Tag: Heisman Trophy

Top Draft Classes of the 2026 NFL Draft: Winners and Losers
The 2026 NFL Draft is officially in the books.

The city of Pittsburgh set a new record, with an attendance of over 805,000 people, over the 3-day event.

257 players had their dreams come true, hearing their names called on stage.

The 1st pick wasn’t a surprise as National Champion and Heisman Trophy Winning QB Fernando Mendoza went to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Raiders also ended the epic slide of CB Jermod McCoy, when they took him with the 101st pick, in the 4th round. The slide was due to medical reports on his knee, otherwise he’d been takin in the 1st round.

There were 11 Ohio State Buckeyes taken, the most in this 2026 NFL Draft Class.

There were 10 Quarterbacks drafted.

There were a whopping 36 WRs drafted.

The Naval Academy had 2 players selected this year. DT Landon Robinson with the 226th pick to the Cincinnati Bengals, and Eli Heidenreich with the 230th pick, to his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers. Both were taken in the 7th round.

Mr. Irrelevant (the name for the player chosen last in the draft), is Red Murdock, LB, from the University of Buffalo.

There were quite a few really good classes this year. Teams did really well at addressing needs and playing the board.

There were also a few stinkers, as well.

So, without further ado, here are a few of the best and worst team class this year.

My Cleveland Browns had one of the best draft classes, however, I will be writing a stand-alone article on them, so they are not included here.

BEST – Carolina Panthers.
- Pick 19: T Monroe Freeling, Georgia Bulldogs
- Pick 49: DL Lee Hunter, Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Pick 83: WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee Volunteers
- Pick 129: CB Will Lee lll, Texas A&M Aggies
- Pick 144: C Sam Hecht, Kansas State Wildcats
- Pick 151: S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State Nittany Lions
- Pick 227: LB Jackson Kuwatch, Miami (OH) RedHawks
Every single one of these picks, have the chance to be full-time starters, either this season or next season. Freeling might be starting Day 1, because LT Ikem Ekwonu is recovering from a major season ending injury late last season, and RT Taylor Morton is 31 years old and has only 2 years left on his contract.

WORST – Jacksonville Jaguars
- Pick 56: TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M Aggies
- Pick 81: DI Albert Regis, Texas A&M Aggies
- Pick 88: G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon Ducks
- Pick 100: S Jalen Huskey, Maryland Terrapins
- Pick 119: ED Wesley Williams, Duke Blue Devils
- Pick 164: TE Tanner Koziol, Houston Cougars
- Pick 191: WR Josh Cameron, Baylor Bears
- Pick 203: WR CJ Williams, Stanford Cardinal
- Pick 233: ED Zach Durfee, Washington Huskies
- Pick 240: LB Parker Hughes, Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
I’m not even going to pretend to know, what the hell the Jaguars were doing. I’m sure this all makes sense in their heads, not only myself, but some Jaguars fans that I spoke to, are completely baffled. I will say this though…. OG Emmanuel Pregnon is a D-A-W-G!!! He was one of my favorite offensive linemen in this entire class.

WORST – San Francisco 49ers
- Pick 33: WR De’Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi Rebels
- Pick 70: ED Romello Height, Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Pick 90: HB Kaelon Black, Indiana Hoosiers
- Pick 107: DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma Sooners
- Pick 127: T Carver Willis, Washington Huskies
- Pick 139: CB Ephesians Prysock, Washington Huskies
- Pick 154: LB Jaden Dugger, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
- Pick 179: T Enrique Cruz Jr., Kansas Jayhawks
At least with the 49ers, I knew what their gameplan was here. They’re wanting Stribling to be the replacement for Aiyuk…..OK, but there were better players on the board. I do like CB Prysock. He’s a big corner with long arms, and does a good job locating the ball when it’s in the air. LT Trent Williams is probably retiring after this season, and by taking 2 OTs in Willis and Cruz Jr, they’re hoping for a mid/late round steal. It ain’t happening.

BEST – New York Jets
- Pick 2: ED David Bailey, Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Pick 16: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon Ducks
- Pick 30: WR Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana Hoosiers
- Pick 50: CB D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana Hoosiers
- Pick 103: DL Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State Seminoles
- Pick 110: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson Tigers
- Pick 188: G Anez Cooper, Miami (FL) Hurricanes
- Pick 228: S VJ Payne, Kansas State Wildcats
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE what the New York Jets did in this class.
They got the #1 rated DE/EDGE rusher.
They got the #1 rated TE.
They got my #4 WR prospect.
They got the #1 rated Slot CB, who CAN play outside as well.
Let me tell you, when Darrell Jackson keeps his hands disciplined and in line with his hips and feet, he just dominates inside. So much potential.
QB Cade Klubnik had a down season, but he has great timing and accuracy on all levels of the field, with a smooth throwing motion. Do NOT be surprised, if he easily beats out Brady Cook for the backup QB spot, and plays significant time if Geno Smith struggles as the starter.

WORST – Dallas Cowboys
- Pick 11: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes
- Pick 23: ED Malachi Lawrence, UCF Knights
- Pick 92: ED Jaishawn Barham, Michigan Wolverines
- Pick 112: T Drew Shelton, Penn State Nittany Lions
- Pick 114: CB Devin Moore, Florida Gators
- Pick 137: ED LT Overton, Alabama Crimson Tide
- Pick 218: WR Anthony Smith, East Carolina Pirates
They had THE BEST pick in the 1st round, with the #1 overall player in the entire draft (safety Caleb Downs) just fall into their lap. After that, they completely tanked. They wanna get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, that’s great, but there were far better options at 23, 92, and even 137. It’s like they just threw spaghetti on the wall, and hoping that something sticks. OT Drew Shelton struggles against good competition, and the NFC East is a tough place for linemen.

BEST – Miami Dolphins
- Pick 12: T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama Crimson Tide
- Pick 27: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State Aztecs
- Pick 43: LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Pick 75: WR Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Pick 87: TE Will Kacmarek, Ohio State Buckeyes
- Pick 94: WR Chris Bell, Louisville Cardinals
- Pick 130: LB Trey Moore, Texas Longhorns
- Pick 138: LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh Panthers
- Pick 158: S Michael Taaffe, Texas Longhorns
- Pick 177: WR Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri Tigers
- Pick 180: TE Seydou Traore, Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Pick 200: G DJ Campbell, Texas Longhorns
Other than their first pick (OT Kadyn Proctor), who is going to absolutely fail miserably, this is a GREAT draft by Miami. CB Chris Johnson is a Day 1 starting cornerback. LB Jacob Rodriguez is a turnover machine and is always around the football. WR Chris Bell was a LOCK to be a 1st Round WR before he tore his ACL late last season. He’s a great X WR and will be starting as soon as he is medically cleared. LB Kyle Louis is a tacking machine. S Michael Taaffe can do everything you need a safety to do.

In summary, the 2026 Draft Class will go down as one of the strangest classes of all-time, certainly in my lifetime. Shocking picks, epic slides, a record-breaking number of trades, kept not just the teams on their toes, but fans on the edge of their seats or wondering….. “What the heck are they doing?”

For the delicious breakfast bowls and bagels, as well as high protein snacks, and boba drinks, stop into The Daily Dose in Convoy. Located on the corner of US-49 and Tully Street. Check out their Facebook page for special drinks and menu items.

– by Sean McKenzie

Information courtesy of…..NFL, ESPN, and PFF.

Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, USAToday, and WTAE.
April 25, 2026
Winners and Losers from Day 3 of the NFL Scouting Combine.

Day 3 of the NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books. The theme of S-P-E-E-D speed, continued!!! Absolutely nobody thought that this particular draft class, would be breaking all-time speed records.

The first group of Day 3 was the Running Backs. As anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE me some running backs. I’m a run-first guy.

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love only solidified his position as the #1 RB in this class. We all knew that he was fast, and he ran a 4.36 in the 40, with a 1.55 10 yd split. He showed his smooth footwork and ability to get skinny, during the on the field portion of the drills.

His teammate Jadarian Price ran a 4.49 in the 40, with a slower than expected 1.61 10 yard split. His footwork isn’t as smooth as Love in the running drills, but he did EXCELLENT catching the ball during the on the field portion of the drills.

My biggest winner was Alabama RB Jam Miller. He ran a 4.42 in the 40, with a 1.53 10 yard split. He was smooth with his footwork , kept his balancing cutting, and did a good job catching balls.

Penn State RB Kaytron Allen did EXACTLY what I’ve been telling everyone he would during the on the field portion of the drills. Smooth footwork, quick feet, can catch the ball. I’ve always thought he was better than his Nittany Lions counterpart Nicholas Singleton.

My biggest loser was Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson. He ran a 4.56 in the 40. He looked like a board, his feet looked sluggish, his reaction to the bags, on cut drills were slow.

Outside of Love, there isn’t a first rounder here, but there is very quality depth, and varied abilities in this class.

For the best coffee and lattes in Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean, in Convoy, Ohio. Their Honey Bun latte is SO DELCIOUS, that I actually drink it sometimes over their wonderful regular black coffee. Check out their Facebook page for store hours and drink menu.

QB Group 1 ran the 40, and the news was Arkansas QB Taylen Green ran a 4.36 in the 40. Georgia Tech QB Haynes King ran a 4.46 in the 40.

When it came to throwing, the biggest winner overall was Penn State QB Drew Allar. He had the best deep ball, by far. He was accurate with his ball placement on almost every drill.

Georgia Tech QB Haynes King did quite well. He was great on all the underneath throws, but his lack of arm strength showed on the deep balls.

The biggest loser for on the field drills, was EASILY Teylan Green. He completely airmailed throws on all the outroutes, both short and deep. His ball placement was high and low on slant routes. He has great arm strength though.

Next up, was WR Group #1. Oklahoma Deion Burks (4.30), Cincinnati Jeff Caldwell (4.31), Georgia Zachariah Branch (4.35), Oregon Malik Benson (4.37), Tennessee Chris Brazzell (4.37), and Texas Tech Caleb Douglas (4.39), all ran under 4.40 in the 40.

The big winner was Zachariah Branch. He was so smooth and really crisp on his breaks. Just snapping them off. He caught everything, including some horrible throws by QB Fagnano and Green. It was so fun to watch him today. He made himself some money and climbed many draft boards.

Biggest loser was WR Malachi Fields from Notre Dame. He ran a slow 4.61 in the 40, with a 1.63 10-yard split. He couldn’t keep his feet and hips under control on his breaks, and had 3 drops on The Gauntlet Drill. The film is better than his performance Saturday afternoon, but it did cost him some spots.

The Daily Dose in Convoy, has all the sugar-free, protein packed teas, drinks, and snacks that you need to fuel your day. Check out their Facebook page for store hours, menu, and special drinks.

Only 2 players from QB Group 2 ran the 40. North Dakota State’s Cole Payton (4.56) and Baylor Sawyer Robertson (4.65).

When it came to the on the field drills, Alabama’s Ty Simpson was the winner of the group. Good accuracy on the out breaking routes. He had great ball placement and timing on the medium and deep routes.

Clemson’s Cade Klubnik was a close 2nd place though.

The loser of the group was the aforementioned Cole Payton. His best 2 passes didn’t come until the 2nd to last drill, on deep balls. It was a terrible night for him, after the 40-yard dash.

WR Group 2 saw the fastest 40-yard dash of the weekend. Brenen Thompson from Mississippi State ran a 4.26, with a 1.54 10-yard split. North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance ran a 4.34 in the 40, with a 1.49 10-yard split, and Ole Miss’s De’Zhaun Stribling ran a 4.36, with a 1.53 10-yard split.

When it came to the on the field drills, the winner was actually 2 this time. Makai Lemon from USC and Colbie Young from Georgia. Both of them were catching absolutely everything thrown their way. With some of the bad balls, both of them showed great body control and the ability to adjust mid-air to catch the bad throws.

Cheers and Gears Bar & Grille in Convoy, has all your daily lunch and dinner specials. I personally love their mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce. It’s my “go to” snack on my monthly “cheat day”. Check out their Facebook page for hours and menu.

– by Sean McKenzie

Picture courtesy of…..bleacherreport.

February 28, 2026
Top 3 College Football Games to Watch for Week 4.

Week 4 of the college football season is upon us.

There are quite a few good games.

There are quite a few interesting games.

Is #25 USC for real??? We’ll find out as they take on an undefeated and scrappy Michigan State.

The last time we saw Oklahoma State on the field, they lost 69-3 to the Oregon Ducks. Can they bounce back against a woeful Tulsa team on Friday night?

We have the Iron Skillet Game this week, as undefeated TCU takes on their bitter rival SMU.

Will the #4 ranked Miami Hurricanes send the Florida Gators back home to Gainsville with their 3rd straight loss?

I went 2-1 last week, and I am 5-1 for the season.

So here are the 3 games you should watch this week.

1) #9 Illinois Fighting Illini at #19 Indiana Hoosiers.
Game is Saturday night, at 7:30 PM (EST) on NBC.

I am so happy to see that NBC is doing the right thing and putting this game in primetime. 2 teams that are historically mid to bad, are having back-to-back good seasons. It’s nice to see them rewarded.

The Fighting Illini are led by QB Luke Altmyer has gone 56 of 79, for 709 yards, with 8 TDs and 0 INTs, but it’s been the running game that has really stolen the show. Junior Kaden Feagin has 50 carries for 222 yards and 3 TDs. He’s a 250 lb hammer that wears a defense down with his physical style of running.

The defense is led by senior LB Gabe Jacas, who leads the team in sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (2). They are gap sound, and they make opposing teams earn every yard.

The Hoosiers offense is led by QB Fernado Mendoza. The Cal transfer has come in a really taken control of the offense, going 55 of 76, for 708 yards, with 9 TDs and 0 INTs. The running game has shown up so far this season, with 3 players (Kaelon Black, Lee Beebe Jr, and Roman Hemby) each already running for over 200 yards rushing a piece.

The defense is active on every level. They show a lot of movement up front and with the linebackers, trying to confuse the quarterback and disguise schemes. This had led to 4 INTs already this season.

Prediction – Illinois pulls away late to get a 31-24 win on the road.

2) #22 Auburn Tigers at #11 Oklahoma Sooners.
Game is Saturday afternoon at 3:30 PM (EST) on ABC.

Are either of these two teams for real? Especially after such dismal seasons last year. Both teams are 3-0 coming into their SEC conference openers. Of course, everyone is talking about Auburn coming back to Norman, OK after transferring out in the offseason.

Yes, Arnold was brought into Auburn to “fix” the passing game. He’s gone 48 of 69, for 501 yards, with 4 TDs and 0 INTs, but it’s been his running ability that has sparked the offense (35 carries, 192 yards, 4 TDs). Being teamed with leading rusher, junior HB Jeremiah Cobb (46 carries, for 314 yards, and 4 TDs) has turned the Tigers into a running team.

They have a very active secondary, as 3 of their Top 5 tacklers are defensive backs. Senior defensive end Keyron Crawford leads the team in sacks (3), interceptions (1) and forced fumbles (1).

The Sooners are led by transfer QB John Mateer and his gun slinging, gritty, hardnosed mentality. He’s 71 of 105, for 944 yards, with 5 TDs but he’s thrown 3 INTs. He’s ran the ball 33 times, for 161 yards, and 4 TDs. Can he keep this pace in the SEC?

This is a Brent Venables team, which means the defense is sound. Their Top 4 tacklers are all linebackers, and they make you earn every yard, and every score. They’ve been much more physical so far this season, than last season.

Prediction – Something is telling me that Auburn pulls the upset. Mateer throws a late game INT, and the Tigers get out of Norman with a big 28-24 win.

Arkansas Razorbacks at Memphis Tigers.
Game is Saturday afternoon, at Noon (12:00 PM, EST) on ABC.

Not expecting this, were you? This is a dangerous trap game for the Razorbacks, who are coming off a hard fought, disappointing loss last week.

Arkansas is led by senior QB Taylen Green, and he is so fun to watch. He’s completed 63 of 92 passes, for 866 yards, with 11 TDs and 2 INTs. He also leads the team in rushing with 32 carries, for 307 yards, with 2 TDs. He’s a dynamic dual threat quarterback.

The defense flies around with that “SEC speed” that they like to brag about. Their back seven causes havoc with that speed, and the defensive line doesn’t get out of position, which allows them to cause said havoc.

This is not the high-flying Memphis offense that we’ve all come to expect. This Tigers offense is running the football. Senior QB Brendon Lewis is 55 of 75, for 608 yards, with only 2 TDs and 1 INT. He’s also 2nd on the team with 190 yards rushing, with 2 TDs. Junior HB Sutton Smith has 247 yards, on 41 carries, with 4 TDs.

They may not be an “SEC team” but the Memphis defense has the speed to match. They already have 8 players that have 10+ tackles, and their 10 sacks and pressure have led to 4 INTs this season. Senior linebacker Sam Brumfield leads the Tigers in both tackles (17) and sacks (3).

Prediction – Arkansas is mad and will not fall victim to this trap game. Razorbacks win 42-28.

– by Sean McKenzie

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Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, athlonsports, espn, USAToday.

Stats courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.

September 18, 2025