Maple Leafs, Jets and Blue Jackets earn top spots in new NHL Draft Lottery

None of the Canadian teams made it into the playoffs, but in the end, Canada still won.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had the highest odds of winning the first overall spot, and this time the Edmonton Oilers didn't screw everything up. The Leafs will select first, and are likely take good American boy, Auston Matthews.

In the revamped version of the draft, the first three spots were drawn. The remaining two spots went to lottery winners: the Winnipeg Jets, who moved up from sixth to second, and the Columbus Blue Jackets who moved up from fourth to third.

 

Take a look at the odds of each team landing their spot and where they ended up:

 

Odd of Team Winning 1st Drawing		Results
1. Toronto Maple Leafs 20.0%		1	Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Edmonton Oilers 13.5%		2	Winnipeg Jets
3. Vancouver Canucks 11.5%		3	Columbus Blue Jackets
4. Columbus Blue Jackets 9.5%		4	Edmonton Oilers
5. Calgary Flames 8.5%		5	Vancouver Canucks
6. Winnipeg Jets 7.5%		6	Calgary Flames
7. Arizona Coyotes 6.5%		7	Arizona Coyotes
8. Buffalo Sabres 6.0%		8	Buffalo Sabres
9. Montreal Canadiens 5.0%		9	Montreal Canadiens
10. Colorado Avalanche 3.5%		10	Colorado Avalanche
11. New Jersey Devils 3.0%		11	New Jersey Devils
12. Ottawa Senators 2.5%		12	Ottawa Senators
13. Carolina Hurricanes 2.0%		13	Carolina Hurricanes
14. Boston Bruins 1.0%		14	Boston Bruins

 

Not sure how this all happened? Here's the NHL's explanation of the selection process overall:

 

The 2016 NHL Draft Lottery will assign the top three drafting slots in the first round of the NHL Draft – an expansion over previous years, when the Draft Lottery was used to determine the winner of the first overall selection only.

Three draws will be held: the first Lottery draw will determine the club selecting first overall, the second Lottery draw will determine the club selecting second overall and the third Lottery draw will determine the club selecting third overall.

As a result of this change, the team earning the fewest points during the regular season will no longer be guaranteed, at worst, the second overall pick. That club could fall as low as fourth overall.

The allocation of odds for the first Lottery draw will be the same as for the 2015 NHL Draft Lottery. The odds for the remaining teams will increase on a proportionate basis for the second Lottery draw, based on which club wins the first Lottery draw, and again for the third Lottery draw, based on which club wins the second Lottery draw.

The 11 clubs not selected in the Draft Lottery will be assigned NHL Draft selections 4 through 14, in inverse order of regular-season points.

 

The draft itself will take place June 24-25 in Buffalo, New York.

Kings to interview Patrick Ewing for head coaching job

The Sacramento Kings will interview Charlotte Hornets associate head coach Patrick Ewing for their head coaching vacancy this week, league sources told The Vertical.

Ewing has progressed as a serious head coaching candidate in recent years, increasing in responsibilities and league-wide respect across his three seasons as Steve Clifford’s top assistant with Charlotte.

Charlotte plays Miami on Sunday in a Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals series.

What makes Ewing an intriguing candidate for Sacramento officials is his potential ability to command the respect of mercurial All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, league sources said. Ewing, a Hall of Fame center, has the unique blend of his own physical and playing stature to go with a strong coaching pedigree as part of staffs with Clifford, Stan Van Gundy and Jeff Van Gundy.

Ewing has helped to develop several top centers, including Yao Ming (Houston), Dwight Howard (Orlando) and Al Jefferson (Charlotte).

Sacramento VP of Basketball Operations Vlade Divac has expressed to people a desire to have three finalists to bring to ownership for a final round of interviews, league sources told The Vertical. For now, Sacramento is still running through interviews with an initial, broad list of candidates.

Before joining Clifford in Charlotte, Ewing had been an assistant with Orlando (2007-12) and Houston (2001-2006) and Washington (2005-06).

This will be the third time that Ewing has interviewed for a head coaching job. He met with Charlotte (2011) and Detroit (2011) in past years.

Sacramento has met with several ex-head coaches and assistants, including Sam Mitchell, Vinny Del Negro, and Mike Woodson. Indiana Pacers assistant Nate McMillian – who had a successful run at Portland’s coach – is expected to meet with Kings officials, too.

Owner Vivek Ranadive has been most intrigued with former Houston and Minnesota coach Kevin McHale, but McHale has been cautious in his approach to the job, league sources said.

Other options no longer available, Brian Hoyer signs with Bears

The Chicago Bears did not draft a quarterback over the seven rounds of this year's selection meeting, but not long after it ended, they signed a veteran to backup Jay Cutler.

Chicago has signed Brian Hoyer to a one-year deal, general manager Ryan Pace confirmed to reporters on Saturday evening. There was no immediate word on financials.

Hoyer, who spent last year with the Houston Texans, had visited with both the New York Jets and Denver Broncos. But the Broncos drafted Paxton Lynch in the first round on Thursday night, ending their pursuit of any other quarterbacks (they had also discussed trading for Colin Kaepernick and Sam Bradford), and the Jets took Christian Hackenberg in the second round.

"When he's played, he's been productive," Pace said of Hoyer.

With inexperienced second-year quarterbacks Matt Blanchard and David Fales also on the roster, Hoyer becomes the clear No. 2 in Chicago behind Cutler.

Though Hoyer's postseason start with Houston against the Kansas City Chiefs in January was terrible, he was quite good in the regular season, completing 60.7 percent of his passes with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine starts.

The 30-year old was undrafted out of Michigan State in 2009, signing with the New England Patriots, where he spent three seasons; Hoyer has also started games for the Ariziona Cardinals and his hometown Cleveland Browns in addition to the Texans.

Jacque Vaughn joining Nets staff as top assistant

Former Orlando Magic coach Jacque Vaughn is joining the Brooklyn Nets as the top assistant to new head coach Kenny Atkinson, league sources told The Vertical.

Vaughn spent the 2015-16 season in the San Antonio Spurs’ front office as a pro personnel director.

Vaughn, 41, was fired as the Magic’s coach in February of 2015, with a 43-121 record in three-plus seasons. He had been an assistant coach with the Spurs prior to taking the Orlando head coaching job in 2012.

Atkinson, the top assistant with the Atlanta Hawks, will finish that franchise’s playoff run before starting his duties in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks worked closely with Vaughn during their shared time together with the Spurs.

Cowboys finally get a quarterback, drafting Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys wanted a quarterback in this year's draft, and after getting beat out for the first two they had targeted, they finally grabbed one at the end of the fourth round, taking Mississippi State's Dak Prescott at No. 135.

While other teams who have a starter in place regularly draft quarterbacks – the New England Patriots drafted Jacoby Brissett on Friday night, two years after taking Jimmy Garroppolo in the second round, and earlier Saturday the Oakland Raiders drafted Connor Cook – Prescott is, remarkably, the first quarterback the Cowboys have drafted since 2009.

That year, they took the largely forgettable Stephen McGee in the fourth round. You have to go all the way back to 2001 to find the only other quarterback Dallas drafted this millenium, when they took Quincy Carter in the second round.

Prescott is certainly a project, but the Cowboys were a disaster at quarterback after Tony Romo got hurt not once but twice last season. Prescott's draft stock took a hit when he was arrested for suspicion of DUI in March, two days after his pro day.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones told reporters on Thursday night that his team was trying to move back into the first round to get Paxton Lynch, but the Denver Broncos nabbed the Memphis QB first, and on Saturday, the Raiders jumped ahead of Dallas in the fourth round to take Connor Cook.

Heat's Richardson has stress reaction in shoulder, hopes to play in Game 7

Miami Heat rookie Josh Richardson has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left shoulder and is hopeful to play Sunday in Game 7 against the Charlotte Hornets, league sources told The Vertical.

Richardson underwent an MRI on Saturday afternoon and could need a shoulder brace to play through the injury. Richardson suffered the injury late in Miami's Game 6 victory in Charlotte on Friday, when Cody Zeller pulled his arm while setting a screen for Kemba Walker.

A 6-foot-6 guard, Richardson has played both backcourt positions and has often been part of the closing lineup in playoff games for coach Erik Spoelstra due to his defense.

After season-ending injuries to Tyler Johnson and Beno Udrih, Richardson was thrust into a backup guard role. In 29 games after the All-Star break, he averaged 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 53.3 percent from 3-point range in 29.1 minutes per game.

Richardson, 22, has been one of the NBA's best rookies in the second half of the season. For the season, he averaged 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

If Richardson sits or is limited in Game 7, the Heat's bench could lose some scoring and defensive effort, though Tyler Johnson is returning from his own shoulder injury.

Richardson was the No. 40 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft to Miami and signed a three-year contract after the Las Vegas summer league. As a senior at Tennessee, Richardson averaged 16 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Buckeyes national title hero Cardale Jones lands with the Bills

Cardale Jones watched eight quarterbacks get selected in the NFL draft before he finally heard his name called. Ohio State's hero from the 2014 season finally went off the board with the last pick of the fourth round, to the Buffalo Bills with a compensatory pick. Jones was taken 139th overall on Saturday.

Jones' decision to go back to school for one more season has been debated many times, though Jones himself never has seemed too stressed about it.

Jones was in a unique situation after the 2014 season. He started just three games, and they were a win in the Big Ten championship game and two wins in the College Football Playoff. He could have left Ohio State with a national title and a pristine reputation. NFL teams would have had to have made a tough decision based on incomplete data, but practically everything Jones put on film for them was very good. Jones had the arm strength, great size, and good athleticism. ESPN’s Mel Kiper said he thought Jones would have been a second-round pick had he declared last year, though we've seen plenty of quarterbacks slip in the draft once NFL teams start to pick apart their flaws. Ask Matt Barkley. Or Connor Cook.
Jones didn't think he was ready, so he went back to school. He won a battle to be Ohio State's starter, but didn't play great. He was eventually benched for J.T. Barrett.

It's easy to second-guess Jones now, because it's likely he cost himself some money by coming back. But Jones has maintained all along that he has no regrets, and that's understandable. Life is about more than money and NFL draft status, and Jones enjoyed his final year at Ohio State. He says he's comfortable with how it all went down.

“I definitely wouldn’t trade my time and that season for anything in the world,” he told the Columbus Dispatch. “I wish 2015 had gone differently, not just for me but for our team overall. But it’s definitely made not just me but my teammates better, that adversity we had to handle."

The landing spot is interesting. Tyrod Taylor is coming off a good year, but there are some contract issues the Bills will have to work through. And Taylor has played well for only one season. It's possible Taylor will be the Bills' starter for many years to come, but it's no sure thing.

Jones couldn't start right now. A lot of his flaws were exposed the more he played last season. But he has some skills and he'll have time to develop as a quarterback. Perhaps he'll be ready when and if the Bills need him.

Jones likely would have gone higher in the draft had he come out last season. But he doesn't seem to have any concerns about what happened. Now he gets a chance to make his NFL name with the Bills.

TODAY IN HISTORY - APRIL 30TH

1789 – On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first elected President of the United States.

1803 – Louisiana Purchase: The United States purchases the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million, more than doubling the size of the young nation.

1812 – The Territory of Orleans becomes the 18th U.S. state under the name Louisiana.

1838 – Nicaragua declares independence from the Central American Federation.

1871 – The Camp Grant massacre takes place in Arizona Territory.

1885 – Governor of New York David B. Hill signs legislation creating the Niagara Reservation, New York's first state park, ensuring that Niagara Falls will not be devoted solely to industrial and commercial use.

1900 – Hawaii becomes a territory of the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as governor.

1900 – Casey Jones dies in a train wreck in Vaughan, Mississippi, while trying to make up time on the Cannonball Express.

1904 – The Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair opens in St. Louis, Missouri.

1907 – Honolulu, Hawaii becomes an independent city.

1925 – Automaker Dodge Brothers, Inc is sold to Dillon, Read & Co. for US$146 million plus $50 million for charity.

1927 – Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford become the first celebrities to leave their footprints in concrete at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

1938 – The animated cartoon short Porky's Hare Hunt debuts in movie theaters, introducing Happy Rabbit (a prototype of Bugs Bunny).

1939 – The 1939-40 New York World's Fair opens.

1939 – NBC inaugurates its regularly scheduled television service in New York City, broadcasting President Franklin D. Roosevelt's N.Y. World's Fair opening day ceremonial address.

1945 – Eva Braun, German wife of Adolf Hitler (b. 1912) dies.

1947 – In Nevada, the Boulder Dam is renamed the Hoover Dam a second time.

1956 – Former Vice President and Democratic Senator Alben Barkley dies during a speech in Virginia. He collapses after proclaiming "I would rather be a servant in the house of the lord than sit in the seats of the mighty."

1966 – The Church of Satan is established at the Black House in San Francisco.

1973 – Watergate scandal: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces that White House Counsel John Dean has been fired and that other top aides, most notably H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman, have resigned.

1982 – Kirsten Dunst, American actress, singer, director, and screenwriter is born.

1993 – Monica Seles is stabbed by Günter Parche, an obsessed fan, during a quarterfinal match of the 1993 Citizen Cup in Hamburg, Germany

1995 – U.S. President Bill Clinton becomes the first President to visit Northern Ireland.

2004 – U.S. media release graphic photos of American soldiers abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.

2009 – Chrysler files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Lakers announce Luke Walton has been hired as head coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have their new head coach, and he's a face familiar to the fan base.

The Lakers announced Friday night that Golden State Warriors lead assistant coach Luke Walton has reached an agreement with the franchise to become its next head coach. Walton will replace Byron Scott, who had two team options remaining on a four-year deal and was told he would not return last weekend. The Warriors gave the Lakers permission to meet with Walton following the conclusion of their first-round series with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

 

From the announcement:

Earlier today, the Los Angeles Lakers and Luke Walton reached an agreement on a multi-year contract for Walton to become the next Head Coach of the team, it was announced by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Walton will begin his new duties at the conclusion of the Golden State Warriors season.

"We're excited to bring Luke back to Los Angeles, where we feel he's going to start an outstanding coaching career," said Kupchak. "He's one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game and we feel fortunate that he'll be leading the on-court future of our team."

His Warriors colleagues also issued a congratulatory statement (via David Aldridge):

"We are thrilled for Luke,” said Warriors GM Bob Myers. “This is a tremendous opportunity for him to return home and serve as head coach for one of the most storied franchises in sports. Luke has done an incredible job during his two-year stint with our team and has played a significant role in our success, including last year’s championship and again this season under some very unique circumstances. We are certainly going to miss Luke after we conclude our playoff run this season, but we wish him the very best with the Lakers.”

“I’m incredibly happy for Luke,” said Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr. “As we witnessed earlier this season, he has all of the intangibles necessary to be an outstanding head coach in this league, including a terrific understanding of the game the ability to communicate with a wide range of people. He’s certainly ready for this opportunity and I’m confident he’ll do a great job with the Lakers once our season is complete.”

Walton was considered one of the top coaching candidates on the market, particularly for a young, rebuilding team like the Lakers. He served as interim head coach for the Warriors to open the season while Steve Kerr recovered from complications caused by offseason back surgery and went 39-4, including a record 24-0 start. Those wins were not credited to his name, but the Warriors made him part of this week's press conference celebrating Kerr's Coach of the Year award.

Walton has strong Lakers ties. He played nine of his 10 NBA seasons with the franchise as a pass-first small forward alongside Kobe Bryant and served as a player development coach for their D-League franchise, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, in 2013-14. Walton moved from that job to his current position with the Warriors the following offseason and was promoted to lead assistant after Alvin Gentry became head coach of New Orleans Pelicans last spring. Golden State will now have to fill that position for the second-straight season, and there's a good chance the next guy will become a hot coaching candidate, too.

In the third round the Patriots select ... a quarterback?

When the New England Patriots make an unusual pick, you shrug and assume Bill Belichick knows what he's doing, and Patriots fans hope it's not just another Dominique Easley reach.

But the Jacoby Brissett pick was pretty unusual.

Brissett is a talented quarterback from N.C. State. He makes sense as a third-round developmental pick, because he has good physical skills and needs some work at the NFL level. The player isn't the issue, but the team that picked him is worth noting. It's not like the Patriots aren't set at quarterback already.

That's not to say there isn't a plan, and it probably has more to do with Jimmy Garoppolo than Tom Brady. Garoppolo will be entering his third season, and he can become a free agent after the 2017 season. Although it looked like Garoppolo might be Brady's successor when the Patriots took him in the second round, it doesn't seem now like Brady will be out of gas by the 2018 season. Brady will be 39 next season but he's still among the best in the NFL.

That leads to a conundrum with Garoppolo. The Patriots might not be ready to sign him to a Brock Osweiler-type extension, so maybe they'll trade him after the 2016 season. With Brady facing a four-game suspension, the first four games could end up being a showcase for Garoppolo and potential trade partners. Then if Garoppolo gets shipped off, Brissett would presumably become the next in line for the Patriots.

For a team that should feel it's one of the few Super Bowl favorites, it's not a move that will help this season. Or maybe even next season or the season after that, for that matter. But the Patriots had a plan in mind for the pick, even if it might not materialize right away.

There's a method to the Patriots' moves, even though this one seemed like a bit of a surprise.

Indiana extends its season with a win, forces a Game 7 in Toronto

The Indiana Pacers, yet again, have proven that that they’re not exactly keen on playing from ahead Friday evening. The East’s No. 7 seed came back from 12 down in the first quarter to top the Toronto Raptors in what turned into a 19-point blowout win, taking Game 6 by a 101-83 score and sending the first round series back to Ontario for a deciding Game 7 on Sunday.

Indiana had to work to extend its season, shortening its rotation and playing its stars extended minutes with its figurative backs against the wall. No, Paul George didn’t have to play all 48 minutes in the win as he offered, but he did play every second of the first and third quarters and was well on his way toward a full allotment of fourth quarter ticks before being removed with just under three minutes left in the game with his team up 28 points.

George notched 21 points on 5-14 shooting in the win, playing 40 minutes in total while adding 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals. His all-around work helped overcome a dogged Toronto start to things, as the Raptors clamped down defensively in the game’s opening minutes, forcing the Pacers to miss nine of the team’s first 10 shots.

Raptor swingman DeMarre Carroll, a non-factor for most of the year due to injury until moving into the starting lineup in Game 2, scored nine of the team’s first quarter points, while the Pacers failed to find a rhythm until reserve forward Solomon Hill entered the game midway through the period. Hill, whose would-be game-winning three-pointer was waved off up in Toronto in Game 5, managed to spark a season-saving run with his floor spacing on offense and ability to move his feet defensively on the other.

Hill finished with nine points, on 3-4 from long range, racking up a +18 mark in his first nine minutes of play. He finished the game +32 in only 24 minutes, but wasn’t alone in his off-bench game-tilting. Ty Lawson, who joined the Pacers in March after a troubled turn in Houston, also helped circle the wagons as Pacer coach Frank Vogel tried to buy time for a starting lineup that has had to do most of the heavy lifting this season.

By the time the third quarter hit, the Pacers were primed.

Starters George, Ian Mahinmi and George Hill all played the entire frame, as Indy forced the Raps into missing 12 of 18 shots and four turnovers in the period. Moderately-paced fast breaks and opportunistic ball movement resulted, as Indiana outscored Toronto 31-20 to take a seven point lead at 71-64.

Paul George took on the hefty minutes as promised, and while he acted as the spark he managed just four points in the quarter. “Paul George,” Pacer coach Frank Vogel said after the game, “can’t beat the Toronto Raptors by himself.” Though the Pacer All-Star tried, it was the dashing duo of Monta Ellis and George Hill that ran their way toward 19 combined points in the period.

Toronto’s offensive issues, according to coach Dwane Casey, bled over into its defensive woes. Or vice/versa. In an 18-0 run, who can ever tell?

The Raptors, just a quarter and a half away from making it to the second round for just the second time in the team’s 21-season history, failed to score for a 6:37 stretch in the third quarter. Star swingman DeMar DeRozan played all 12 minutes in the frame but missed three of four shots. The free agent to-be missed 10 of 13 shots on the night, only making it to the free throw line twice, ending his evening with just eight points.

Kyle Lowry waved off any attempts to pin his continued poor shooting on a bum right elbow, but he clearly has not been the same since injuring his right arm against Orlando on March 20. He shot just under 32 percent in nine games to end the regular season, and Friday evening’s 4-14 performance left him at just 30.9 shooting from the floor in the postseason.

The All-Star guard made a point to dribble mostly with his left arm throughout, and though Raps coach Dwane Casey acknowledged that Lowry “can do more things for us than just making shots,” Lowry’s 10 assists didn’t exactly put Toronto over the top.

As is usually the case heading into Game 7s, both teams know where they stand. Former Raptor starter Luis Scola didn’t even play in Game 6, while Toronto’s bench thoroughly outplayed their counterparts on the other end. Rookie Norman Powell missed five of six shots but contributed excellent defense, Terrence Ross spread the floor and hit two three-pointers, while reserve guard Cory Joseph hit for a team-high with 15 points in just 24 minutes. Bismack Biyombo combined his dominance over Indiana’s front line with 10 boards in only 19 minutes of play.

It wasn’t enough, though, with five Pacers in double-figures and with rookie Myles Turner (Vogel: “I’m so glad that Myles Turner will get to play in a Game 7 this early in his career”) hitting for 15 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. The Pacers just weren’t ready to let things go, certainly not in front of its home crowd.

As a result, the Raptors aren’t out of the woods yet, forced once again to prove its mettle and make the Conference semifinals a reality. And Indiana will once again be afforded the chance to play the role of the spoiler, working as the underdog yet again.

You get the feeling they prefer that role to anything else.

Jets take the plunge, select Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg

At about 8:45 p.m. ET on Friday, everyone wished the NFL draft still took place in New York City.

Oh, to see the mass reaction of New York Jets fans when their team took Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg with the 51st overall pick.

The Jets keep collecting quarterbacks, apparently hoping one of their flawed picks hits. Geno Smith didn't work out. Apparently the Jets have already given up on Bryce Petty, who was a fourth-round pick just last year. Now they have Hackenberg, one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft.

Hackenberg was promising as a freshman. That seems long ago. After that he was incredibly inaccurate and not very productive. It's amazing that Hackenberg was drafted ahead of Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook. The Jets have a lot of work to do with Hackenberg — who does have a good arm and did have that freshman success long, long ago — and they'll try to bring him along in a quarterback-starved market with an impatient fan base. Should be fun.

The pick also might affect Ryan Fitzpatrick's future. A long-term deal with Fitzpatrick would seem strange now. Would Fitzpatrick take a short deal? The two sides don't appear close on money, and maybe this will be another stumbling block.

The Jets have become adept at wasting picks on quarterbacks they discard shortly after. We'll see if Hackenberg is any different. If not the Jets fans will let the team know about it, and it won't take long before they voice their displeasure.

Retired Kevin Faulk makes Patriots' pick wearing Tom Brady jersey

During his playing days, retired New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk was renowned for his pass protection, his ability to keep defensive players away from quarterback Tom Brady.

Faulk's days of protecting Brady on the field are done, but clearly he is still protecting his friend and former teammate off the field.

On Friday night, Faulk was at the draft to announce the Patriots' third-round draft pick (all of the picks in the round were announced by franchise Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees, and Faulk was New England's in 2009), and as NFL vice president of football operations Troy Vincent introduced him, Faulk stood to Vincent's left, hands on hips, his chest puffed out.

The stance was to highlight that under his unbuttoned purple blazer Faulk was wearing a navy blue No. 12 jersey, Tom Brady's jersey, over his button-down shirt and tie. As we all well know by now, Brady has been locked in a battle with the NFL over deflate-gate, and earlier this week a federal appeals court decided to re-instate Brady's four-game suspension.

As if his choice of clothing weren't enough, Faulk took things a step further as he read the card with New England's pick printed on it.

"With the 78th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots AND Tom Brady select Joe Thuney, North Carolina State," he said.

Faulk, a second-round draft pick out of Louisiana State in 1999, the year before Bill Belichick arrived, retired after the 2011 season. He is one of three finalists for the Patriots' Hall of Fame this year.

Myles Jack finally comes off the board, goes to improving Jaguars

At least Myles Jack didn't have to wait long on Friday before he heard his name called.

The Jacksonville Jaguars ended Jack's long slide in the draft. They took the talented linebacker with the 36th overall pick.

Jack wasn't at the draft in Chicago, opting to skip it in person after sitting in the green room through the whole first round Thursday. So we don't know his reaction to the pick. It had to be an interesting one.

On one hand, Jack presumably just wanted to be selected. On the other, he had an insurance policy that would have kicked in at the 45th pick, earning him $60,000 for every pick after that according to ESPN. So Jack lost a ton of money because of his slide out of the first round, after medical reports indicated knee issues that might cause microfracture surgery, but didn't fall enough to cash in on an insurance policy.

That's all done at this point, and Jack is going to the Jaguars. What a coup for Jacksonville, which also nailed its first round pick with Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey at No. 5. Jack was considered by some to be a top-five talent, before the medical issues caused his fall. Who knows how long Jack's knee will hold up, but he'll be an impact player for as long as he's healthy. Jack was a supremely athletic linebacker at UCLA, and was even a productive running back when the Bruins asked him to do that. He'll be a heck of a player in Jaguars coach Gus Bradley's defense. It could turn out to be a memorable pick for an improving team.

It took a long time but Jack finally found an NFL home. He won't get first-round money, which seemed like a lock not long ago, but at least his heartbreaking draft slide is done.

Former Browns QB Johnny Manziel sends out a defiant message

Johnny Manziel sent out a tweet just before the start of the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night.

And in a way, it rang true.

	Johnny Manziel @JManziel2
You guys act like what I'm doing is something new. I've been the same person, doing the same things since it all started. 3:54 PM - 29 Apr 2016

Honestly, it's hard to argue. Manziel is still the same person he was long before Cleveland drafted him.

He was constantly seen out having a good time in college, while putting together an all-time great college career at Texas A&M, and he still is. The problem now is that he's unemployed, having been cut by the Browns two years after they drafted him in the first round, with practically no hope at the moment of reviving his NFL career. Manziel has said he still wants to play, though nothing this offseason really indicates he's willing to make any changes to facilitate that.

He has rarely tweeted this year, but sent out a follow-up message to the one he sent right before the NFL draft restarted Friday (he also congratulated Texas A&M offensive lineman Germain Ifedi, who was picked in the first round Thursday).

	Johnny Manziel @JManziel2
Made plenty of mistakes along the way, and have a lot I'd do differently. To all my family and real friends who have stuck by me...THANK YOU 4:00 PM - 29 Apr 2016

One of the mistakes could be a domestic violence assault case that he has been indicted for. Even that didn't really change his habits though. There were photos of him watching the NFL draft in a Columbus bar on Thursday night before a Justin Bieber concert. On Twitter, Manziel challenged the manhood of a Cleveland radio/TV personality who he thought was at the bar tweeting out the photos. TMZ published a video of what it said was Manziel ordering 300 shots of Fireball whiskey for everyone at the bar.

It's a little surreal that all this is happening with Manziel this week while the NFL draft is going on. Two years ago Manziel was the most interesting figure in the NFL draft. Now he's nowhere near an NFL career.

But if you're waiting for Manziel to change, it doesn't seem that's imminent.

TODAY IN HISTORY - APRIL 29TH

1770 – James Cook arrives at and names Botany Bay, Australia.

1861 – American Civil War: Maryland's House of Delegates votes not to secede from the Union.

1863 – William Randolph Hearst, American publisher and politician, founded the Hearst Corporation (d. 1951) is born.

1934 – Luis Aparicio, Venezuelan-American baseball player is born.

1945 – World War II: The Captain-class frigate HMS Goodall (K479) is torpedoed by U-286 outside the Kola Inlet becoming the last ship of the Royal Navy sunk in the European theatre of World War II.

1951 – Dale Earnhardt, American race car driver (d. 2001) is born.

1953 – The first U.S. experimental 3D television broadcast showed an episode of Space Patrol on Los Angeles ABC affiliate KECA-TV.

1954 – Jerry Seinfeld, American comedian, actor, and producer is born.

1958 – Michelle Pfeiffer, American actress is born.

1967 – After refusing induction into the United States Army the day before (citing religious reasons), Muhammad Ali is stripped of his boxing title.

1970 – Vietnam War: United States and South Vietnamese forces invade Cambodia to hunt Viet Cong.

1974 – Watergate scandal: United States President Richard Nixon announces the release of edited transcripts of White House tape recordings relating to the scandal.

1975 – Vietnam War: Operation Frequent Wind: The U.S. begins to evacuate U.S. citizens from Saigon before an expected North Vietnamese takeover. U.S. involvement in the war comes to an end.

1980 – Alfred Hitchcock, English-American director and producer (b. 1899) dies.

1986 – A fire at the Central library of the City of Los Angeles Public Library damages or destroys 400,000 books and other items.

1986 – Chernobyl disaster: American and European Spy Satellites capture the ruins of the 4th Reactor at the Chernobyl Power Plant

1992 – Los Angeles riots: Riots in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of police officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King. Over the next three days 53 people are killed and hundreds of buildings are destroyed.

2004 – Dick Cheney and George W. Bush testify before the 9/11 Commission in a closed, unrecorded hearing in the Oval Office.

2004 – Oldsmobile builds its final car ending 107 years of production.

2011 – The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton takes place at Westminster Abbey in London.

2015 – A baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox sets the all-time low attendance mark for Major League Baseball. Zero fans were in attendance for the game, as the stadium was officially closed to the public due to the 2015 Baltimore protests.

Rams start 2016 NFL draft by picking Jared Goff over Carson Wentz

The choice will live with the Los Angeles Rams forever, good or bad, and it will likely spark a million debates about Cal's Jared Goff and North Dakota State's Carson Wentz. It has been almost 20 years since the 1998 NFL draft and you'll still hear Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning mentioned in the same sentence.

The Rams will begin their second stint in Los Angeles with Goff as their quarterback of the future. They made him the first pick of the draft on Thursday night, choosing him over Wentz. The team made good on its promise and kept the pick mostly a secret right up until NFL commissioner Roger Goodell read the name. There have been plenty of speculative reports leading up to the draft that the pick would be Goff, and that became official shortly after 7 p.m. Chicago time. The Rams couldn't go into this season in star-studded Los Angeles with Case Keenum at quarterback, and now they have Goff as a cornerstone.

With Goff off the board, the Philadelphia Eagles surprised nobody and picked Wentz second overall. Quarterbacks did not go 1-2 in the NFL draft from 1999-2012, and now it has happened three times in the past five drafts.

Why did the Rams go with Goff over Wentz? None of these decisions come down to one single reason, and there were good arguments for both players, but clearly the Rams felt more comfortable taking Goff at No. 1 after giving up a surprising amount of picks in a trade with the Tennessee Titans to move up to the top spot. It could come down to the comfort level of picking a player from Cal versus picking one from North Dakota State.

Don't expect to hear that reason in any press conference, because there's no need for the Rams to downgrade Wentz. But when you give up two first-round, two second-round and two third-round picks to move up to No. 1, it's scary to then take someone who quarterbacked in the Missouri Valley Conference. The last time a player from a non-FBS school was taken first overall was Ed "Too Tall" Jones in 1974. The Rams, in many ways, went the safe route with Goff.

There's more to it than where the two quarterbacks played. Many people questioned Wentz in the buildup to the draft, believing he is a project who will need a lot of work. There are questions about Goff too, most notably how he'll transition from a spread "Air Raid" offense at Cal to a conventional offense in the NFL. There are also questions about Goff's 14-23 record at Cal, which is the worst ever for a quarterback taken No. 1 since the common draft started in 1967, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Football is a team game and a quarterback doesn't control his record by himself, but it's still another question about Goff. There are plenty of positives with Goff as well, like his accuracy and touch from the pocket. The Rams clearly think he can be a star, based on what they gave up to take him.

The Eagles moved up to No. 2 last week in a big trade with the Cleveland Browns, and were stuck waiting to see which quarterback the Rams would take first. Getting Wentz isn’t a bad second option. He’s big, ran a lot of NFL concepts in the North Dakota State offense, and many feel he was the best quarterback in this draft. The Eagles have been looking for a franchise quarterback since Donovan McNabb, and Wentz gives them a shot for one.

The picks are made and the teams have to live with the results. The Rams move into a new Los Angeles era with Goff, and not Wentz, as their quarterback. The Rams better hope that's not a mistake. They'll hear about it for a long, long time if it was. 

Laremy Tunsil slides in draft after bong video posted on Twitter

Laremy Tunsil's draft night will go down in infamy. 

Minutes before the NFL draft began, a video was posted to Tunsil's Twitter account. It showed Tunsil in a gas mask smoking something, just before he removed the mask to reveal his face. 

The tweet was quickly taken down and Tunsil deleted his account, but the damage was done. Attentive eyes quickly posted it to Twitter and YouTube. Tunsil's agent later told Ian Rapaport of NFL Network that his client's account was hacked, but he also confirmed that it was his client in the clip. Tunsil admitted it was him too, after he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the 13th pick — far lower than he was expected to go. 

"Man, it was a mistake. It happened years ago," Tunsil told Deion Sanders of the NFL Network. "Someone had my Twitter account and that's how it got on there. Things happens for a reason. I'm glad to be in Miami and I'm going to work my butt off."

That wasn't even the end of Tunsil's troubles. Shortly after he was drafted, his Instagram account was apparently hacked. It posted two images that appear to be screen shots of a text message conversation between Tunsil and an assistant athletic director, talking about needing money so his mother's electric bill could be paid. There was no way to verify if the text messages were authentic, but clearly someone was attacking Tunsil via social media hacks. It might also lead to some questions of Ole Miss, where Tunsil went to school.

Then, in an unbelievable turn of events, during his news conference Tunsil seemed to admit that he took money from a coach at Ole Miss. According to Emily Kaplan of SI.com, Tunsil was asked if money was exchanged between him and a coach.

"I have to say yeah," Tunsil said, according to Kaplan and other reporters at the news conference.

Tuntil was then interrupted and ushered off the podium, which you can watch here:

So in one night, Tunsil had a video of him smoking from a bong posted to social media, he slipped out of the top 10 of the draft, an Instagram hacker posted a purported conversation between him and an athletic department official about exchanging money, and then he seemed to admit that he did in fact take money from a coach in college. Wow. This draft story will be tough to top.

Tunsil was projected to possibly be the first pick in the draft as recently as a few weeks ago, prior to trades with the first two picks. It turns out he wasn't even one of the first two offensive linemen selected as the Baltimore Ravens took Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley at No. 6 and the Titans then took Michigan State's Jack Conklin at No. 8.

Tunsil said he did not know that someone had the video and did not find out about it until he reached the green room at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. 

Sanders asked Tunsil if his stepfather had posted the video, but Tunstil did not know. Tunsil was sued earlier this week by his stepfather. TMZ reported that Tunsil's stepfather denied he had anything to do with the social media hacks.

According to NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala, the Ravens saw the video — and it had an effect.

Ravens took Tunsil OFF their board after that video, member of organization tells me. OFF.

ESPN's Jon Gruden later went on a rant blaming social media for Tunsil's fall on draft night. But he also didn't blame any teams that passed up Tunsil. 

"This whole social media scene makes me sick," Gruden said. "If you're a young kid, put away your Twitter accounts — if you want to be a pro football player. Somebody is going to hack your accounts, somebody is going to cause some problems. You've got to be a reliable person to stand up here on the stage and be a first-round draft choice.

"That's what's plagued this kid since he's been at Ole Miss. He's been injured, he's been suspended, and he's had a lot of traits that show you why you wouldn't want to draft him. This is embarrassing, I'm sure it hurts him a lot, and if I'm a head coach or GM I'm going someplace else to find a player early in the first round." 

Meanwhile, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze came to his defense, telling ESPN that the clip was not recent. 

"He doesn't deny it, he owned it," Freeze said. "But certainly it was not recent." 

No matter when it happened, the errant tweet ended up costing Tunsil a tumble down the draft and a lot of money. 

TODAY IN HISTORY - APRIL 28TH

1758 – James Monroe, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 5th President of the United States (d. 1831) is born.

1788 – Maryland becomes the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution.

1789 – Mutiny on the Bounty: Lieutenant William Bligh and 18 sailors are set adrift and the rebel crew returns to Tahiti briefly and then sets sail for Pitcairn Island.

1881 – Billy the Kid escapes from the Lincoln County jail in Mesilla, New Mexico.

1916 – Ferruccio Lamborghini, Italian businessman, created Lamborghini (d. 1993) is born.

1930 – The Independence Producers hosted the first night game in the history of Organized Baseball in Independence, Kansas.

1932 – A vaccine for yellow fever is announced for use on humans.

1941 – Ann-Margret, Swedish-American actress, singer, and dancer is born.

1945 – Benito Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci are executed by a firing squad consisting of members of the Italian resistance movement.

1948 – Igor Stravinsky conducted the premier of his American ballet, Orpheus, in New York City at New York City Center.

1952 – Dwight D. Eisenhower resigns as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO.

1965 – United States occupation of the Dominican Republic: American troops land in the Dominican Republic to "forestall establishment of a Communist dictatorship" and to evacuate U.S. Army troops.

1969 – Charles de Gaulle resigns as President of France.

1970 – Vietnam War: U.S. President Richard Nixon formally authorizes American combat troops to fight communist sanctuaries in Cambodia.

1981 – Jessica Alba, American model and actress is born.

1986 – The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise becomes the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to transit the Suez Canal, navigating from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea to relieve the USS Coral Sea.

1986 – High levels of radiation resulting from the Chernobyl disaster are detected at a nuclear power plant in Sweden, leading Soviet authorities to publicly announce the accident.

1987 – American engineer Ben Linder is killed in an ambush by U.S.-funded Contras in northern Nicaragua.

1988 – Near Maui, Hawaii, flight attendant Clarabelle "C.B." Lansing is blown out of Aloha Airlines Flight 243, a Boeing 737, and falls to her death when part of the plane's fuselage rips open in mid-flight.

1994 – Former Central Intelligence Agency counterintelligence officer and analyst Aldrich Ames pleads guilty to giving U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union and later Russia.

1995 – Melanie Martinez, American singer-songwriter is born.

1996 – Whitewater controversy: President Bill Clinton gives a 4½ hour videotaped testimony for the defense.

2014 – Jack Ramsay, American basketball player, coach, and sportscaster (b. 1925) dies.

Jake Arrieta destroys ESPN's Stephen A. Smith for doubting stats

Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta is pretty sick of people questioning his performance. Arrieta is well-aware that his transformation from borderline starter to one of the best pitchers in the game invites suspicion, but told USA Today's Bob Nightengale "people are idiots" for thinking he's used performance-enhancing drugs.

We live in an age where any over-worldly achievement on a baseball field brings questions, so there were sure to be doubters even after Arrieta's stringent denial. One of those doubters happened to be ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.

During a "First Take" segment, Smith said it was fair to wonder "what the hell is going on" with Arrieta's numbers. Smith later tweeted out a link to that segment, saying Arrieta shouldn't be laughing at his critics.

	Stephen A Smith @stephenasmith
Jake Arrieta shouldn't be laughing about questions surrounding his performance. espn.go.com/video/clip?id=… 9:17 AM - 27 Apr 2016 Stephen A., Skip raising eyebrows toward Arrieta - ESPN Video Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless are not accusing Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta of using PEDs, however they are not turning a blind eye on him based on his sudden rise in performance. ESPN@espn

Because this is the Internet, and Smith is a big-time sports personality, Arrieta found out about the video and issued an appropriate response to Smith.

	Jake Arrieta @JArrieta34
Laughing is exactly what I will do. You continue to do your thing though. No one will undercut my hard work. @stephenasmith 10:54 AM - 27 Apr 2016

Upon seeing Arrieta's response, Smith immediately backed down.

	Stephen A Smith @stephenasmith
I hear ya @JArrieta34. It's your life/career. You've earned the right to do what you want. The best to you. 11:01 AM - 27 Apr 2016

The whole exchange on Smith's end isn't all that surprising considering his role at ESPN. "First Take" routinely embraces debate, and that leads to some fiery takes. Smith and Skip Bayless get huge ratings for making bold proclamations or not so subtly suggesting a star baseball player might be taking steroids.

This was peak Stephen A. Smith too. In the clip, he says "I'm not going to accuse you of using performance-enhancing supplements, drugs, whatever you want to call it, but..."

That "but" pretty much invalidates everything that came before it. Because at that point, Smith has already planted the seeds of doubt in the viewers' minds. Smith gets to pretty much say "this guy might be using steroids" while also being able to hide behind the "I never accused him" defense. Technically, he's right, and that's why he's so successful at what he does. He manipulates words well.

Smith's arguments revolving around innings pitched and wins is incredibly silly too. Arrieta didn't accumulate innings in the majors back then because he wasn't good. Teams aren't just going to throw those guys out there. He needed to change his game and improve. Once he did so with the Cubs, his innings limits and win totals jumped.

Our own Jeff Passan wrote about how Arrieta made that turn around. A number of pieces have been writeen about the subject, many of which include Arrieta finally being able to throw his cutter again. There are legimate reasons to buy Arrieta's transformation. If you want to bring realistic doubt on Arrieta's numbers, there are much better ways to make that argument that don't include innings pitched or win totals.

Arrieta's response does come as somewhat of a surprise. You rarely see a player engage with a big media personality on Twitter, and that's especially the case when the issue of PEDs comes up. It's such a serious accusation in the baseball world that most players choose to say nothing any time the subject comes up. If you're a player and you make even the slightest slip-up with your wording during a denial, people will just continue to scrutinize. It's just not worth it for most guys.

Arrieta didn't adhere to that. He went directly at Smith, and that was pretty refreshing. We probably should have seen this coming, particularly after Arrieta responded to a Pittsburgh Pirates fan prior to his Wild Card start during the 2015 season.

That attitude probably feeds into why Arrieta has been so successful in recent years. He doesn't lack for confidence, and it's pretty clear he's a relentless competitor.

The fact that Smith can essentially make the accusation and then step away without repercussion is incredibly unfair. Ultimately, it's Arrieta who will have to deal with the fallout from Smith's irresponsible words. He chose to handle that by going directly to the source, and the source immediately backed off.

Lakers get permission to interview Warriors' Luke Walton for head-coaching job

The Los Angeles Lakers have requested and received permission to speak with Golden State assistant Luke Walton about their head-coaching position, Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said Wednesday. Kerr added that Walton will speak with the Lakers once the team completes its first-round series with the Houston Rockets.

Walton is in his second season as an assistant with the Warriors and filled in for Kerr through the first 43 games this season, leading the team to a 39-4 record. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak's interest in Walton was expected, given Walton's ties with the Lakers organization. Walton played with the Lakers from 2003-12 and won two championships.

Walton is the frontrunner to start the search, and Kupchak is working off a list of 10 preliminary candidates, including former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt, Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie and San Antonio Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, sources told The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Islanders chase Ben Bishop, win Game 1 despite Lightning rally

Moments before the puck dropped in Game 1 of their second-round series against the New York Islanders, Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning was announced as one of the three finalists for the 2015-16 Vezina Trophy, given to the NHL’s top goaltender.

Exactly 28 minutes and 59 minutes of game time later, he was pulled.

The Islanders built a 4-1 lead against Bishop, who was pulled after John Tavares' long-distance goal on the power play in the second period. Andre Vasilevskiy stopped all eight shots he faced, but the Lightning couldn’t complete a third-period rally and the Islanders took Game 1, 5-3.

While Bishop faltered, Thomas Greiss gave the Islanders another stellar effort, stopping 33 of 36 shots, some of them very high percentage.

“It was a great effort from everyone,” he said on NBCSN after the win. “The first game is always huge.”

The Lightning hit the board first on an Ondrej Palat goal at 3:05 of the first period. But Travis Hamonic responded at 5:44, with Tavares getting an assist.

Then it was the Shane Prince show.

Prince, the late-season acquisition quickly becoming a postseason unsung hero, scored at 17:28 and at 19:57 from linemates Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson, as the Islanders left the Lightning and their home fans stunned with a 3-1 first-period lead.

After Tavares chased Bishop, it appeared the Islanders had this one in hand. But Nikita Kucherov scored his sixth of the playoffs at 7:41 of the third period, and Valtteri Filppula followed with a goal just under 10 minutes later.

The Lightning pulled Vasilevskiy and generated some chances, but Greiss was up to the task. And when he needed help, his teammates provided it. Cal Clutterbuck made a huge block in the defensive zone, and then turned around and scored into an empty net to clinch it.

The line of Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin reclaimed their swagger after being overwhelmed by the Florida Panthers in the first round. Cizikas delivered a crushing check on Erik Condra in the first period that left the Lightning forward concussed. The line as a whole pressured the Lightning defense and had a strong game.

But as usual, it was Tavares that led the way with a goal and an assist, currently leading the playoffs in goals and points.

Game 2 of the series is Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

The biggest need for all 32 teams heading into the NFL draft

No matter how much money you spend in free agency, there's always going to be an unsolved problem going into the draft.

Many teams go into the draft this week looking for the best available player, but they also understand the weaknesses of their rosters. While a team might not ignore a great player who falls too far, it also has an eye on the holes that still need to be filled.

Here is the top remaining need for every NFL team heading into the draft, counting down in original first-round draft order, before any trades or pick forfeitures:

 

1. Tennessee Titans
Biggest need: Offensive tackle

It couldn’t have been easy for the Titans to trade the No. 1 pick and pass on Laremy Tunsil, a potentially great left tackle who fills the team’s biggest need. But the offer from the Rams was impossible to refuse. The Titans have the 15th pick now, and might move back up into the top 10 for their tackle.

2. Cleveland Browns
Biggest need: All skill positions

 

You could pick any of the skill positions. It’s shockingly thin at quarterback, running back and wide receiver (tight end is fine with Gary Barnidge, but he turns 31 in September). The players at those positions in Cleveland would have a tough time starting anywhere else in the NFL.

 

3. San Diego Chargers
Biggest need: Offensive line

The Chargers have tried to patch together the line the past couple years, but an anchor would be nice. That’s why it’s hard to see them passing on Tunsil at No. 3.

4. Dallas Cowboys
Biggest need: Cornerback

 

With Byron Jones seemingly settled in at safety, the Cowboys need to figure out cornerback again. If the draft goes quarterback-quarterback-Tunsil, then Jalen Ramsey will be right there for them to scoop up.

 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Biggest need: Linebacker

 

Paul Posluszny is a star, but he’s going to be 32 this season and has had his share of injuries. They need an influx of talent here. Myles Jack should be there, but there are concerns about his knee.

 

6. Baltimore Ravens
Biggest need: Cornerback

 

The Ravens aren’t in terrible shape across the board, but the secondary wasn’t great last year. They’ll still take the best player available at No. 6, as they should.

 

7. San Francisco 49ers
Biggest need: Pass rusher

 

The 49ers had more than $50 million in cap room to fill some holes and … well, they did practically nothing in free agency. So they come to the draft with a lot of pressing needs. Quarterback probably should top the list, but with Colin Kaepernick’s status up in the air, let’s go with pass rusher for a team that had just 28 sacks last year.

 

8. Miami Dolphins
Biggest need: Running back

 

There’s a reason the Dolphins were linked to so many running backs this offseason. After letting Lamar Miller go, they need one, even if it's just a mid-round pick to pair with 2015 rookie Jay Ajayi.

 

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest need: Cornerback

 

There’s a reason every mock draft has the Bucs taking a corner. Adding Brent Grimes can stop the bleeding a bit, but more help is needed. Taking multiple cornerbacks shouldn’t be out of the question.

 

10. New York Giants
Biggest need: Receiver

 

Linebacker could top the list too, but at some point the Giants will need to find someone to complement Odell Beckham. Even if Victor Cruz finds his old form, depth is needed. If Cruz is never the same, it’s really thin.

 

11. Chicago Bears
Biggest need: Offensive line

 

Perhaps Charles Leno continues to develop and he’s the long-term answer at left tackle, but there’s risk there, and there are holes elsewhere along the line too.

 

12. New Orleans Saints
Biggest need: Defense

 

Defensive line, linebacker, cornerback and maybe safety — the Saints need it all. Just about any high-end defensive prospect in this draft, no matter the position, could start for the Saints from Week 1. Yet, their big free-agent addition was a tight end and there are rumors they might draft a quarterback in the first round this week. So who knows what they'll do. 

 

13. Philadelphia Eagles
Biggest need: Cornerback

 

None of the Eagles’ cornerbacks had a good 2015. Byron Maxwell is gone, too. There were some cheap free-agent fixes, but they need to draft a corner or two.

 

14. Oakland Raiders
Biggest need: Secondary

 

For the first time in a long time, the Raiders don’t have a glaring need going into the draft. I still think they could use some youthful reinforcements at safety and some depth at corner.

 

15. Los Angeles Rams
Biggest need: Quarterback

 

The Rams sending a million picks to the Titans to move up to No. 1 should tip you off to what they felt their biggest need was.

 

16. Detroit Lions
Biggest need: Safety

 

There are also some questions at cornerback, but the Lions have a few veterans at safety without one standout. Grabbing a playmaking safety early in the draft should be a priority.

 

17. Atlanta Falcons
Biggest need: Pass rusher

 

Vic Beasley could still turn into a top rusher, but this is a team that had an unfathomable 19 sacks last season. That was worst in the NFL, obviously. Inside linebacker is a need too, but nothing on the defense works if they can’t rush the quarterback.

 

18. Indianapolis Colts
Biggest need: Offensive line

Last year should be a blaring alarm for the Colts: Protect Andrew Luck better, or else. They can’t run the offense they want if they can’t give Luck time to throw, and they need to keep their quarterback healthy as well.

19. Buffalo Bills
Biggest need: Defensive end

 

Losing Mario Williams isn’t a huge deal because Williams never showed up last season. But the Bills, a pretty solid team on paper, could use a second pass-rushing end to go with Jerry Hughes.

 

20. New York Jets
Biggest need: Left tackle

 

We’ll assume Ryan Fitzpatrick comes back, but if he doesn’t then “quarterback” is the obvious priority. Whoever plays quarterback, he’ll need to be protected, and the Jets need to figure out a replacement left tackle after mainstay D’Brickashaw Ferguson retired.

 

21. Washington Redskins
Biggest need: Wide receiver

 

Receiver isn’t a huge need in 2016, but Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson are set to become free agents after the season, and even if they return they’ll each be 30 years old. Washington needs to address the issue now.

 

22. Houston Texans
Biggest need: Defensive line

 

Yes, a little strange to list defensive line as their need when they have maybe the greatest defensive end ever. But J.J. Watt doesn’t have much help. A tackle is needed, with Vince Wilfork nearing the end, and the other end spot is pretty thin.

 

23. Minnesota Vikings
Biggest need: Possession receiver

 

Here’s why the Mike Wallace acquisition never made sense: Teddy Bridgewater does many things well, but he’s not a deep thrower. Wallace does almost nothing well except run deep. What Bridgewater needs is a true go-to possession receiver, a target he can look for on third downs.

 

24. Cincinnati Bengals
Biggest need: Wide receiver

 

I don’t blame the Bengals for not re-signing Marvin Jones or Mohamed Sanu, because each of them got overpaid in a weak free-agent market for receivers. But the Bengals do still need receivers, and while Brandon LaFell is a quick fix, they need more than that.

 

25. Pittsburgh Steelers
Biggest need: Cornerback

 

The Steelers can probably get by at safety for another year, but cornerback is a big area of need. If Pittsburgh is going to live up to some of this Super Bowl contender hype, the secondary needs to improve.

 

26. Seattle Seahawks
Biggest need: Center

 

When you trade Max Unger, as the Seahawks did last year to acquire Jimmy Graham, you need to replace him eventually. Seattle could use some help everywhere on the line, but it seems the line could really use an elite center as an anchor.

 

27. Green Bay Packers
Biggest need: Inside linebacker

 

It says a lot about the Packers’ inside linebacker issues that Clay Matthews had to move there last season. That can’t happen again. Since, of course, they didn’t sign a free agent to help, they better draft a three-down inside linebacker.

28. Kansas City Chiefs
Biggest need: Cornerback

The Chiefs made a nice pick with Marcus Peters in the first round last year, but they need cornerback depth again after losing Sean Smith in free agency. Don’t rule out the Chiefs going quarterback early either; they need an heir to Alex Smith and a competent backup.

29. New England Patriots
Biggest need: Offensive tackle

 

Injuries and Von Miller exposed the Patriots’ lack of offensive line depth in the playoffs last season. There aren’t too many glaring holes on the roster, which is good because they don’t have their first-round pick.

 

30. Arizona Cardinals
Biggest need: Pass rusher

 

It’s pretty amazing that the Cardinals got Dwight Freeney off the scrap heap and he produced a solid season. The Cardinals need to more permanent solution to their edge pass rush issues (Chandler Jones is slated to become a free agent after this season), however.

 

31. Carolina Panthers
Biggest need: Offensive tackle

 

The Panthers have done a remarkable job mixing and matching at the tackle spot the last couple years. Eventually, you’d figure they’d want someone to be a foundation of that line. Depth at running back is also a bit of a concern for a run-first team.

 

32. Denver Broncos
Biggest need: Quarterback

 

What else could it be? Nobody quite knows John Elway’s plan to replace Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. It will be very interesting to see what happens if there’s an intriguing quarterback prospect still on the board when the Broncos are on the clock.