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Billie Jean King Cup 2026: Injury-hit India look to ride on home support to reach playoffs  The players and venue will be different but India would be hoping to repeat its result from the last year when the team takes on Thailand in its opening tie of the Billie Jean King Cup at the DLTA Stadium starting Tuesday.The six-team Asia/Oceania Group I competition, to be played in a single round-robin format, will be the second straight year India will be hosting the event. India finished second behind New Zealand in Pune in 2025 to advance to the playoffs and will be hoping to do so again. It won’t be easy, however, with Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, who went unbeaten in all her five matches last year and was even awarded the BJK Heart award for her performances, out with injury.New Zealand, Thailand and Korea have returned this year along with Mongolia and Indonesia. The Indonesians are expected to be tough opponents while Mongolia is an unknown quantity that team captain and former Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal is wary of.While Shrivalli pulled out with a back spasm, reserve player Vaidehee Chaudhari injured her ankle during training on Thursday. But Uppal insisted there was enough depth in the team without revealing his team combinations. Zeel Desai has been called up as a replacement, the 27-year-old withdrawing from the semifinals of the 000 ITF event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to join the side at the last minute.Newly-crowned top-ranked Indian Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalappalli, Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale complete the side with the last two, the most experienced, expected to shoulder the doubles challenge leaving the singles to the youngsters. “I’m happy having a problem picking players for a tie than one where I don’t have players, that’s a good problem to have, it tells you there’s depth,” Uppal said on the eve of the competition.India’s biggest challenge will be from Indonesia, led by the highest-ranked player in the field World No. 41 Janice Tjen and doubles specialist Aldila Sutjiadi, and New Zealand, who remain a threat with doubles specialist Erin Routliffe in their despite the absence of Lulu Sun.
Fixtures

India vs Thailand (centre court), New Zealand vs Indonesia (court 1), Mongolia vs Korea (court 2).
Published on Apr 06, 2026  #Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Injuryhit #India #ride #home #support #reach #playoffs

Billie Jean King Cup 2026: Injury-hit India look to ride on home support to reach playoffs

The players and venue will be different but India would be hoping to repeat its result from the last year when the team takes on Thailand in its opening tie of the Billie Jean King Cup at the DLTA Stadium starting Tuesday.

The six-team Asia/Oceania Group I competition, to be played in a single round-robin format, will be the second straight year India will be hosting the event. India finished second behind New Zealand in Pune in 2025 to advance to the playoffs and will be hoping to do so again. It won’t be easy, however, with Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, who went unbeaten in all her five matches last year and was even awarded the BJK Heart award for her performances, out with injury.

New Zealand, Thailand and Korea have returned this year along with Mongolia and Indonesia. The Indonesians are expected to be tough opponents while Mongolia is an unknown quantity that team captain and former Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal is wary of.

While Shrivalli pulled out with a back spasm, reserve player Vaidehee Chaudhari injured her ankle during training on Thursday. But Uppal insisted there was enough depth in the team without revealing his team combinations. Zeel Desai has been called up as a replacement, the 27-year-old withdrawing from the semifinals of the $15000 ITF event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to join the side at the last minute.

Newly-crowned top-ranked Indian Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalappalli, Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale complete the side with the last two, the most experienced, expected to shoulder the doubles challenge leaving the singles to the youngsters. “I’m happy having a problem picking players for a tie than one where I don’t have players, that’s a good problem to have, it tells you there’s depth,” Uppal said on the eve of the competition.

India’s biggest challenge will be from Indonesia, led by the highest-ranked player in the field World No. 41 Janice Tjen and doubles specialist Aldila Sutjiadi, and New Zealand, who remain a threat with doubles specialist Erin Routliffe in their despite the absence of Lulu Sun.

Fixtures

India vs Thailand (centre court), New Zealand vs Indonesia (court 1), Mongolia vs Korea (court 2).

Published on Apr 06, 2026

#Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Injuryhit #India #ride #home #support #reach #playoffs

The players and venue will be different but India would be hoping to repeat its result from the last year when the team takes on Thailand in its opening tie of the Billie Jean King Cup at the DLTA Stadium starting Tuesday.

The six-team Asia/Oceania Group I competition, to be played in a single round-robin format, will be the second straight year India will be hosting the event. India finished second behind New Zealand in Pune in 2025 to advance to the playoffs and will be hoping to do so again. It won’t be easy, however, with Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, who went unbeaten in all her five matches last year and was even awarded the BJK Heart award for her performances, out with injury.

New Zealand, Thailand and Korea have returned this year along with Mongolia and Indonesia. The Indonesians are expected to be tough opponents while Mongolia is an unknown quantity that team captain and former Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal is wary of.

While Shrivalli pulled out with a back spasm, reserve player Vaidehee Chaudhari injured her ankle during training on Thursday. But Uppal insisted there was enough depth in the team without revealing his team combinations. Zeel Desai has been called up as a replacement, the 27-year-old withdrawing from the semifinals of the $15000 ITF event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to join the side at the last minute.

Newly-crowned top-ranked Indian Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalappalli, Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale complete the side with the last two, the most experienced, expected to shoulder the doubles challenge leaving the singles to the youngsters. “I’m happy having a problem picking players for a tie than one where I don’t have players, that’s a good problem to have, it tells you there’s depth,” Uppal said on the eve of the competition.

India’s biggest challenge will be from Indonesia, led by the highest-ranked player in the field World No. 41 Janice Tjen and doubles specialist Aldila Sutjiadi, and New Zealand, who remain a threat with doubles specialist Erin Routliffe in their despite the absence of Lulu Sun.

Fixtures

India vs Thailand (centre court), New Zealand vs Indonesia (court 1), Mongolia vs Korea (court 2).

Published on Apr 06, 2026

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#Billie #Jean #King #Cup #Injuryhit #India #ride #home #support #reach #playoffs

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Deadspin | Dodgers return to scene of World Series triumph as Blue Jays await rematch <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/27482923.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/27482923.jpg" alt="MLB: World Series-Los Angeles Dodgers at Toronto Blue Jays" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>The Los Angeles Dodgers will return to the scene of high drama Monday night when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays for the sequel to the 2025 World Series.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The three-game set will have trouble living up to the classic series that took seven games — and 11 innings in the final contest — to decide, with the Dodgers winning 5-4 in Toronto to repeat as champions.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>“Very exciting,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think the fans there want a piece of us. I think it’s going to be a great series. I think we’ll see (Max) Scherzer, which is always fun. I think we’ll see (Kevin) Gausman, which is going to be a challenge. That team — they’re a tough, gritty team, so it will be good to get back up to the Rogers Centre.”</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Toronto manager John Schneider implied this series will have a bit extra oomph. </p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>“I was joking with the guys that it’s not a three-game rematch of the World Series, it’s just three games you’ve got to cover and try to win,” he said.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>The sequel will have a familiar beginning as Scherzer (1-0, 1.50 ERA) — Toronto’s Game 7 starter on Nov. 1 — is scheduled to start on Monday as the Blue Jays try to snap a four-game losing streak. They took a 3-0 road loss on Sunday to suffer a three-game sweep by the Chicago White Sox.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Meanwhile, the Dodgers rallied from a 6-1 deficit on Sunday for an 8-6 road win to complete a three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals. Shohei Ohtani homered and hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly for Los Angeles.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>The last time Scherzer faced the Dodgers, he allowed one run and four hits over 4 1/3 innings in Game 7 of the World Series. The right-hander also pitched 4 1/3 innings in Game 3, allowing five hits and three runs in a game the Dodgers won 6-5 in 18 innings.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>In the regular season, Scherzer — in his 19th season — has a 5-6 record and a 2.38 ERA in 19 career games (17 starts) against the Dodgers. </p> </section><br/><section id="section-10"> <p>Justin Wrobleski (0-0, 6.75 ERA) is slated to start Monday for the Dodgers. Toronto faced the left-hander as a reliever four times in the World Series. He allowed no runs and four hits over five innings. </p> </section> <section id="section-11"> <p>In one regular-season appearance against Toronto in 2025, he allowed no runs and one hit in two-thirds of an inning of a 5-4 loss on Aug. 10.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>There were some tense moments in Game 7 when he hit Toronto’s Andres Gimenez with a pitch.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>“They’re going to boo me, and it’s going to be really awesome,” Wrobleski said. “If I were a Toronto fan, I probably wouldn’t like me either.”</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>Game 7 ended when Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk grounded to Los Angeles shortstop Mookie Betts to start a double play.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>Neither will play in the rematch series. Kirk is on the injured list with a fractured left thumb, suffered when he was hit by a foul tip on Friday in the 10th inning of 5-4 loss in Chicago. Catcher Brandon Valenzuela was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo and singled in his first major league at-bat on Sunday.</p> </section><section id="section-16"> <p>Betts was put on the IL with a strained right oblique, incurred Saturday in Los Angeles’ 10-5 win at Washington. Hyeseong Kim was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to share shortstop duties with Miguel Rojas. </p> </section><section id="section-17"> <p>On the Toronto injury front, Addison Barger left Sunday’s game with a sore ankle, adding to the Blue Jays’ woes.</p> </section><section id="section-18"> <p>Toronto was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the contest.</p> </section><section id="section-19"> <p>“We’ve got to start playing in sync,” Schneider said Sundday after the loss. “Today we were fighting an uphill battle offensively, which is uncharacteristic of us.” </p> </section><br/><section id="section-20"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Dodgers #return #scene #World #Series #triumph #Blue #Jays #await #rematch

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Deadspin | On a roll at home, White Sox host Orioles in search of 4th consecutive win <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28665639.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28665639.jpg" alt="MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Chase Meidroth (10) and shortstop Colson Montgomery (12) hug after the against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>All the Chicago White Sox needed was to go home.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>After starting the season 1-5 on the road, the White Sox are coming off a sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays and will look for their fourth consecutive win Monday night when they host the struggling Baltimore Orioles.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The White Sox had not started their home schedule at 3-0 since 2004. And they hadn’t swept the Blue Jays since 1995.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>“We are a good team,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “We are finding different ways to win. Contributions from everybody. With the way our group is set up, that’s how we are going to have to win games.”</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>White Sox starter Davis Martin allowed four hits over six innings on Sunday in a 3-0 win. Miguel Vargas, Austin Hays and Lenyn Sosa each had an RBI.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>“It’s gigantic,” Martin said. “To win a series is great, but a sweep is even better. You have to continue to trust our way of playing baseball and, going forward, having fun.”</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>The Orioles are coming off the opposite end of a three-game sweep after an 8-2 road loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Baltimore starter Chris Bassitt, a significant offseason signing, allowed six runs in two innings.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>“We still have a lot of work to do,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “We’re trying to redefine ourselves as getting back to fundamental baseball, playing clean baseball, doing the little things right — and we’re still not done. We still have to get better, and that’s on myself and the coaching staff to keep on pushing our guys to get better each day, especially in those areas.”</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>For the White Sox, right-hander Grant Taylor (0-0, 2.25 ERA) is expected to act as the opener for the third time in the past four games. He started the Friday and Saturday games vs. Toronto and pitched a scoreless first inning in each contest. </p> </section><br/><section id="section-10"> <p>Right-hander Erick Fedde (0-1, 5.40 ERA) is scheduled to follow Taylor. Fedde is 2-1 with a 1.26 ERA in five career games (four starts) against Baltimore.</p> </section> <section id="section-11"> <p>The Orioles had not named a starter as of Monday morning.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>The White Sox called up Tanner Murray from Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday. He was 0-for-2 in his major league debut but made a superb defensive play at shortstop on Addison Barger’s grounder to snuff Toronto’s bases-loaded threat in the third inning.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>“We know he’s a plus defender out there,” Venable said. “It’s one of the reasons he’s here. Really nice job and a great day for Tanner.”</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>He was promoted when outfielder Everson Pereira was put on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle. </p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>The Orioles recalled left-hander Cade Povich from Triple-A Norfolk and put right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Povich pitched 5 2/3 innings in relief on Sunday, allowing two runs, four hits and three walks.</p> </section><section id="section-16"> <p>First baseman Pete Alonso said the Orioles are not ready to panic.</p> </section><section id="section-17"> <p>“Just because you have a slow start doesn’t mean anything toward the end,” said Alonso, a key offseason signing. “There’s plenty of teams that have proven that over the course of time. </p> </section><section id="section-18"> <p>“It’d be great to go out and win nine in a row, or however many games. But this is a marathon, and we have plenty of opportunities and chances to get better and win a lot of ballgames.”</p> </section><section id="section-19"> <p>Alonso had an RBI double on Sunday.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-20"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #roll #home #White #Sox #host #Orioles #search #4th #consecutive #win

Deadspin | Brotherly love: Matt, Alex Fitzpatrick capture meaningful Zurich win  Apr 25, 2026; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick hits tee shot on hole 2 during the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images   Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick of England birdied the final hole after their three-stroke lead vanished on the back nine Sunday, leading them to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at Avondale, La.  The birdie on the par-5 18th hole gave them a 1-under-par 71, pushing their tournament total to 31-under 257 at TPC Louisiana in the PGA Tour’s only team event.  Matt is a PGA Tour winner on back-to-back Sundays after winning the RBC Heritage a week earlier. As for Alex, a DP World Tour player, he’ll receive a PGA Tour card through 2028 and a number of exemptions, including into the PGA Championship.  Sitting in a three-way tie going to the last hole, Alex’s approach went into a bunker in front of the 18th green for the team’s second shot, but on the next swing Matt put the ball within 2 feet of the cup and they avoided a playoff.  Alex Smalley/Hayden Springer (68) and the Norwegian pair of Kristoffer Reitan/Kris Ventura (65) shared second place at 30 under.  Reitan and Ventura pulled even with an eagle 3 at the 18th. Reitan’s shot onto the green left Ventura less than 7 feet for the putt.  Smalley/Springer were tied atop the leaderboard until a bogey on No. 17. They recovered to forge a three-way tie at the top when Springer’s approach shot on the 18th left Smalley a tap-in for birdie.   The Fitzpatrick team still had two holes to finish and they cashed in on the final one.  The Fitzpatrick brothers, who began the day with a four-shot lead, played the first 11 holes in a bogey-free 3 under. Then a double bogey on the 12th — initiated with Matt’s tee shot into the rough and taking a stroke for a drop — and a bogey on the 14th suddenly wiped out their advantage.  The Fitzpatricks set a tournament record by posting 57 in Saturday’s four-ball competition.  Ben Martin/Trace Crowe (66) and the Danish tandem of Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen/Jacob Skov Olesen (66) tied for fourth place at 28 under. Martin/Crowe had eight birdies but two bogeys, while Neergaard-Petersen/Skov Olesen did not make a bogey.  There was a three-way tie for sixth place at 27 under with Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge (68), Eric Cole/Hank Lebioda (68) and Doug Ghim/Jeffrey Kang (70).  The start of the final round was delayed a couple of hours because of morning storms. That led to adjustments with groups beginning on Nos. 1 and 10.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Brotherly #love #Matt #Alex #Fitzpatrick #capture #meaningful #Zurich #winApr 25, 2026; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick hits tee shot on hole 2 during the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick of England birdied the final hole after their three-stroke lead vanished on the back nine Sunday, leading them to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at Avondale, La.

The birdie on the par-5 18th hole gave them a 1-under-par 71, pushing their tournament total to 31-under 257 at TPC Louisiana in the PGA Tour’s only team event.

Matt is a PGA Tour winner on back-to-back Sundays after winning the RBC Heritage a week earlier. As for Alex, a DP World Tour player, he’ll receive a PGA Tour card through 2028 and a number of exemptions, including into the PGA Championship.

Sitting in a three-way tie going to the last hole, Alex’s approach went into a bunker in front of the 18th green for the team’s second shot, but on the next swing Matt put the ball within 2 feet of the cup and they avoided a playoff.

Alex Smalley/Hayden Springer (68) and the Norwegian pair of Kristoffer Reitan/Kris Ventura (65) shared second place at 30 under.

Reitan and Ventura pulled even with an eagle 3 at the 18th. Reitan’s shot onto the green left Ventura less than 7 feet for the putt.


Smalley/Springer were tied atop the leaderboard until a bogey on No. 17. They recovered to forge a three-way tie at the top when Springer’s approach shot on the 18th left Smalley a tap-in for birdie.

The Fitzpatrick team still had two holes to finish and they cashed in on the final one.

The Fitzpatrick brothers, who began the day with a four-shot lead, played the first 11 holes in a bogey-free 3 under. Then a double bogey on the 12th — initiated with Matt’s tee shot into the rough and taking a stroke for a drop — and a bogey on the 14th suddenly wiped out their advantage.

The Fitzpatricks set a tournament record by posting 57 in Saturday’s four-ball competition.

Ben Martin/Trace Crowe (66) and the Danish tandem of Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen/Jacob Skov Olesen (66) tied for fourth place at 28 under. Martin/Crowe had eight birdies but two bogeys, while Neergaard-Petersen/Skov Olesen did not make a bogey.

There was a three-way tie for sixth place at 27 under with Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge (68), Eric Cole/Hank Lebioda (68) and Doug Ghim/Jeffrey Kang (70).

The start of the final round was delayed a couple of hours because of morning storms. That led to adjustments with groups beginning on Nos. 1 and 10.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Brotherly #love #Matt #Alex #Fitzpatrick #capture #meaningful #Zurich #win">Deadspin | Brotherly love: Matt, Alex Fitzpatrick capture meaningful Zurich win  Apr 25, 2026; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick hits tee shot on hole 2 during the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images   Brothers Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick of England birdied the final hole after their three-stroke lead vanished on the back nine Sunday, leading them to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at Avondale, La.  The birdie on the par-5 18th hole gave them a 1-under-par 71, pushing their tournament total to 31-under 257 at TPC Louisiana in the PGA Tour’s only team event.  Matt is a PGA Tour winner on back-to-back Sundays after winning the RBC Heritage a week earlier. As for Alex, a DP World Tour player, he’ll receive a PGA Tour card through 2028 and a number of exemptions, including into the PGA Championship.  Sitting in a three-way tie going to the last hole, Alex’s approach went into a bunker in front of the 18th green for the team’s second shot, but on the next swing Matt put the ball within 2 feet of the cup and they avoided a playoff.  Alex Smalley/Hayden Springer (68) and the Norwegian pair of Kristoffer Reitan/Kris Ventura (65) shared second place at 30 under.  Reitan and Ventura pulled even with an eagle 3 at the 18th. Reitan’s shot onto the green left Ventura less than 7 feet for the putt.  Smalley/Springer were tied atop the leaderboard until a bogey on No. 17. They recovered to forge a three-way tie at the top when Springer’s approach shot on the 18th left Smalley a tap-in for birdie.   The Fitzpatrick team still had two holes to finish and they cashed in on the final one.  The Fitzpatrick brothers, who began the day with a four-shot lead, played the first 11 holes in a bogey-free 3 under. Then a double bogey on the 12th — initiated with Matt’s tee shot into the rough and taking a stroke for a drop — and a bogey on the 14th suddenly wiped out their advantage.  The Fitzpatricks set a tournament record by posting 57 in Saturday’s four-ball competition.  Ben Martin/Trace Crowe (66) and the Danish tandem of Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen/Jacob Skov Olesen (66) tied for fourth place at 28 under. Martin/Crowe had eight birdies but two bogeys, while Neergaard-Petersen/Skov Olesen did not make a bogey.  There was a three-way tie for sixth place at 27 under with Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge (68), Eric Cole/Hank Lebioda (68) and Doug Ghim/Jeffrey Kang (70).  The start of the final round was delayed a couple of hours because of morning storms. That led to adjustments with groups beginning on Nos. 1 and 10.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Brotherly #love #Matt #Alex #Fitzpatrick #capture #meaningful #Zurich #win

Welcome to my way too early 2027 mock draft.

Just kidding, that sounds terrible and we should federally prosecute those who do that.

Over the course of the 2026 NFL Draft, there was a lot to love in terms of what specific teams did over the course of the three-day event. The other side of that coin being that there were also teams who kept making the wrong choice at such a consistent degree to where it became almost impressive. Here’s a look and the good and the bad of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Took every bit of willpower in my body not to slam my computer against my desk like Jake Gyllenhaal in Prisoners while writing this. It’s insufferable listening to everyone go “HoWiE dOeS iT aGaIn” after just… drafting good players who fell in his lap. But his season, Roseman and the Eagles did the equivalent of a Money in the Bank cash in, jumping in front of the Steelers to steal Makai Lemon from their grasp as general Manager Omar Khan was on the phone with the former USC star. They then selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who will serve as an instant upgrade over Grant Calcaterra and an eventual replacement for Dallas Goedert and got Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell at the beginning of the third round after a trade with the Jets. To go three-for-three in the first three rounds of the draft is a job well done.

I said it on Thursday, and I’ll say it again – the Saints are winning the NFC South. They added the most explosive receiver in the class in Jordyn Tyson, and double-dipped by adding Bryce Lance in the fourth round. They also added some young talent on defense, taking Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller in the second round and Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles in the fifth. These pieces, combined with Travis Etienne in free agency and the emergence of Tyler Shough, the Saints will be eating beignets, tossing beads, and doing other New Orleans tropes in the playoffs. And yes, I had to Google how to spell beignet by typing “binyay” and assuming it would give me the correct spelling, which worked.

Their defense was the Washington AARP cards in 2025. Bobby Wagner, Marshon Lattimore, Von Miler – that would have been a legitimately great core in 2019. They selected perhaps the most athletic linebacker in this class in Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick, and also got some offensive help for Jayden Daniels with wide receiver Antonio Williams in round three and running back Kaytron Allen in round six. The Commanders didn’t have a ton of picks to work with, but they made the most of their selections and got multiple instant difference-makers.

The Dolphins snagged two of my favorite players in the draft, and they play the same position. Getting Jacob Rodriguez in round two and Kyle Louis in round 3 gives them two players in the middle of their defense they can build around as they lay the foundation for the future. Landing Kadyn Proctor at tackle in the first round, as well as Chris Bell at receiver in round three gives the Dolphins a good young corps to move into this new era.

This is the second straight year I’ve loved the Browns’ draft. They get Spencer Fano to be their new staple at left tackle, and then double dipped at receiver with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to strengthen arguably the weakest unit on their roster. Getting Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at the tail end of the second round was tremendous value, and I like the addition of the uber-athletic quarterback Taylen Green out of Arkansas. If this can finally start translating into wins for the Browns, we’ll look back on these last two drafts very fondly.

If you are reading this, check your phone – there is a greater than zero chance that James Gladstone like what he saw in your lateral movement skills at the catering table at the packed corporate event. You kept everything together, you went from chicken to lettuce wraps in a flash, and they really think you can be a nice asset in their pass protection.

Yeah, God only knows what the Jaguars saw in a few of these guys. They drafted the No. 678 player on the consensus big board in the sixth round in Stanford wide receiver C.J. Williams. Then in the seventh, they took player No. 679 in Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes. Additionally, with their first pick (No. 56 overall), they took tight end Nate Boerkricher, who had 38 receptions in five collegiate seasons. They did land Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon in the third round, which was a good value selection, but the vast majority of their picks were reach after reach.

Find someone who loves you as much as Brandon Beane loves trading down in the draft and subsequently passing up on good players. The chair of the 26th pick was too big, so Buffalo traded it to the Texans. The 28th pick chair was too small, so they traded it to the Patriots. God only knows what was wrong with the 31st pick, but they moved out of that one, as well. Finally, after finding the perfect recliner to sit in, the Bills stayed put at pick No. 35. However, if there is one thing Brandon Beane loves, it’s an underwhelming edge rusher, so they took T.J. Parker instead of Kayden McDonald, who would have filled a major need at defensive tackle. Later on, Buffalo moved up four spots in the second round to draft Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun, a player they likely could have gotten in the fourth round. Beane is bad at drafting, that’s not exactly news, but even their good picks, like Skyler Bell, are hard to get excited for after Joe Brady talked about how good he is in the screen game. That high-pitched ringing sound you just heard was all of Bills Mafia screaming in unison.

“Give me more money” Jacoby Brissett, “Trailer Park Jake Plummer” Gardner Minshew, and “I can’t throw that far” Carson Beck – what a quarterback room. Taking Beck to kickoff the third round is a massive reach for a limited quarterback who lacks a big arm and athleticism to make plays outside the pocket. Jeremiyah Love is a tremendous player, but giving him north of $50 million guaranteed before he ever takes a snap is bizarre. Plus, taking a running back in the top five as a bad team with several holes is a big no no, especially after they just signed Tyler Allgeier and still have James Conner. Any good they did do is largely negated due to two bad decisions in the first three rounds.

Credit to Grant Cohn for flat out asking John Lynch why the 49ers constantly reach on players because it’s amazing how the 49ers overcome their terrible drafts year in and year out. They took Ole Miss wideout Deshaun Stribbling with the 33rd overall pick when he was considered a late Day Two, early Day Three guy. And, as is tradition, they took a running back in the third round when he was a late fourth round projected player. It’s just incredible that the 49ers constantly win despite their inability to draft well.

Yeah, the Ty Simpson pick will either make the Rams look like geniuses or he’ll be shipped to the Bengals along with four first-round picks when they trade for Joe Burrow in 2027. Which, if that happens and it was all a big-brain decision to draft Simpson solely for that purpose, props to Les Snead. But reaching for tight end Max Klare in the second round was unnecessary and marked the second straight year they over-drafted a tight end in round two. 25 year-old tackle Keagan Trost in round three also felt like a bit of a reach, especially when he probably needs to be kicked inside to guard.

#NFL #teams #Draft #didnt">5 NFL teams who got better in the 2026 Draft, and 5 who didn’t do enough  Welcome to my way too early 2027 mock draft.Just kidding, that sounds terrible and we should federally prosecute those who do that.Over the course of the 2026 NFL Draft, there was a lot to love in terms of what specific teams did over the course of the three-day event. The other side of that coin being that there were also teams who kept making the wrong choice at such a consistent degree to where it became almost impressive. Here’s a look and the good and the bad of the 2026 NFL Draft.Took every bit of willpower in my body not to slam my computer against my desk like Jake Gyllenhaal in Prisoners while writing this. It’s insufferable listening to everyone go “HoWiE dOeS iT aGaIn” after just… drafting good players who fell in his lap. But his season, Roseman and the Eagles did the equivalent of a Money in the Bank cash in, jumping in front of the Steelers to steal Makai Lemon from their grasp as general Manager Omar Khan was on the phone with the former USC star. They then selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who will serve as an instant upgrade over Grant Calcaterra and an eventual replacement for Dallas Goedert and got Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell at the beginning of the third round after a trade with the Jets. To go three-for-three in the first three rounds of the draft is a job well done.I said it on Thursday, and I’ll say it again – the Saints are winning the NFC South. They added the most explosive receiver in the class in Jordyn Tyson, and double-dipped by adding Bryce Lance in the fourth round. They also added some young talent on defense, taking Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller in the second round and Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles in the fifth. These pieces, combined with Travis Etienne in free agency and the emergence of Tyler Shough, the Saints will be eating beignets, tossing beads, and doing other New Orleans tropes in the playoffs. And yes, I had to Google how to spell beignet by typing “binyay” and assuming it would give me the correct spelling, which worked.Their defense was the Washington AARP cards in 2025. Bobby Wagner, Marshon Lattimore, Von Miler – that would have been a legitimately great core in 2019. They selected perhaps the most athletic linebacker in this class in Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick, and also got some offensive help for Jayden Daniels with wide receiver Antonio Williams in round three and running back Kaytron Allen in round six. The Commanders didn’t have a ton of picks to work with, but they made the most of their selections and got multiple instant difference-makers.The Dolphins snagged two of my favorite players in the draft, and they play the same position. Getting Jacob Rodriguez in round two and Kyle Louis in round 3 gives them two players in the middle of their defense they can build around as they lay the foundation for the future. Landing Kadyn Proctor at tackle in the first round, as well as Chris Bell at receiver in round three gives the Dolphins a good young corps to move into this new era.This is the second straight year I’ve loved the Browns’ draft. They get Spencer Fano to be their new staple at left tackle, and then double dipped at receiver with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to strengthen arguably the weakest unit on their roster. Getting Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at the tail end of the second round was tremendous value, and I like the addition of the uber-athletic quarterback Taylen Green out of Arkansas. If this can finally start translating into wins for the Browns, we’ll look back on these last two drafts very fondly.If you are reading this, check your phone – there is a greater than zero chance that James Gladstone like what he saw in your lateral movement skills at the catering table at the packed corporate event. You kept everything together, you went from chicken to lettuce wraps in a flash, and they really think you can be a nice asset in their pass protection.Yeah, God only knows what the Jaguars saw in a few of these guys. They drafted the No. 678 player on the consensus big board in the sixth round in Stanford wide receiver C.J. Williams. Then in the seventh, they took player No. 679 in Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes. Additionally, with their first pick (No. 56 overall), they took tight end Nate Boerkricher, who had 38 receptions in five collegiate seasons. They did land Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon in the third round, which was a good value selection, but the vast majority of their picks were reach after reach.Find someone who loves you as much as Brandon Beane loves trading down in the draft and subsequently passing up on good players. The chair of the 26th pick was too big, so Buffalo traded it to the Texans. The 28th pick chair was too small, so they traded it to the Patriots. God only knows what was wrong with the 31st pick, but they moved out of that one, as well. Finally, after finding the perfect recliner to sit in, the Bills stayed put at pick No. 35. However, if there is one thing Brandon Beane loves, it’s an underwhelming edge rusher, so they took T.J. Parker instead of Kayden McDonald, who would have filled a major need at defensive tackle. Later on, Buffalo moved up four spots in the second round to draft Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun, a player they likely could have gotten in the fourth round. Beane is bad at drafting, that’s not exactly news, but even their good picks, like Skyler Bell, are hard to get excited for after Joe Brady talked about how good he is in the screen game. That high-pitched ringing sound you just heard was all of Bills Mafia screaming in unison.“Give me more money” Jacoby Brissett, “Trailer Park Jake Plummer” Gardner Minshew, and “I can’t throw that far” Carson Beck – what a quarterback room. Taking Beck to kickoff the third round is a massive reach for a limited quarterback who lacks a big arm and athleticism to make plays outside the pocket. Jeremiyah Love is a tremendous player, but giving him north of  million guaranteed before he ever takes a snap is bizarre. Plus, taking a running back in the top five as a bad team with several holes is a big no no, especially after they just signed Tyler Allgeier and still have James Conner. Any good they did do is largely negated due to two bad decisions in the first three rounds.Credit to Grant Cohn for flat out asking John Lynch why the 49ers constantly reach on players because it’s amazing how the 49ers overcome their terrible drafts year in and year out. They took Ole Miss wideout Deshaun Stribbling with the 33rd overall pick when he was considered a late Day Two, early Day Three guy. And, as is tradition, they took a running back in the third round when he was a late fourth round projected player. It’s just incredible that the 49ers constantly win despite their inability to draft well.Yeah, the Ty Simpson pick will either make the Rams look like geniuses or he’ll be shipped to the Bengals along with four first-round picks when they trade for Joe Burrow in 2027. Which, if that happens and it was all a big-brain decision to draft Simpson solely for that purpose, props to Les Snead. But reaching for tight end Max Klare in the second round was unnecessary and marked the second straight year they over-drafted a tight end in round two. 25 year-old tackle Keagan Trost in round three also felt like a bit of a reach, especially when he probably needs to be kicked inside to guard.  #NFL #teams #Draft #didnt

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