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- The worst draft party, the no-goalposts tryout and how Phil Dawson came to the Browns (Terry Pluto) - The NFL draft is coming. It’s a huge day for your family, for your friends and you. So you rent out your favorite place to eat and invite them all to join you for what should be a life-changing day. That’s what Phil Dawson did on draft day, 1998. Dawson was a record-setting kicker at the University of Texas, a two-time All-American.
- Star date 1976, an Ohioan’s bizarre story as the first Mr. Irrelevant (Canton Repository) - There was Captain Kirk, whose reputation spans the star dates. Then there was Kelvin Kirk, the Steelers draft pick who found a world where no man had gone before. Kelvin Kirk is the ultimate “Mr. Irrelevant,” the ornery title bestowed on the last player chosen in each draft.
- 5 Takeaways from Andrew Berry’s pre-draft press conference (clevelandbrowns.com) - EVP of Football Operations and GM Andrew Berry on Friday conducted his final press conference before the Browns are on the clock with the No. 26 pick. Here were the five biggest news items to come from the thorough question-and-answer session.
- Browns GM: New Baker Mayfield Contract Won’t Be Dictated by Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen (Bleacher Report) - Cleveland Browns general manager and executive vice president of football operations Andrew Berry told reporters Friday that he “won’t feel any pressure either way” to extend quarterback Baker Mayfield long-term regardless of what happens with fellow 2018 draft class signal-callers in the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen.
NFL:
- Meet the NFL draft’s most extraordinary prospect, Kwity Paye (ESPN) - Kwity Paye has never met the man. Never had the chance to look him in the eye, or hear his story in his own words, or even so much as thank him. For his life. For the chance to be in the United States, where Kwity became an immigrant, then a citizen; a football player, then a really good football player; a star on the defensive line at the University of Michigan, then an NFL draft hopeful earmarked for first-round glory.
- Justin Herbert calls rookie year ‘a blur,’ eager to ‘master the offense’ in Year 2 (NFL.com) - The start of Year 2 is still several months away but Justin Herbert, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year, is already eager to build off his impressive Year 1. As Chargers’ season ticket holders toured SoFi Stadium for the first time during an open house on Saturday, L.A.’s bright, young star quarterback took a moment to field questions. When asked to recap his sensational rookie season, Herbert’s reply made it evident that he’s not spending too much time dwelling on the past.
- Rebuilding Detroit Lions appear to be kicking QB decision to future (Detroit Free Press) - The Detroit Lions are in a weird situation at quarterback. They clearly are in the early stages of a rebuild and have a top-10 pick (for the third straight year) in a deep quarterback draft, but don’t seem inclined to address the position after trading for Jared Goff and signing Tim Boyle in free agency. It’s possible they are keeping the extent of their quarterback interest under wraps, but it seems more likely they are kicking the real decision at quarterback — on Goff or someone else — down the road.
- Ranking all 32 NFL rosters ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft (PFF) - The 2021 NFL Draft will kick off in less than a week, so what better time to take stock of all 32 NFL rosters. Below you will find every NFL roster ranked from No. 1 to No. 32. The list was heavily influenced by the two-year PFF WAR (wins above replacement) of the players who are currently on each roster, but it also had some subjective projection involved for those younger, emerging talents.