NFL Draft grades: These 4 teams earned low marks, but one could turn into an A
EAGAN, MN. – APRIL 2024: The Minnesota Vikings introduce their first-round draft pick, Caleb Banks, University of Florida defensive lineman, at the TCO Performance Center during a press conference at Eagan, Minn. on Friday, April 24, 2026. Left to right are owner Mark Wilf, executive vice president of football operations/interim general manager Rob Brzezinski, Caleb Banks, head coach Kevin O’Connell, owner Zygi Wilf. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) Star Tribune via Getty Images
EAGAN, MN. – APRIL 2024: The Minnesota Vikings introduce their first-round draft pick, Caleb Banks, University of Florida defensive lineman, at the TCO Performance Center during a press conference at Eagan, Minn. on Friday, April 24, 2026. Left to right are owner Mark Wilf, executive vice president of football operations/interim general manager Rob Brzezinski, Caleb Banks, head coach Kevin O’Connell, owner Zygi Wilf. (Photo by Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)Star Tribune via Getty Images
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#NFL #Draft #grades #teams #earned #marks #turn
#Murali #Sreeshankar #wins #Simbine #Classic #effort #8.12m">Murali Sreeshankar wins at Simbine Classic with best effort of 8.12m
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar won the Simbine Classic in Pretoria on Tuesday with a best effort of 8.12 metres.
The event in South Africa is a World Athletics Continental Tour silver level meet. Divan Manuel of the host nation was the only other jumper to clear the 8-metre mark.
This was only the second competition for the Kerala athlete this season. He had picked a gold at the Indian Athletics Series in Bengaluru earlier this month with a best of 8.15m.
Tuesday’s outing was another step Sreeshankar took towards attaining his best. The 27-year-old had missed the 2024 Olympics due to a knee injury. He had qualified for the Athletics World Championships in Tokyo but could not make the finals after a best of 7.78m in the qualifying round.
The No. 2 seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences can sew up their first-round series on Tuesday while an East contender aims to create distance.
That’s the backdrop for Day 11 of the NBA playoffs. Now here are some Best Bets.
Odds are via FanDuel.
PHILADELPHIA 76ers at BOSTON CELTICS, 7 p.m.
Boston boasts a pair of 32-point routs in a series that it can clinch with a home victory — one with Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid in the lineup, and one without.
While Embiid contributed 26 points in 34 minutes Sunday in his return from an early-April appendectomy, it hardly seemed to matter as the Celtics rolled to a 128-96 win in Game 4.
“The mindset didn’t change for us,” Boston guard Payton Pritchard said. “And honestly, as far as scouting goes, we just changed maybe a small adjustment right before the game, but we didn’t talk about it at all.”
What the Celtics did was excel from long range. Pritchard contributed six of the team’s franchise record 24 3-pointers while Jayson Tatum swished five.
Expect Boston to wrap things up in Embiid’s season finale. The embattled Sixers star makes more offensive waves but not enough to keep the versatile Celtics from advancing.
Celtics -11.5 and Joel Embiid 20+ points as part of two-leg parlay (+144)
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ATLANTA HAWKS at NEW YORK KNICKS, 8 p.m.
Karl-Anthony Towns registered his first career playoff triple-double in Saturday’s Game 4 to spark the Knicks. His 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds helped New York even the series at two games each with a 114-98 road victory.
Towns’ continued success has been stabilizing for a team that has slumped in spurts but has looked for the past five quarters like the preseason juggernaut it was forecast to be.
While coach Mike Brown sounded almost aloof about moving Towns to the high post against the Hawks more frequently on Sunday, here’s thinking the Knicks build on that strategy to regain the series lead.
Taken with 28 points from De’Aaron Fox, Wemby’s 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks added up as the Spurs gained control of the series on Sunday. San Antonio overcame a 19-point deficit in the first half to roll by 21.
“There’s nobody who cares about their stat line,” Wembanyama said. “So it’s our greatest strength.”
The No. 2 seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences can sew up their first-round series on Tuesday while an East contender aims to create distance.
That’s the backdrop for Day 11 of the NBA playoffs. Now here are some Best Bets.
Odds are via FanDuel.
PHILADELPHIA 76ers at BOSTON CELTICS, 7 p.m.
Boston boasts a pair of 32-point routs in a series that it can clinch with a home victory — one with Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid in the lineup, and one without.
While Embiid contributed 26 points in 34 minutes Sunday in his return from an early-April appendectomy, it hardly seemed to matter as the Celtics rolled to a 128-96 win in Game 4.
“The mindset didn’t change for us,” Boston guard Payton Pritchard said. “And honestly, as far as scouting goes, we just changed maybe a small adjustment right before the game, but we didn’t talk about it at all.”
What the Celtics did was excel from long range. Pritchard contributed six of the team’s franchise record 24 3-pointers while Jayson Tatum swished five.
Expect Boston to wrap things up in Embiid’s season finale. The embattled Sixers star makes more offensive waves but not enough to keep the versatile Celtics from advancing.
Celtics -11.5 and Joel Embiid 20+ points as part of two-leg parlay (+144)
Our Current Best Offers
Channel debug: betting
ATLANTA HAWKS at NEW YORK KNICKS, 8 p.m.
Karl-Anthony Towns registered his first career playoff triple-double in Saturday’s Game 4 to spark the Knicks. His 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds helped New York even the series at two games each with a 114-98 road victory.
Towns’ continued success has been stabilizing for a team that has slumped in spurts but has looked for the past five quarters like the preseason juggernaut it was forecast to be.
While coach Mike Brown sounded almost aloof about moving Towns to the high post against the Hawks more frequently on Sunday, here’s thinking the Knicks build on that strategy to regain the series lead.
Taken with 28 points from De’Aaron Fox, Wemby’s 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks added up as the Spurs gained control of the series on Sunday. San Antonio overcame a 19-point deficit in the first half to roll by 21.
“There’s nobody who cares about their stat line,” Wembanyama said. “So it’s our greatest strength.”
Spurs -12.5 (-110)
Our Current Best Offers
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#NBA #Bets #Expert #Picks #Tuesdays #Playoff #Action #Deadspin.com">NBA Best Bets: Expert Picks for Tuesday’s Playoff Action | Deadspin.com
Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) tries to reach the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The No. 2 seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences can sew up their first-round series on Tuesday while an East contender aims to create distance.
That’s the backdrop for Day 11 of the NBA playoffs. Now here are some Best Bets.
Odds are via FanDuel.
PHILADELPHIA 76ers at BOSTON CELTICS, 7 p.m.
Boston boasts a pair of 32-point routs in a series that it can clinch with a home victory — one with Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid in the lineup, and one without.
While Embiid contributed 26 points in 34 minutes Sunday in his return from an early-April appendectomy, it hardly seemed to matter as the Celtics rolled to a 128-96 win in Game 4.
“The mindset didn’t change for us,” Boston guard Payton Pritchard said. “And honestly, as far as scouting goes, we just changed maybe a small adjustment right before the game, but we didn’t talk about it at all.”
What the Celtics did was excel from long range. Pritchard contributed six of the team’s franchise record 24 3-pointers while Jayson Tatum swished five.
Expect Boston to wrap things up in Embiid’s season finale. The embattled Sixers star makes more offensive waves but not enough to keep the versatile Celtics from advancing.
Celtics -11.5 and Joel Embiid 20+ points as part of two-leg parlay (+144)
Our Current Best Offers
Channel debug: betting
ATLANTA HAWKS at NEW YORK KNICKS, 8 p.m.
Karl-Anthony Towns registered his first career playoff triple-double in Saturday’s Game 4 to spark the Knicks. His 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds helped New York even the series at two games each with a 114-98 road victory.
Towns’ continued success has been stabilizing for a team that has slumped in spurts but has looked for the past five quarters like the preseason juggernaut it was forecast to be.
While coach Mike Brown sounded almost aloof about moving Towns to the high post against the Hawks more frequently on Sunday, here’s thinking the Knicks build on that strategy to regain the series lead.
Taken with 28 points from De’Aaron Fox, Wemby’s 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks added up as the Spurs gained control of the series on Sunday. San Antonio overcame a 19-point deficit in the first half to roll by 21.
“There’s nobody who cares about their stat line,” Wembanyama said. “So it’s our greatest strength.”
TAMPA, FL – April 24: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 first round pick Edge Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. holds up a jersey as General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles stand on each side of Bain during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers First Round Pick Press Conference on April 24, 2026 at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the NFL Draft in the rearview, fans can start speculating on how well players will fit into their new landing spots. The NFL Draft is an inexact alchemy, and every prospect’s impact will be determined as much by their own skills and traits as their ability to adapt and gel with their new organization’s structures and schemes. Taking a look at the odds on NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, via FanDuel, is a chance to project which players found the perfect landing spot to make an immediate impact in the league.
David Bailey (+500), EDGE – New York Jets
Many expect David Bailey to contribute right away after the Jets invested their No. 2 overall pick in the EDGE prospect’s steady production and projectable traits instead of searching for more upside with less polished prospects. Bailey posted 14.5 sacks last season with Texas Tech. If Aaron Glenn’s defense starts playing at an above-average level, Bailey could earn a lot of attention for helping turn things around.
Rueben Bain Jr. (+500), EDGE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rueben Bain Jr. showed off his ability to move the line of scrimmage and take over football games during Miami’s run to the CFB Championship. The defensive lineman is joining a Buccaneers team that’s struggled to find consistency in closing out games, and they’re watching their NFC South conference rivals stock up on offensive firepower. Bain will start right away for a Todd Bowles defense that can create unique passrushing looks around DT Vita Vea.
Arvell Reese (+750) will start immediately alongside friendly company in New York Giants linebackers Brian Burns, Tremaine Edmunds, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. If offenses key on all of these other stars, Reese could produce eye-popping stats.
Mansoor Delane (+850) will be tested early and often as the primary CB after the Kansas City Chiefs traded away both of last year’s starters. The Chiefs traded up to secure the draft’s top CB, and the former Virginia Tech and LSU standout will be playing in a big TV market that will create buzz if he starts making plays.
Sonny Styles (+900) will get the chance to play the Bobby Wagner role in the middle of Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders defense. The converted safety led the Buckeyes in tackles last season, and he’ll benefit from playing alongside disruptive linebacker Frankie Luvu.
Caleb Downs (+900) will be a focal point of Dallas Cowboys’ new Defensive Coordinator Christian Parker’s 3-4 scheme. Parker brings familiarity with the division as former passing game coordinator and DBs coach for the Eagles, and he could put Downs in position to clean up a lot of broken plays behind a revamped defensive front
TAMPA, FL – April 24: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 first round pick Edge Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. holds up a jersey as General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles stand on each side of Bain during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers First Round Pick Press Conference on April 24, 2026 at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the NFL Draft in the rearview, fans can start speculating on how well players will fit into their new landing spots. The NFL Draft is an inexact alchemy, and every prospect’s impact will be determined as much by their own skills and traits as their ability to adapt and gel with their new organization’s structures and schemes. Taking a look at the odds on NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, via FanDuel, is a chance to project which players found the perfect landing spot to make an immediate impact in the league.
David Bailey (+500), EDGE – New York Jets
Many expect David Bailey to contribute right away after the Jets invested their No. 2 overall pick in the EDGE prospect’s steady production and projectable traits instead of searching for more upside with less polished prospects. Bailey posted 14.5 sacks last season with Texas Tech. If Aaron Glenn’s defense starts playing at an above-average level, Bailey could earn a lot of attention for helping turn things around.
Rueben Bain Jr. (+500), EDGE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rueben Bain Jr. showed off his ability to move the line of scrimmage and take over football games during Miami’s run to the CFB Championship. The defensive lineman is joining a Buccaneers team that’s struggled to find consistency in closing out games, and they’re watching their NFC South conference rivals stock up on offensive firepower. Bain will start right away for a Todd Bowles defense that can create unique passrushing looks around DT Vita Vea.
Arvell Reese (+750) will start immediately alongside friendly company in New York Giants linebackers Brian Burns, Tremaine Edmunds, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. If offenses key on all of these other stars, Reese could produce eye-popping stats.
Mansoor Delane (+850) will be tested early and often as the primary CB after the Kansas City Chiefs traded away both of last year’s starters. The Chiefs traded up to secure the draft’s top CB, and the former Virginia Tech and LSU standout will be playing in a big TV market that will create buzz if he starts making plays.
Sonny Styles (+900) will get the chance to play the Bobby Wagner role in the middle of Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders defense. The converted safety led the Buckeyes in tackles last season, and he’ll benefit from playing alongside disruptive linebacker Frankie Luvu.
Caleb Downs (+900) will be a focal point of Dallas Cowboys’ new Defensive Coordinator Christian Parker’s 3-4 scheme. Parker brings familiarity with the division as former passing game coordinator and DBs coach for the Eagles, and he could put Downs in position to clean up a lot of broken plays behind a revamped defensive front
.
#NFL #Defensive #Rookie #Year #odds #favorites #appealing #longshot #options">NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds with 2 favorites and appealing long-shot options
TAMPA, FL – April 24: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2026 first round pick Edge Rusher Rueben Bain Jr. holds up a jersey as General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles stand on each side of Bain during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers First Round Pick Press Conference on April 24, 2026 at the AdventHealth Training Center at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With the NFL Draft in the rearview, fans can start speculating on how well players will fit into their new landing spots. The NFL Draft is an inexact alchemy, and every prospect’s impact will be determined as much by their own skills and traits as their ability to adapt and gel with their new organization’s structures and schemes. Taking a look at the odds on NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, via FanDuel, is a chance to project which players found the perfect landing spot to make an immediate impact in the league.
David Bailey (+500), EDGE – New York Jets
Many expect David Bailey to contribute right away after the Jets invested their No. 2 overall pick in the EDGE prospect’s steady production and projectable traits instead of searching for more upside with less polished prospects. Bailey posted 14.5 sacks last season with Texas Tech. If Aaron Glenn’s defense starts playing at an above-average level, Bailey could earn a lot of attention for helping turn things around.
Rueben Bain Jr. (+500), EDGE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rueben Bain Jr. showed off his ability to move the line of scrimmage and take over football games during Miami’s run to the CFB Championship. The defensive lineman is joining a Buccaneers team that’s struggled to find consistency in closing out games, and they’re watching their NFC South conference rivals stock up on offensive firepower. Bain will start right away for a Todd Bowles defense that can create unique passrushing looks around DT Vita Vea.
Arvell Reese (+750) will start immediately alongside friendly company in New York Giants linebackers Brian Burns, Tremaine Edmunds, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. If offenses key on all of these other stars, Reese could produce eye-popping stats.
Mansoor Delane (+850) will be tested early and often as the primary CB after the Kansas City Chiefs traded away both of last year’s starters. The Chiefs traded up to secure the draft’s top CB, and the former Virginia Tech and LSU standout will be playing in a big TV market that will create buzz if he starts making plays.
Sonny Styles (+900) will get the chance to play the Bobby Wagner role in the middle of Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders defense. The converted safety led the Buckeyes in tackles last season, and he’ll benefit from playing alongside disruptive linebacker Frankie Luvu.
Caleb Downs (+900) will be a focal point of Dallas Cowboys’ new Defensive Coordinator Christian Parker’s 3-4 scheme. Parker brings familiarity with the division as former passing game coordinator and DBs coach for the Eagles, and he could put Downs in position to clean up a lot of broken plays behind a revamped defensive front
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