to DET for Nos. 29, 61, and a 2025 third-rounder.

On April 25, 2018, four quarterbacks were selected in the top 10 of the NFL draft for the first time in modern league history. Baker Mayfield went first overall to the Browns, Sam Darnold was taken by the Jets at No. 3, Josh Allen went to the Bills at No. 7, and the Cardinals selected Josh Rosen at No. 10. The early run on passers meant the record for quarterbacks taken in the first round was also within reach. Six went in the fabled class of 1983, which included Hall of Famers John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. But the only other quarterback to go in the first round was Lamar Jackson, who went No. 32 overall to the Ravens, the final pick of the first round. Of the four QBs selected in the top 10, only Josh Allen received a second contract from the team that drafted him. Mayfield was traded by the Browns in 2022 but has found a second home in Tampa Bay after short stints with the Panthers and Rams. Darnold was traded from the Jets to the Panthers in 2021 and is now in Minnesota after serving as the 49ers backup last season. Rosen played for six teams in the span of five years and is currently a free agent. Before 2018, the last time four quarterbacks went in the top 10 was 1949 - four quarterbacks are projected to be taken in the top 10 tonight.

NBA Playoffs - First Round, Game 3s

• Cleveland Cavaliers @ Orlando Magic 7:00pm ET, NBA TV

• New York Knicks @ Philadelphia 76ers 7:30pm ET, TNT

• Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Lakers 10:00pm ET, TNT

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs - First Round, Game 3s

• Florida Panthers @ Tampa Bay Lightning 7:00pm ET, TBS

• Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Islanders 7:30pm ET, ESPN2

MLB

• Philadelphia Phillies @ Cincinnati Reds 1:10pm ET, ESPN+

• Seattle Mariners @ Texas Rangers 2:20pm ET, Local

• Oakland Athletics @ New York Yankees 7:05pm ET, Local

• Full Schedule

English Premier League

• Manchester City @ Brighton & Hove Albion 3:00pm ET, Local

Trivia Time Answer

C. 3. As of right now, three teams do not have a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft: the Panthers, the Browns, and the Texans. Carolina would be selecting first overall tonight but traded their 2024 first-round pick to the Bears last year for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, which they used on QB Bryce Young. The Browns gave their first-round pick to Houston in 2022 when they traded for QB Deshaun Watson. The Texans then used one of their 2024 first-rounders to move up in last year’s draft and then traded away the other to the Vikings last month for Minnesota’s 2024 and 2025 second-round pick, and their 2024 sixth-round pick - whew!

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Thanks for reading and enjoy an awesome night of sports!