The NFL draft is not unlike picking your kickball teams in grade school. Some players are chosen quickly but for the rest, it’s a slow, awkward and drawn out process. At the end of the day, most of us aren’t making millions with our athletic skills. Instead we’re putting them to use to give you today’s Rundown.
First round draft picks in our minds,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS - Be a teammate. Share us with your friends!
Five things to know about the NFL draft
There are only 31 picks in the first round this year because Patriots lost their pick in the first round due to the “Deflategate” scandal (see below). Expect for 255 players to be drafted over the course of three days.
College players must be at least three years out of high school to be eligible for NFL draft
USC has the most players ever drafted from their football program at 493 with Notre Dame closely behind with 486 players drafted.
The last pick of the draft is dubbed “Mr. Irrelevant.” He is dubbed this as the odds are against him that he’ll actually make the team’s roster. Broncos have the distinguished pick this year.
Extra credit. The ones to watch:
Baylor tight end LaQuan McGowan could be the heaviest player ever drafted at 405 pounds.
Newly relocated Los Angeles Rams have the number one pick in this year’s draft. They claim to know who they are picking but will not reveal their choice until Thursday night. It will likely be either Cal quarterback Jared Goff or North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz.
A unicorn? Literally. Draft prospect, Moritz Boehringer, from the Swäbisch Hall Unicorns could be the first player drafted straight from Europe to the NFL. Boehringer (nicknamed Silence for his quiet demeanor) was introduced to football by watching clips on YouTube.
The first round starts on Thursday at 8 pm (EST) on ESPN or NFL Network. Teams receive 10 minutes for each pick. For the rest of the schedule click here.
Here is the draft order (excluding any trades between now and then) and list of players scheduled to attend NFL draft. For those not selected in first round it’s a long and unpleasant wait.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Ouch. With round one of the playoffs still in full swing injuries are changing the face of the playoffs. Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry will miss two weeks with a sprained MCL. Warriors currently lead series 3-1 against Rockets.
- Clipped by the injury bug. Clippers’ starting point guard Chris Paul is out for the playoffs with a broken hand and Blake Griffin (missed 47 regular season games with quad and hand injuries) is also out for the playoffs after re-injuring his quad. Clippers play the Blazers in Los Angeles with series tied 2-2 tonight on NBC at 10 pm (EST).
- Congrats. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr won the “Coach of the Year” award despite missing 43 games this season due back surgery. Warriors set all-time season win mark at 73.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
I salute you. Detroit Tigers’ outfielder Tyler Collins will not face discipline charges after flipping off the heckling crowd after he misplayed a fly ball.
NFL (National Football League)
Flattened. On Monday, a federal appeals court ruled to overturn a lower court’s decision in the "Deflategate" scandal. New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady will have to sit out four games to start the 2016 season. Brady is being penalized for allegedly playing with a purposefully deflated the football in order to give his team an advantage.
NHL (National Hockey League)
Ding! Round two of the playoffs starts today with Islanders vs Lightning at 7 pm (EST) on NBCSN.
- Almost there. Game seven between Predators and Ducks is also today at 10 pm (EST) on NBCSN.
- Simply the best. Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals have advanced to the second round and will play each other on Thursday (8 pm EST on NBCSN). This series features two of the biggest NHL superstars pitted against each other, Sydney Crosby of the Penguins and Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals.
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
- Don’t change the channel. UFC is taking over the set of Good Morning America today from 7 – 9 am (ABC). UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, current Dancing With the Stars participant Paige VanZant and UFC President Dana White are just a few of the familiar faces you’ll see to start your morning.
Overtime
Move over Oprah because Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has started a book club. Luck went to Stanford and was the number one draft pick in 2012. He will be choosing books for “rookies” and “veterans. A “rookie” book is one that Luck liked when he was younger. His “veteran” book will be one he is currently reading. For more information or to join the book club, click here.
Sideline stat
3,500 miles. That was the goal of runner Reza Baluch who was attempting to run from Florida around the Bermuda Triangle in an inflatable bubble. He made it 70 miles before he was exhausted and picked up by the Coast Guard, again. Yes, this isn’t Baluch’s first attempt at this voyage, which he expected to last for five months. His human hamster wheel was stocked with protein bars, water and a hammock for sleeping. You have to see it to believe it.
Coaches’ corner
- Social media allows people to hide behind their phones and say some pretty dastardly and obscene things. Esquire Magazine asked real men to read some of the mean tweets sent to two women sportscasters. The result is what you expected. Keep up the good work ladies – we’re rooting for you.
