Let's handle our business.
Rushmore of Warren Beatty movies -- "Bonnie and Clyde," "Heaven Can Wait," "Bugsy" and "Reds."
Rushmore of awards/trophies named for people -- Lord Stanley's Cup, the Heisman, Nobel Peace Prize, Pulitizer (although as Spy said in an email, the Walter Payton Award is pretty boss, too).
Rushmore of NBA father/son tandems -- Rick and Brent Barry, Dell and Steph Curry, Klay and Mychal Thompson and the Sabonis crew.
Rushmore of best characters from Tarantino movies -- Jules, Hans Landa, Mr. White and Django (the "D'"is silent).
You know the rules. Here's Paschall on Hendon Hooker's vaulting draft stock. We'll have more on that in a few graphs, too.
Lots to get to today and some great questions from you guys and gals, so we'll try to move quickly.
Lots of draft stuff, including this side story. So on Twitter I offered that Will Levis would be a Day 2 pick on my board. Yes, I know he's going to be a top-10 pick, and Chas disagrees with my assessment of Levis' skill set.
All of that is fine.
Well, I was replying to someone who had replied to some Draft writer somewhere and somehow got included on the replies between a collection of Bears fans who were beefing with a collection of Vikings fans. And more than 84,500 interactions later, it's still making my phone buzz.
One response was "Well that settles it. A T-Ball Coach from Chattanooga says forget the interviews. Watch the tape."
Good times.
From Ghughes
For the bag - on which team would Hendon Hooker's skill set fit best?
GHughes,
All of them. I am over the moon high on Mr. Hooker and his skill set. While I do not think he'll be a top-five pick like ESPN analyst Mike Tannebaum offered earlier this week, I do believe Hooker will be a first-round pick.
I think he's no worse than the third-best QB in this draft, and I can't recall I have seen a more NFL-ready throw from a college player than the pass Hooker delivered that got UT in position for the field goal that beat Bama.
That was a 25-plus-yard square in that was a laser and 100% on the money with a collapsing pocket. Forget the combine, that's the stuff that should make every GM sit up and take notice.
Some team will trade into the back half of round 1 and pull the trigger on Hooker, and that's the smart thing to do because first-round picks get four-year contracts with a team option for year five. Second-round picks can hit the market after four years, so that extra year on a QB1 under team friendly terms is wicked valuable.
I hope he lands with the Falcons, but that may not work if they are going to give Desmond Ridder every chance to be QB1 in the A-T-L.
From Darnell
So all QBs should go Day 2 then?
Darnell,
No, but a lot of them should be. Or even maybe Day 3.
There are two QBs in this draft that will either get GMs eight-figure extensions or pink slips -- Levis and Anthony Richardson.
As I said above, the extra year for contract purposes make late round 1 picks more valuable than ever, but in terms of Day 2 or Day 3 selections and QBs, I would view drafting the same way as great recruiters viewing the signing process in terms of QBs in that I would take one every year.
The value and demand force QBs into round 1, but the capital used is rarely returned in value. Let's explore the QBs drafted in round 1 since 2011, shall we? I think we shall.
2011 -- Cam Newton (home run), Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert and Jake Locker (three busts).
2012 -- Andrew Luck (home run), RGIII (injured), Ryan Tannehill (hit) and Brandon Weeden (bust).
2013 -- EJ Manuel (yikes).
2014 -- Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater (three more busts).
2015 -- Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariotta (miss and bust).
2016 -- Jared Goff, Carson Wentz and Paxton Lynch (miss and two busts).
2017 -- Mitchell Trubisky (bust), Patrick Mahomes (grand slam), Deshaun Watson (home run, with issues).
2018 -- Baker Mayfield (bust), Josh Allen (grand slam), Josh Rosen (bust), Sam Darnold (bust), Lamar Jackson (home run).
2019 -- Kyler Murray (jury still out), Daniel Jones (jury still out) Dwayne Haskins (bust).
2020 -- Joe Burrow (grand slam), Justin Herbert (home run), Tua (jury still out), Jordan Love (who knows).
2021 -- Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones, and all of them are likely too early to call, well other than Wilson, who is assuredly a bust.
2022 -- Kenny Pickett (jury still out).
There are was more Day 2-deserving names list above than no-doubt first-rounders, no?
From Jack
You (bleep) on the MLB Hall of Fame all the time. Did you not have any more thoughts on the basketball Hall of Fame class?
Love your writing.
Jack,
Fair point, and while I mentioned the hoops Hall class earlier this week, I did not expound.
First, Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki are no-doubt Hall of Famers. They are amazing talents with great careers and all-time names with their franchise.
Gregg Popovich looks to be as much fun as crotch rot on a July camping trip, but there's no doubting his credentials either.
Becky Hammon is a true trailblazer, and trailblazers deserve tickets and busts in Halls of Fame.
Tony Parker and Pau Gasol? Well, they are the Harold Baines and Ted Simmons of this discussion, and while they were good NBA players who were parts of great teams, neither belongs in the hoops hall, if you ask me.
From J-Mac
Looking forward to Friday's 5@10. I want to see how you cover the first day of baseball and anything else that may have happened.
Maybe you can add today's news to Plays of the Day, that wouldn't be political.
Have a good one.
J-Mac,
As always for you and the rest of the regulars, thanks for sharing your time and making this place as entertaining as it is.
Opening Day was awesome. Well, other than Max Fried's hamstring thing, which could be a nightmare or could be a blip, but I'd be shocked if he's not on the IL before the weekend's complete.
How cool was it that Aaron Judge homered in his first AB? How fitting was it that the Angels lost despite a pitching gem from Shohei Ohtani? How enjoyable was it that last year, Opening Day games averaged 3 hours and 11 minutes, and exactly one of the 15 games on Thursday's schedule lasted 3:11 or longer?
How sneaky good are the Orioles, who have arguably the best catcher in the game and the best player you've never heard of in Adley Rutschman?
As for the other stuff, I must have missed any other news in and around. We played a lot of bridge at the house on Thursday night. And I got my fair share of trump cards, so it was good.
From Jeff B
Jay,
Way off sports, but your column can be also!
Accolades will continue to come, but those Nashville police officers are bad (bleep). They don't put on the Robocop gear and helmets, only a vest over their short sleeve shirts, say "Let's go!" and head in. Old school calmly saying to each other "clear" or "move on" instead of some code number over a radio being monitored in the parking lot outside. Within 3 minutes, shooter is found and they blow his/her (bleep) away. I think "hero" gets overplayed alot, but these guys are the definition. Maybe pulled a guy over for speeding earlier, filling out a report from a break in at a business the previous night, worked an accident on the freeway and then you are called to put your life on the line to hunt down a murderous armed lunatic in tight quarters. Wow!
Probably not textbook, but Job 1 is to quickly remove the threat so others can't be harmed. Mission accomplished! Anyone who backs the defund the police movement needs to imagine the horror of having their own 9-year-old daughter inside and desperately praying for help for someone (that would be the police) to save her.
Go Bravos!
JB,
Completely agree, and the sacrifice and courage and value of our law enforcement can't be overstated.
Be safe, friends, and have a great weekend.