Month: May 2023

Way-too-early 2024 mock draft projects Saints to pick Washington DE Bralen Trice

This way-too-early 2024 mock draft from USA Today projects the New Orleans Saints to (eventually) pick big Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice:

The ink is still drying on the 2023 NFL draft and we’re already seeing mock drafts for the 2024 cycle. What are we doing? More importantly, who are the New Orleans Saints being linked to?

One projection comes from USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, who likes the Saints to end up with Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice. Here’s what he wrote of the player, using the current Super Bowl odds to determine draft order (putting the Saints at No. 19):

Despite using a second-rounder on Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey, the Saints should keep mulling their pass-rush plans, especially with Cameron Jordan turning 34 in July. The 6-4, 267-pound Trice led all Power Five edge rushers last season with 70 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, while notching nine sacks.

Trice is one of the top pass rushers eligible for next year’s draft, and if he builds on his momentum he’ll have no problem securing a spot in the first round of selections. The Saints have a clear long-term need at defensive end with only Foskey (once he formally signs), Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Payton Turner under contract through 2024, so they’ll likely be replacing either Jordan or Carl Granderson in the near future. Trice fits the athletic prototype they value with a big frame and real power off the edge, so he’s someone to watch when the college football season kicks off in the fall.

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Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Monday’s Cleveland Guardians at New York Yankees odds and lines, with MLB expert picks, predictions and best bets.

The Cleveland Guardians (13-15) and New York Yankees (15-14) open a 3-game series at Yankee Stadium on Monday with the 1st pitch set for 7:05 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Guardians vs. Yankees odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Yankees lead 2-1

Cleveland is on a 6-game road trip that opened with 3 games in Boston. The Guardians dropped 2 of those 3 to the Red Sox, including 7-1 on Sunday, and are just 2-5 in their last 7 road games.

New York was hammered by the Texas Rangers 15-2 on Sunday and has lost 3 straight games and is just 2-6 in its last 8 games. Slugging OF Aaron Judge missed weekend games in Texas (day-to-day, hip), and his absence has made an already pedestrian Yankees offense look even less dangerous.

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Guardians at Yankees projected starters

RHP Cal Quantrill vs. RHP Domingo German

Quantrill (1-2, 5.40 ERA) is starting his 6th game. He has a 1.64 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 5.4 K/9 in 25 IP.

  • Owns a 3.63 ERA, 1.24 WHIP through 118 career games
  • Has held current New York bats to an aggregate .571 OPS

German (2-2, 5.54 ERA) is making his 6th start. He has a 1.08 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 11.4 K/9 through 26 IP.

  • Has held current Cleveland bats to an aggregate .688 OPS
  • Has been torched by the long ball this spring: has yielded 5 HRs in his last 2 starts and 7 overall

Guardians at Yankees odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:02 a.m. ET.

  • Moneyline: Guardians +108 (bet $100 to win $108) | Yankees -126 (bet $126 to win $100)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Guardians +1.5 (-182) | Yankees -1.5 (+150)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)

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Guardians at Yankees picks and predictions

Prediction

Yankees 5, Guardians 4

Moneyline

Figure a rebound for German, who wasn’t great against Cleveland on April 10 (3 IP, 2R, 5 BB) but has pitched well against the Guardians in the past.

The Yanks have played a tough slate pitching-wise, and their batting numbers have some regression likely due that helps the attack. The Guardians have had an easy slate for their pitchers. Expect their runs-allowed figures to climb.

All the performance-vs.-expectation in the middle? It’s mostly leaning home team for this series. BACK THE YANKEES (-126).

Run line/Against the spread

The lean is on the Yankees, but we should want at least a +155 return. PASS.

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Over/Under

The Yanks bullpen has gotten by with a .253 batting average on balls in play. The Cleveland pen has logged a .254 BABIP. Both are living dangerously, and there is some overall lean toward better days for the New York offense.

BACK THE OVER 8.5 (-112).

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Panthers were reportedly ‘high’ on Jets DE Will McDonald IV

Panthers GM Scott Fitterer hinted at trading up into the back of the first round for a particular group of players. One of those targets may have been Will McDonald IV.

The day before the Carolina Panthers got cracking on the 2023 NFL draft, general manager Scott Fitterer dropped a little hint about the backend of the first round.

In an interview with team reporter Kristen Balboni, Fitterer said there were players he would’ve been willing to trade up for on Thursday night. Here’s the exact quote:

“We’re trying to figure that out right now. We’re making calls. We know where the group of players are where we wanna be. There’s a group where we’d wanna go up. There’s a scenario where we’d wanna go up and look at a player—if we can get there.”

Well, we may know who one of those players was.

According to Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer, the Panthers had their eye on Iowa State University defensive end Will McDonald IV.

That interest makes complete sense given Carolina’s need for pass rushers. Plus, everyone and their grandmother who did a two-round mock draft seemingly had the 6-foot-4, 239-pound defender going to the Panthers.

But, they got beat to the punch. The New York Jets ended up plucking McDonald off the board with the 15th overall pick while the Panthers got their edge help in the third round with University of Oregon’s DJ Johnson—who they, perhaps ironically, did trade up for.

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