Your favorite team will probably screw up the NFL Draft
Your favorite team will probably screw up the NFL Draft
This is For The Win's daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Here's Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! The day you've all been waiting for has finally arrived. It's NFL draft day, also known as "I hope my team doesn't mess this up" Day.
THE ORDER: Here's the complete NFL draft order for all seven rounds
For some of you, this is going to be one of the happiest days of the year. Your team will nail it. They'll make the consensus pick that you've seen on the dozens of mock drafts you've crammed into your noggin over the last few weeks as you've tried your best to prepare for this moment.
For others? Well, this is going to be the worst. Your team is totally going to blow it. They'll reach for a player they do not need or take the wrong guy. The pick will be mystifying to you and everyone else watching. Don't log onto any of the social apps if this happens to you. You'll be sad, but we'll all be laughing. This has been your existence for the last few years, Cowboys fans.
OUR FINAL MOCK: Here's a look at our lastest mock draft from Christian D'Andrea
The beautiful part about all this is that, honestly, it's all a crap shoot. Nobody knows how today will pan out. We all have our ideas, sure. And the executives that are paid to make decisions for these teams also have their strongly informed opinions. But none of us will know how this will work until it does or doesn't.
Who could've seen Bo Nix working out for the Broncos at No. 12 last season or Quinyon Mitchell becoming one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in a single season for the Eagles?
On the other hand, we all thought Marvin Harrison Jr. would be one of the best receivers in the NFL last year when the Cardinals picked him at No. 4 overall. But he only had two games with over 100 yards receiving for Arizona last season. That doesn't mean he won't eventually be a great player, but he certainly didn't seem to be the NFL-ready product everyone thought he'd be last year.
Chances are that your team probably won't get this right. Every player picked tonight won't pan out. That's just kind of how it goes. This stuff is hard. It's unpredictable. The draft is the textbook definition of inexact science.
That's why you shouldn't worry if your team doesn't make the right pick. It doesn't matter. The consternation you have tonight probably won't last. You're going to see the vision anyway because you're a fan and that's what fans do.
This day is less about who our teams pick and more about giving ourselves unfounded hope that this will be our year. That'll only be the case for one team, but the draft allows you to believe that that might be your team. At least for a few months, anyway.
Maybe the thought is irrational. But today is not a day about rationality — it's one about belief. Hold onto it tight because, chances are, you probably won't have it for very long.
Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics legend
Kristaps Porzingis helped Boston win an NBA title last season, but I don't think there's ever been a moment where he was more beloved by Celtics fans than when he was bloodied and bandaged on the floor against the Magic on Wednesday.
Cory Woodroof says No. 8 is a legend in Boston now. He's absolutely right. Listen to these fan chants.
His coach loved it as much as the fans did.
It takes a lot for Celtics fans to love you. That makes sense considering how many legends have played on that court for that team. But a quick way to get people to fall for you in Boston is to bleed for them. Porzingis did a lot of that on Monday night.
Celtics fans will probably remember that as much as they remember the championship last year.
Gabriel Landeskog is back
For the first time in three years, Gabriel Landeskog is playing hockey again. Playoff hockey, no less! The Avalanche captain was in the lineup for the first time in three years in Game 3 against Dallas.
Landeskog missed three seasons due to a knee injury that kept him sidelined. He last played in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final ... in 2022(!!!). That's a long time off the ice.
He got the warm welcome he deserved from Avs fans in his return.
Dallas spoiled his return a bit with a 2-1 win in overtime. But it was still quite the treat seeing him back out there. Plus, his kids were absolutely adorable.
Quick hits: Why Flau'Jae delayed the WNBA ... Where will Sheduer land? ... and more
— Meg Hall has details on why Flau'Jae Johnson stayed at LSU for another year despite being eligible for the WNBA draft.
— Here's another mock draft with Shedeur Sanders falling quite a bit. Charles Curtis has more.
— Wanna feel old? Here are three future NFL players with former NFL dads. Blake Schuster has more.
— Fans poured in tributes for Bears legend Steve McMichael after he died on Wednesday following a battle with ALS.
— Here's Cory with five players whose draft ranges are difficult to predict.
— Ever wondered where that ESPN NFL draft sound comes from? Charles Curtis has the details here.
That's a wrap, folks. Thanks for reading. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️
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