About USA TODAY Sports’ 30 Days to the NFL Draft series, which started March 25: Every five days, we will focus on a unique aspect of the 2025 draft, which is April 24-26.

Three years ago was the start of a lesson. It was a long lesson. It took years to learn. But it may have finally sunk in.

The lesson was that a team needs to be careful with its draft picks. It needs to understand their value. What they represent. They are a form of currency. They are the future. They are not to be trifled with.

The Cleveland Browns have learned this lesson in the most painful of ways. The most humiliating. The ugliest of ways. That lesson is particularly relevant now because we can officially say now (though unofficially before) that the team’s trade for Deshaun Watson is among the worst trades in the history of American sports.

The Browns got Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick. The Texans got a 2022 first-round pick, 2023 and 2024 first-round picks, a 2022 fourth rounder, a third-round pick in 2023, and a fourth rounder in 2024.

‘We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson,’ Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement in March 2022. ‘We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision. Our team’s comprehensive evaluation process was of utmost importance due to the sensitive nature of his situation and the complex factors involved. We also understand there are still some legal proceedings that are ongoing and we will respect due process.

‘It was pivotal that we, along with (general manager) Andrew Berry and (coach) Kevin Stefanski, meet with Deshaun to have a straightforward dialogue, discuss our priorities, and hear directly from him on how he wants to approach his career on and off the field. He was humble, sincere, and candid. In our conversations, Deshaun detailed his commitment to leading our team; he understands and embraces the hard work needed to build his name both in the community and on the field. Those in-depth conversations, the extensive evaluation process, his dedication to being a great teammate and devotion to helping others within the NFL, within the community, and through his charitable initiatives provided the foundation for us to pursue Deshaun.

‘We are confident in Deshaun and excited about moving forward with him as our quarterback and supporting his genuine and determined efforts.’

At the time, there were people inside the league who liked the trade. However, suffice to say there were a number of team officials who believed the Browns were making a huge mistake in giving up so much draft capital.

The primary mistake the Browns made (yes, there were several) was overvaluing Watson’s worth. Duh. The other was not respecting the value of such high draft picks.

It’s true you can find Hall of Fame players in the lower rounds of the draft. Tom Brady was a late-round pick. Those first rounders, however, can be the warp core of your franchise. If you hit on them, things can change generationally. It’s difficult to hit on them but a franchise needs to at least give itself a chance to do so.

What did the Texans do with those picks? As an ESPN story from last year noted, the Texans didn’t draft perfectly, but they got some good players with those picks (or some combination of the Browns’ and their own) like defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who was Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Tank Dell, a solid young receiver.

The NFL draft is an almost impossible thing for teams to decode. It becomes that much harder when you do what the Browns did.

Hopefully, lesson learned.

Travon Walker was the most recent defensive player to go No. 1 overall in the NFL draft in 2022. Only three defensive players have been selected with the top pick since 2014. Will a defensive player hear his name called No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL draft?

The first round of this year’s draft could be dominated by defense. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter headline a stacked group of prospects.

Where will the top defensive players be selected during April’s draft? USA TODAY Sports explores the best landing spots for the highest-rated defenders in the 2025 draft.

NFL draft landing spots for top defensive prospects

Travis Hunter CB/WR, Colorado

Best fit: New England Patriots

Hunter is a fluid and smooth route runner with excellent hands. As a cornerback, he diagnoses routes quickly and possesses tremendous ball skills. He played over 86% of Colorado’s offensive snaps and 82% of the team’s defensive snaps. Hunter caught 96% of his catchable passes and only accounted for three dropped passes. Pro Football Focus gave Hunter a 90.3 coverage grade, the second-highest grade for a cornerback with at least 400 snaps.

The Patriots had the worst total offense in the AFC and finished 22nd in the NFL in total defense last season. New England needs help on both sides of the ball, and Hunter can provide it.

Abdul Carter EDGE, Penn State

Best fit: Cleveland Browns

Carter finished his collegiate career ranking sixth all-time at Penn State in sacks (23.0) and eighth in tackles for loss (39.5). His 12 sacks last year ranked seventh in the nation and 52 pressures ranked in the top 10. Pro Football Focus gave Carter a 92.4 pass rush grade, which ranked first among all college edge rushers with at least 250 snaps.

The Browns run a 4-3 defense where Carter can line up opposite 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. With Garrett commanding much of the attention, Carter would see fewer double teams and chip blocks coming off the edge. Furthermore, Carter could learn from arguably the best pass rusher in the game.

Carter and Garrett would provide the Browns with one of the top edge rush duos in the NFL.

Mason Graham DT, Michigan

Best fit: Carolina Panthers

Graham is regarded as the top three-technique defensive tackle in this year’s draft. His 34 pressures ranked in the top eight among all interior defensive linemen in college football. He led all Michigan defensive linemen with 45 tackles. 

Carolina finished 2024 with the NFL’s worst total defense and was at the bottom of the league in points per game. Quarterback Bryce Young needs more weapons on offense but the Panthers aren’t going to win many games if their defense can’t stop anybody.

Jalon Walker LB, Georgia

Best fit: Atlanta Falcons

Walker produced a team-high 10.5 tackles for loss, and his 6.5 sacks tied for a team-best. The Butkus Award winner is considered a hybrid player who can play edge or linebacker.

The Falcons need assistance in both areas after they finished last in the NFC in sacks and ranked 23rd in total defense. Leonard Floyd was a necessary addition to Atlanta’s base 3-4 defense and Walker could play on the opposite side.

Jahdae Barron CB, Texas

Best fit: Jacksonville Jaguars

Pro Football Focus gave Barron a 91.3 coverage grade for last year, the best of any cornerback with at least 300 snaps. Barron’s five interceptions were tied for first in the SEC, and he also led the team with 11 pass breakups.

The Jaguars had the NFL’s worst pass defense last season, allowing 257 yards per contest. The team’s finished 26th or below in pass defense for three straight years. Jasonville’s leaky defense is void of a shutdown corner.

Mike Green EDGE, Marshall

Best fit: San Francisco 49ers 

Green is an explosive pass rusher who is relentless coming off the edge. Green’s 17 sacks led college football in 2024 and set a Sun Belt Conference record. He also compiled 84 tackles and 22.5 tackles for loss.

The 49ers lost plenty of talent on defense. They will have at least two new starters along their defensive line entering the season, including at defensive end. Leonard Floyd’s 8.5 sacks and 44 pressures are gone. San Francisco needs to supply Nick Bosa with more assistance.

Mykel Williams EDGE, Georgia

Best fit: Cincinnati Bengals

Williams has high upside, and his 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame gives him the necessary traits to be a standout defensive end. He had five sacks in his final season at Georgia, which ranked second on the squad. Any team who selects Williams will be betting on his potential.

Trey Hendrickson had 17.5 of Cincinnati’s 36 total sacks this past season. Hendrickson wants out if the Bengals can’t grant him a new deal. The Bengals need to build their defense through the draft after doling out massive contracts on offense. 

Walter Nolen DT, Ole Miss

Best fit: Los Angeles Chargers

In 2022, 247Sports ranked Travis Hunter and Nolen as the top two high school football players in the country. He lived up to the billing in 2024. The three-technique defensive tackle tied for a team lead with 14.0 tackles for loss. He additionally had 6.5 sacks and 30 pressures. Nolen was an anchor on Ole Miss’ stingy run defense, which allowed an FBS-low 2.3 yards per carry.

The Chargers lost their best defensive tackle, Poona Ford, in free agency. Nolen, at 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, has the size and potential to be a force in the interior. He would start immediately in Los Angeles.

Kenneth Grant DT, Michigan

Best fit: Arizona Cardinals

The big-bodied one-technique defensive tackle is a run-stuffing machine. He tallied 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in his final season in Ann Arbor.

The Cardinals have long needed a disruptive defensive tackle. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in run defense. Calais Campbell, who’s drinking out of the fountain of youth, was brought back to Arizona but he’s not a long-term solution at 38 years old.

Will Johnson CB, Michigan

Best fit: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders need to improve their depth at cornerback. They recently cut Jack Jones after a down year in Las Vegas. The Raiders gave up 29 touchdown receptions and allowed a 96.5 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks; both marks ranked near the bottom of the league.

New Raiders coach Pete Carroll is accustomed to big and physical corners. He helped architect the “Legion of Boom” in Seattle. Johnson is a 6-foot-2 corner whose playstyle matches his size. He set a Michigan record with three interceptions returned for touchdowns in his career.

Nick Emmanwori S, South Carolina

Best fit: Minnesota Vikings

The 6-foot-2 safety has speed and versatility. His Next Gen Stats total score of 85 ranked first among safeties at the combine. At the same time, his 4.38 40-yard dash time was the second-best safety time in Indianapolis.

Vikings veteran safety Harrison Smith is returning for his 14th season. Minnesota must find Smith’s heir apparent at some point. Most scouts have pegged Emmanwori as the top safety in this year’s draft. His speed and athleticism would be a welcoming addition to Minnesota’s defensive backfield.

Jihaad Campbell LB, Alabama

Best fit: Los Angeles Rams

Campbell led Alabama with 117 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks in his final season. His performance earned him first-team All-SEC recognition. He possesses the speed and athleticism to be an every-down linebacker. Next Gen Stats gave Campbell an 82 total score at the combine, first among linebackers.

The Rams haven’t had an enforcer at inside linebacker since Bobby Wagner in 2022 and Ernest Jones in 2023. This offseason, leading tackler Christian Rozeboom departed for Carolina. The Rams added Nate Landman, but are they done addressing what was a weak position group last year?

Derrick Harmon DT, Oregon

Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

At 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, Harmon has the build of a prototypical defensive tackle. He tallied a career-best 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and 45 tackles for the Ducks in 2024. He has position versatility along the defensive line.

The Steelers traditionally have stout defensive fronts. But Cameron Heyward, who will be 36 years old at the start of next season, is by far Pittsburgh’s best defensive linemen and Larry Ogunjobi left in free agency. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

An exciting week is ahead for NBA fans. The six NBA play-in games begin Tuesday to determine the seventh and eighth seeds of the playoffs. It’s a lot to unpack but the bracket below will make things much clearer.

Here’s how the play-in format works: The teams that finish seventh through 10th in the Western and Eastern conferences will face off in the play-in tournament this week to determine the the final seventh and eighth seeds. Those teams then slide over into the official bracket to play the one and two seeds in each conference.

Here’s the 2025 NBA playoff bracket

How to watch the 2025 NBA play-in tournament

Tuesday

Orlando Magic (7) vs. Atlanta Hawks (8): 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT. Location: Kia Center, Orlando. The winner of this game will earn the East seventh seed and play the Boston Celtics. The loser will play Friday vs. the 9/10 winner.
Golden State Warriors (7) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8): 10 p.m. ET on TNT. Location: Chase Center, San Francisco. The winner of this game will earn the West seventh seed and play the Houston Rockets. The loser will play Friday vs. the 9/10 winner.

Wednesday

Chicago Bulls (9) vs. Miami Heat (10): 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Location: United Center, Chicago. The winner of this game will play the loser between the Magic and Hawks.
Sacramento Kings (9) vs. Dallas Mavericks (10): 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento. The winner of this game will play the loser between the Warriors and Grizzlies.

Friday

The times and locations will be announced after Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games. The winners will take the 8th seed and face the Cleveland Cavilers in the East and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West.

After a disappointing, injury-riddled season, the New Orleans Pelicans are embarking on a rebuild — albeit not a total overhaul. At least not yet.

The franchise announced Monday, the day after the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign, that it was firing David Griffin from his role as executive vice president of basketball operations.

“This was a difficult decision, but one that I feel is necessary at this time to bring a fresh approach to our front office and build a culture that will deliver sustainable success, on and off the court,” Pelicans owner Gayle Benson said Monday in a statement. “I am committed to hiring the right person to lead our basketball operations department and deliver an NBA championship to our city. That is what our fans deserve.”

The announcement did not mention or allude to the status of current head coach Willie Green’s job. The Pelicans finished the season with a 21-61 record, second-worst in the Western Conference and fourth-worst in the NBA. It was unclear if the new VP of basketball operations would have the authority to fire Green and bring in their replacement, or if the new hire would be tied to Green.

“There’s always pressure in these positions, no matter who you are,” Green said Sunday in a news conference. “You look around the league, there’s coaches that have won championships and they’re not there anymore, so that’s always going to be there.

“That’s why we get into this. We get into this for the pressure of it, for the competitiveness of it. We know that these jobs are volatile. I haven’t had any discussions, any talks yet, of what that looks like for me. I don’t know if ‘worry’ is the right word to use, but you always want to go out and do your best because you can be replaced.”

The Pelicans had battled injury issues throughout Griffin’s tenure. At the forefront has been Zion Williamson, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NBA draft. Across his six seasons in New Orleans, Williamson has played in just 214 of a possible 472 games, including just 30 this season.

Griffin took over the Pelicans in April 2019 after he became available when contract negotiations in Cleveland broke down. Griffin had been the architect of the 2015-16 Cavaliers team that won an NBA Finals behind LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.

One of Griffin’s first moves with the Pelicans was to trade disgruntled center Anthony Davis to the Lakers for Brandon Ingram and other players. Davis continued to star in Los Angeles, while Ingram was a solid, if unspectacular player for New Orleans, one Griffin dealt to the Raptors in February ahead of the 2025 trading deadline for a modest return. Dejounte Murray, the prized trade target New Orleans acquired in June 2024, broke his hand in the season opener and missed a month; then, on January 31, Murray tore his Achilles tendon.

The Pelicans went 209-263 in Griffin’s six seasons with the team, including a pair of postseason appearances.

The NHL enters the final abbreviated week of the regular season with some playoff seeding decided and much still to be nailed down.

Decided: The Presidents’ Trophy (Winnipeg Jets), top Eastern Conference team (Washington Capitals), Pacific Division (Vegas Golden Knights), Central Division (Jets) and Metropolitan Division (Capitals) titles, second and third seeds in the Central and Metropolitan and the first wild-card spot in the East (Ottawa Senators)

Undecided: Atlantic Division title, the order of the first three seeds in that division, who finishes second and third in the Pacific, two wild-card spots in the West and the second wild-card slot in the East.

Series decided: Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers  (home-ice advantage TBD) and Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils. The remaining series will fill in, possibly as early as Tuesday.

Here’s a look at what’s at stake with the NHL regular season ending Thursday:

Atlantic Division

The Maple Leafs (104) lead the Lightning (100) in the division title race with two games left apiece. The Panthers (98) can’t clinch the division title but can finish ahead of the Lightning for home-ice advantage if that ends up being the first-round series.

What Toronto needs: It needs one point over the next two games to clinch the division title. It would face Ottawa in the first round.

What Tampa Bay needs: It needs two wins (at least one in regulation) and two Toronto regulation losses to clinch the division title and a meeting with Ottawa. Toronto would face Florida.

If Toronto gets the title, Tampa Bay needs one win or a Florida loss to clinch home-ice advantage vs. the Panthers. The teams play Tuesday in Tampa.

What Florida needs: Because of tiebreakers, the Panthers will need to finish ahead of the Lightning in points to claim home ice. They play Monday and Tuesday. A regulation win Tuesday at Tampa will be crucial. Regardless of what Florida does, it will need to hope for a Lightning loss on Thursday.

Pacific Division

The No. 2 Kings (101) and No. 3 Oilers (99) are headed toward a fourth consecutive first-round meeting. Edmonton won the previous three series, and home-ice advantage is important because of Los Angeles’ 31-5-4 home record.

What Los Angeles needs: Edmonton can’t win a tiebreaker, so the Kings just need to finish with the same number of points as the Oilers. A win Monday in Edmonton would wrap up home ice. The Oilers will be without Connor McDavid (precautionary) and injured Leon Draisaitl and Mattias Ekholm in the game. Ekholm miss the first round of the playoffs.

What Edmonton needs: A regulation home win Monday then a win Wednesday at the last-place San Jose Sharks. Even then, it would have to hope the Kings lose their final two games (at least one of them in regulation).

Second wild-card spot in the East

The Montreal Canadiens (88) and Columbus Blue Jackets (85) are in the running for the position. Each has two games left. The winner faces the Capitals.

What Montreal needs: It needs one victory or one Columbus loss over the final two games. Montreal can wrap it up Monday night with a win against the Chicago Blackhawks.

What Columbus needs: If Columbus wins its final two games and Montreal loses two in regulation, the Blue Jackets clinch. If Montreal picks up a point and the teams finish with 89 points, Columbus will need to have won both of its games in regulation to advance.

Final two wild-card spots in the West

The Wild (95), Blues (94) and Flames (92) are in the hunt. Minnesota and St. Louis have one game left and Calgary, with two games left, potentially could pass both teams in points to make the playoffs. All three teams play Tuesday and Calgary also plays Thursday. The top wild-card seed plays Vegas and the second wild-card team plays Winnipeg.

What Minnesota needs: At least one point on Tuesday or a Calgary loss over the last two games would clinch it. A Blues loss would also get the Wild into the playoffs.

What St. Louis needs: A victory on Tuesday would clinch a berth. So would a Calgary regulation loss, as would a Blues win and a Wild regulation loss.

What Calgary needs: The Flames’ best bet to make the playoffs is to win its final two games and hope Minnesota loses in regulation or St. Louis loses its finale.

For Rory McIlroy to win the 89th Masters and complete the career Grand Slam, he needed to focus on the immediate task at hand and block out all other distractions.

That included any interaction with his primary challenger during the final round at Augusta National.

Bryson DeChambeau, who trailed McIlroy by two strokes after 54 holes and was paired with him in Sunday’s last group, said McIlroy ‘didn’t talk to me once all day.’

The stoicism was quite the contrast to DeChambeau’s outgoing personality. But it paid off as McIlroy shook off a disastrous double-bogey on No. 13 to card a 1-over 73 that got him into a sudden death playoff with Justin Rose for the green jacket.

What Justin Rose said to Rory McIlroy after playoff

Instead of engaging with DeChambeau, McIlroy remained in a bubble with caddie Harry Diamond as he battled his way through the round.

As DeChambeau faltered with a closing 75, Englishman Rose shot the round of the day – a 6-under 66 – capping it with a clutch 20-foot birdie putt on 18 that ultimately forced a playoff.

But when he missed his birdie putt on the first extra hole and McIlroy tapped his in, Rose became the runner-up for a second consecutive major.

Still, he understood what the outcome meant in the golf history books and he let McIlroy know.

‘I just said, listen, this is a historic moment in golf, isn’t it, someone who achieves the career Grand Slam,’ Rose told CBS’ Amanda Balionis. ‘I just said it was pretty cool to be able to share that moment with him. Obviously, I wanted to be the bad guy today, but still, it’s a momentous occasion for the game of golf.’

And after keeping his emotions in check for the entire round McIlroy was finally able to let them out as he collapsed on the green in tears after sinking the winning putt.

The victory came more than decade after he won his last major title and marked the 11th time he’d been to Augusta in an attempt to become just the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam.

‘I’ve carried that burden since 2014,’ McIlroy said, referring to the year he won the British Open to get the third leg of the slam. ‘Thankfully now I don’t have to carry it.’

(This story was updated to fix a typo.)