NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson has a simple solution.

The New York Knicks, by and large, have been outplayed through the first three quarters in both games of their first-round series against the Detroit Pistons. In Game 1, New York needed a 21-0 run to win. In Game 2, when the Knicks’ flurry came late, however, the Pistons adjusted to steal one in Madison Square Garden.

In both contests, slow starts during the first and third quarters have been debilitating. Brunson, after Game 2’s defeat, didn’t want to overreact.

“I think the best answer to your question is we literally just need to be ready to go at 7, 7:30, whatever the start time is,” Brunson told reporters Monday night after New York’s 100-94 loss. “That’s what’s most important, and that’s on me to get these guys ready to go, and we’ll be ready Game 3.”

It’s not just tip-off that’s the issue. Monday night, coming out of the locker room after halftime, the Knicks also slogged through the beginning of the third quarter. New York started the second half making just one of its first 11 field goal attempts, allowing the Pistons to build a solid lead.

The Knicks would eventually settle, and they would go on a run in the fourth quarter to tie the score with a little more than a minute to play. But coach Tom Thibodeau expressed concern with one specific metric indicative of low effort and sluggish starts out of breaks.

“The thing is, missed shots are part of the game,” Thibodeau said. “But the rebounding — we control that. That’s your effort, that’s all those things. If you’re not shooting well, you’ve got to do other things to help us win. Rebound the ball. We know we’ve got to rebound better.”

Monday night, the Pistons outrebounded the Knicks by a margin of 48-34, including a 12-7 deficit on the offensive glass.

As New York has failed to match Detroit’s defensive intensity, the ball has stagnated, players are moving less and the entire operation plods. The Knicks are averaging just 254.5 passes per game in the playoffs, which is down significantly from their regular season mark of 281.2.

“It’s very tough when there’s one ball,” said Brunson, who was named Clutch Player of the Year on Wednesday. “We have a lot of great players on this team and definitely it’s on my shoulders. I’m not going to point fingers and say some people need to do that and this. It’s on me to make sure I set the table. So I’ll go back and I’ll figure out what I need to do. We’ll have conversations and we’ll figure out what we need to do for Game 3.”

It starts with showing up early.

The Boston Celtics were temporarily down another starter Wednesday night.

A bloodied Kristaps Porzingis exited Game 2 against the Orlando Magic after the Celtics center was elbowed in the forehead during a loose ball foul called against Goga Bitadze of Orlando.

The incident happened with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter as the Celtics led 77-66. Bitadze was attempting to rebound a miss from Paolo Banchero when he flailed his arms and elbowed Porzingis in the forehead. The contact to Porzingis’ head opened a large gash, which bled profusely as he laid on the court at TD Garden. Porzingis was helped up and immediately went to clean up.

Bitadze was called for a loose ball foul, which was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul 1 after officials determined that ‘there was windup and significant impact by Bitadze to the head of Porzingis.’

The Celtics are already without Jayston Tatum, who was ruled out with a right distal radius bone bruise.

Porzingis was all smiles as he returned with a large X-shaped bandage on his forehead to shoot two free throws. Blood streaks could be seen through his buzz cut and around his nose. He made one of two before checking back out of the game and heading to the locker room. If Porzingis had not returned to shoot the free throws, he would not have been eligible to return to the game later.

And return he did, with 7:15 remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston up 90-82. TNT later reported he received five stitches.

Porzingis had 20 points (5-of-13 FG, 0-of-5 3PT, 10-of-14 FT) upon his exit. He finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the Celtics’ 109-100 win.

Boston leads the series against the Magic 2-0. Game 3 is Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).

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WASHINGTON – The team that won 101 games two years ago and backed it up with another playoff berth last year is now lucky if it can win a three-game series.

A young core whose burgeoning talent was only exceeded by how much fun it looked like they were having between the white lines has more often looked dazed and desultory, usually undone by the worst rotation in the major leagues and sometimes by the enduring cruelty of the game.

Simply, these Baltimore Orioles have fallen into a hole nobody saw coming – and must learn to dig out of one far sooner in their careers than they expected.

They’ve now lost five of six series, splitting two others, and after losing for the second time in as many nights in their “Battle of the Beltways” set are suddenly facing a sweep at the hands of the Washington Nationals, with an on-paper pitching mismatch in the finale.

Yet that’s the case most nights with this club. It’s largely the injuries (Grayson Rodriguez will be fortunate to return by June, Zach Eflin perhaps next month) exacerbated by gross underperformance from Dean Kremer and Charlie Morton, the former hoping it’s his traditionally cold April start and the latter aiming, at 41, to pin the first loss on the indomitable Father Time.

The Orioles are 9-14 and in the American League East cellar and here’s the boilerplate qualifier: There are still five months and 139 games remaining in this slog (That’s a game a month they need to make up on the Yankees, if you’re into math).

But if the mound matchup tilts the field against you every night, playing uphill can get exhausting, even for a very talented and young core.

And yes, they’re still very young.

Sure, it seems like they’ve been around forever now, their dugout Hydration Station and their cherub-cheeked prospects bubbling up from the minors seemingly every month. But aside from fourth-year catcher Adley Rutschman, now 27, it’s still a bunch of kids, relatively speaking.

Franchise shortstop Gunnar Henderson? Still just 23, opposite double-play partner Jackson Holliday, 21.

All-Star infielder Jordan Westburg? Sure, he’s 26, but after missing nearly half the 2024 season after getting struck by a pitch, he’s never played more than 107 games in a season.

The group, collectively, has never known failure. Never been around the block enough to know that when things bottom out, sometimes a turnaround is around the corner.

It’s the kind of thing you just don’t know until you’re going through it – and the Orioles are going through it.

“I’m figuring that out,” Westburg tells USA TODAY Sports. “I’m still really young in this league. I’m still finding my feet in this game. I understand that this game is very temporary and could be taken away from me at any moment. I’m trying not to focus on anything other than today. I’m trying to lean on guys and coaches who have been in this game a lot longer than me.

“And I think those guys are trying to support and get behind a lot of us young guys who maybe don’t have that experience under our belt.”

‘They’re hard on themselves’

It’s a tricky spot. The Orioles’ sudden rise from 110-game losers to contenders to World Series threats was experienced collectively, every talented piece promoted along the way just another bro showing up to the party.

At some point, the Rutschmans and Hendersons went from prodigies to cogs, All-Star talents on the field but perhaps not the natural-born leaders some hope to find in their greatest players.

Now, they’re a mishmash of great young talent and vets who may or may not be here a while longer, such as center fielder Cedric Mullins, a pending free agent, and slugging outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who can opt out of the final two years of his contract after this season.

At the core are the youngsters, whose dugout frolicking and childlike penchant for Star Wars and Legos belies an intensity that’s usually their finest asset on the field.

Yet there’s no way to outslug a 6.08 rotation ERA, no matter how stubborn you are.

“They’re hard on themselves,” says Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. “They have such high expectations for themselves that sometimes you get in your own way a little bit with that. There’s some frustration with how we’ve been playing, frustration with how certain guys are pitching and swinging the bat; they want to perform better.

“We were the first team to 80 wins last year, and then we struggled down the stretch. There’s still a lot of baseball left to play. You have to stay positive and remind them things can turn quickly.”

Westburg was in a pretty big hole himself, an 0-for-30 stretch last week that he snapped with a home run against Cincinnati. He had two more hits the next day and on Wednesday night hit an eighth-inning triple and scored the game-tying run on a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the inning, he nearly started a 5-4-3 double play that the Nationals beat out. They scored the decisive run on a sacrifice fly one batter later.

In Process vs. Outcome, Process took another L. Yet the grind continues.

“The term grinder infers that no matter how things are going, we’re going to work, and we’re going to be purpose-driven and process-oriented and I think that’s a perfect term to describe this group,” says Westburg, who had 15 homers and an .815 OPS through 101 games last year. “We don’t have the flash and the money signs that a lot of teams do, and so we have to win in other ways. It’s not always going to look the best or the prettiest, and at times we’re going to have stretches like this.

“But we’re grinders and we’re going to get through it, we trust in each other, we trust that the work and the professionalism that’s brought to the field every day is going to carry us through a long season.”

Mid-market malaise

Certainly, the window is not closing on this year nor the Orioles’ bigger-picture title chances. But every tick toward potential free agency for Rutschman (eligible after 2027) and Henderson (2028) feels like opportunity lost.

Despite the presence of new owner David Rubenstein, the Orioles were unable to pivot toward big spenders this past off-season, losing starter Corbin Burnes to Arizona after offering a four-year deal. General manager Mike Elias wagered $15 million that Morton had one more ride in him, but a 10.89 ERA in five starts means “everything is on the table,” says Hyde, perhaps even a bullpen demotion.

Elias did pluck Tomoyuki Sagano from Japan for $13 million, and Sagano has pitched gamely and posted a 3.54 ERA.

It’s probably no surprise, then, that the body language was much better Wednesday, when Sugano put up six zeroes after giving up three runs in the first, than it was Tuesday, when Kremer quickly pitched them out of the game, and Sunday, when Morton’s latest horror show set the stage for a 24-2 loss to Cincinnati.

“If we play baseball like that, we’re gonna win a lot of games,” a relatively chipper Hyde said Wednesday. “I thought we competed really well offensively. I thought we played extremely hard. Everybody was into it.”

It would be easy to blame the core for not being into it some nights. As Westburg noted, this generation of players leans heavily toward process-oriented, and controlling the controllables.

Well, there’s no controlling pitcher injuries and insufficient backfilling at the position, a must for an organization whose draft strategy is largely to load up on bats and pluck pitchers from other organizations whose profiles they fancy.

So it goes for a ballclub that was 36-19 at the end of May last year, and 35-21 two years ago. That will not happen this year.

But the Orioles have no choice but to figure out another path, even if they have no map to guide them.

“It’s kind of my first beginning of the season up in the big leagues, but this team expects to win,” says Holliday. “And it’s obviously frustrating to not win and perform at the level we know we can.

“But we’re going to keep pushing and keep being competitive and try to push through this. We have a really good team.”

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Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler exited Game 2 against the Houston Rockets after landing hard on his backside and was ruled out of the contest.

Amen Thompson undercut Butler on a rebound attempt with 2:28 left in the first quarter as the Warriors trailed the Rockets 22-15 on Wednesday night in Houston. Butler landed hard on his tailbone and remained down on the court at Toyota Center as he writhed in pain. Thompson was called for a loose ball foul, his third of the first quarter.

Butler was able to get up gingerly and limped his way to the free throw line, where he made one of two before exiting the game with 1:51 remaining in the quarter. He skipped the bench and headed straight to the locker room.

Butler had three points (1-of-2 FG, 1-of-2 FT) in eight minutes of play before leaving the court. He was later ruled out with a pelvis contusion. The team said he will undergo an MRI Thursday.

‘Hopefully, he’s OK,’ Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ‘We’ll see. … Jimmy always says he’s going to be fine. But we have to wait and see with the MRI.”

Houston went on to win, 109-94.

The Warriors got Butler in a trade with the Miami Heat at the deadline in February. Golden State hoped he would provide scoring and playmaking support for Stephen Curry, plus defensive help, in what could be its last, best run at another NBA title with this group.

Physicality has been a major storyline coming out of the first-round series between the Warriors and Rockets. Kerr was seen complaining about officiating to the referees during Wednesday’s broadcast.

‘Houston is a great defense and a very physical team, so that’s a big part of the equation of this series,’ Kerr said during the second quarter. ‘You have to handle it.’

In response to Butler’s exit, Kerr said ‘we will put Jonathan (Kuminga) in. We know he can play well against these guys and he’ll be able to attack the rim a little bit.’

The series now shifts to San Francisco, tied 1-1.

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(This story has been updated with new information).

A federal judge said Wednesday that she cannot approve the proposed settlement of three athlete-compensation antitrust cases against the NCAA and Power Five conferences in its current form because of roster limits that were set to go into effect as part of the agreement.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken wrote that she was inclined to approve the rest of the deal over a variety of other objections. That means she is otherwise prepared to accept an arrangement under which $2.8 billion in damages would be paid to current and former athletes — and their lawyers — over 10 years, and Division I schools would be able to start paying athletes directly for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), subject to a per-school cap that would increase over time and be based on a percentage of certain athletics revenues.

However, during a final-approval hearing on April 7, she strongly suggested a system of phased-in implementation of the proposed sport-by-sport roster limits, which were to take effect on July 1 alongside an end to the NCAA’s existing system of sport-by-sport scholarship limits. A number of lawyers and scores of athletes and parents — some in emotional and personal written pleas — had asked Wilken to consider such a solution. And she gave the principals a week to consider that modification, as well as several other smaller ones.

The principals submitted a revised version of the deal that did not include changes to the roster limits, and now the NCAA and its schools and conferences are left with a potentially chaotic situation.

That concern was echoed by an athletic director who spoke to USA TODAY Sports and requested anonymity to protect because of the sensitivity of the situation. 

“It’s insanity,’ the person said. ‘She’s not supposed to be negotiating for the people who write letters.’

However, another athletic director also requesting anonymity due to the situation didn’t seem as concerned.

“It’s an easy fix,’ the person said. ‘Coaches wanted to grandfather all along. I’m just annoyed it means more days without this being settled and (having) rules to operationalize it set in place.’

Wilken wrote that within 14 days the parties “shall make their best efforts” to consult with a mediator “about potential modifications of the settlement agreement to address (her) concerns.” And she requested that three attorneys who represented clients objecting to the settlement because of the roster limits “consult remotely, together or separately” with the mediator and the lawyers for the principals.

In the meantime, she issued a case scheduling order that would begin to move the case toward a trial date that was left unspecified.

Steve Berman, the one of the lead attorneys for the athlete plaintiffs wrote in an email to USA TODAY Sports: “The good news is she overruled all the objections but one. As for the roster issue, armed with the leverage of this order, we are confident we can convince the NCAA and the conferences to fix the issue so that we satisfy Judge Wilken. If not, the Judge has re started the pre trial schedule in House and so be it if there is no fix.”

In a statement Wednesday night, the NCAA and the conferences said: “We are closely reviewing Judge Wilken’s order. Our focus continues to be on securing approval of this significant agreement, which aims to create more opportunities than ever before for student-athletes while fostering much-needed stability and fairness in college sports.”

Laura Reathaford, one of the three objectors’ lawyers referenced by Wilken, told USA TODAY Sports in a text message: “We are very happy with today’s order from Judge Wilken regarding the phasing-in of roster limits. The judge followed the law. We look forward to working with the parties on an amicable resolution to this problem.”

Under class-action antitrust law cited by Wilken, a settlement can be approved only if it “treats class members equitably relative to each other.”

She added that: “Because the settlement agreement is not fair and reasonable to the significant number of class members whose roster spots will be or have been taken away because of the immediate implementation of the settlement agreement, the Court cannot approve the settlement agreement in its current form.”

She wrote that one way of resolving this “could be to modify the settlement agreement to ensure that no (athletes) who have or had a roster spot will lose it as a result of the immediate implementation of the settlement agreement.”

Thousands of current walk-on athletes stand to lose their places on Division I teams had the settlement been approved under parameters, and schools have been making future roster plans for months. Some objectors have told Wilken in writing, as well as in-person at last week’s hearing, that they and other athletes already have been told by coaches that they will be losing their spots. Or, in the case of high school recruits, they have been told that spots they were going to receive will no longer exist.

However, in a filing April 14 that included a revised version of the settlement, the lawyers for the principals wrote they were not changing the proposed roster limits, in part because of concerns from the NCAA and the conferences about how to undo roster decisions that already had been put in motion.

‘The Parties appreciate the perspective and heartfelt stories that the student-athletes who objected shared, including those shared at the hearing. Defendants have evaluated — and discussed with numerous member institutions — the Court’s suggestion to ‘grandfather’ in the roster limits. Defendants, however, have informed (the plaintiffs’ lawyers) that those discussions revealed no practicable way to do so, because ‘grandfathering’ roster limits would cause significant disruption. The Parties are both independently aware that member institutions and student-athletes have been making decisions in anticipation of the roster limits being immediately effective if the Settlement is approved.’

Wilken showed no interest in this argument, saying that “is not a valid reason not a valid reason for approval of the agreement in its current form despite the harm” to athletes and recruits.

‘Any disruption that may occur is a problem of Defendants’ and NCAA members schools’ own making,” Wilken wrote. “The fact that the Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement agreement should not have been interpreted as an indication that it was certain that the Court would grant final approval.’

Citing a legal precedent from a case decided by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Wilken’s district, she added: “One of the factors that courts must consider when determining whether to grant final approval of a settlement agreement is ‘the reaction of the class members’ to the agreement. … One of the reasons for granting preliminary approval of a settlement agreement is to authorize the dissemination of notice to class members so that they have the opportunity to come forward with their reactions to the agreement.”

Wilken wrote that she is otherwise prepared to approve the settlement. She wrote that, with the exception of the “immediate implementation of the roster limits that will cause harm to certain” athletes, she “tentatively finds that (she) can grant final approval of the remainder of the settlement agreement as fair, reasonable, and adequate … notwithstanding” other objections to the settlement, which she said she “inclined to overrule.”

(New information was added to this story).

This week marks the four-year anniversary of what’s turned out to be a remarkable 2021 NFL draft.

The haul from the league’s 86th ‘Player Selection Meeting’ includes quite a few players who appear to be on the Hall of Fame fast track: Micah Parsons, Ja’Marr Chase, Penei Sewell, Patrick Surtain II, Amon-Ra St. Brown. And the likes of DeVonta Smith, Creed Humphrey, Landon Dickerson and Nico Collins are hardly slouches.

Yet that draft is, well, ‘remarkable’ for another reason. You’ll notice no quarterbacks are listed above even though they were touted as the backbone of the group at the time − and five were taken among the first 15 picks, including each of the first three. But fast forward to 2025, and the only member of that quintet who remains with the team that drafted him is the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence … and he hasn’t exactly been the generational passer he was forecast to be (even if he’s made a boatload of money while qualifying for one Pro Bowl). Meanwhile, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones all joined their third NFL teams earlier this offseason.

It’s a collection of players who pretty well encapsulate what’s basically the inherent boom-or-bust nature of the draft – and four years on, it becomes fair enough to begin affixing the dreaded bust label, especially as it pertains to when and where a player was drafted. And maybe, a la Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield, some of the 2021 QBs can still rehabilitate their careers – but that doesn’t mean the damage isn’t done in their wake, whether or not it was truly a function of some personal shortcoming or simply a suboptimal situation.

Admittedly, the indictment of the 2021 draft’s heretofore failures may smack of recency bias, however some of its members have truly earned a spot on this list of the 50 hugest busts of the past 50 years.

Some words about the methodology: This ranking and analysis are certainly interspersed with opinion. But I tried not to view these wayward picks in a vacuum – taking into account what teams sacrificed to take a player, either in terms of trade currency or whom they opted not to select, when evaluating each bust. Some deals themselves are included since many prevented teams from choosing superior options. Naturally, extra weight was given to quarterback gaffes.

Lastly, I tried to have some fun and creativity in select spots to keep you engaged, so try not to get too bent out of shape if that guard or safety your team took in the top 10 before he petered out didn’t warrant a mention.

Here we go – and you’ll note I managed to shoehorn more than *50* players into this list:

1. QB Ryan Leaf, 2nd overall 1998, Chargers

It seems patently obvious who was superior more than a quarter-century after the fact, but he was very much in the conversation to be this draft’s No. 1 pick. Of course, the Colts wisely chose eventual five-time league MVP Peyton Manning. Meanwhile, the Bolts set themselves back years by taking Leaf (4-14 in 18 starts for the club with a 48.8 passer rating), whose gross immaturity and inability to solve pro defenses trumped his vast physical talent. What cements his infamy is the price San Diego paid to simply swap its initial No. 3 pick to get Arizona’s spot at No. 2 (more on that later). But the freight the Cardinals commanded, aside from the switch, was a second-rounder, an additional first-rounder in 1999 and two veterans (WR Eric Metcalf and LB Patrick Sapp). Oof.

2. OT Tony Mandarich, 2nd overall 1989, Packers

The Sports Illustrated cover boy deemed ‘The Incredible Bulk’ prior to the draft – he had uncommon athleticism and size for the position at the time – was labeled ‘The NFL’s Incredible Bust’ by SI only three years later. Mandarich’s steroid-fueled body and poor work ethic didn’t hold up against professional competition, and he later descended into drug and alcohol abuse. Any value he later provided at guard might have helped the Colts but obviously didn’t do the Pack any good. But this context truly frames his failure: Mandarich was the only player selected in the top five that year who didn’t wind up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Troy Aikman went No. 1, but Green Bay passed on Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders.

3. QB JaMarcus Russell, 1st overall 2007, Raiders

It turned out to be a miserable year for passers, the likes of Brady Quinn, Kevin Kolb, John Beck and Drew Stanton also taken way too early. But Russell, who began his career with a lengthy holdout, never fulfilled the hype generated by his howitzer arm and legendary pro day. He lasted just three seasons, losing 18 of 25 starts and compiling an abysmal 65.2 passer rating, before laziness and weight gain washed him out of the league. Who could Oakland (at the time) have taken instead? Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch and Darrelle Revis all came off the board in the first half of Round 1.

4. QB Trey Lance, 3rd overall 2021, 49ers

San Francisco surrendered four picks, three of them first-rounders, to get into position for a guy who was basically a one-year starter at North Dakota State. In fairness to Lance, incumbent QB Jimmy Garoppolo, subsequent injuries and a shoddy development plan that HC Kyle Shanahan largely blamed himself for derailed Lance before he had a legitimate chance to prove himself in Silicon Valley. But the Niners saw enough to pull the plug after two years, opting to give the reins to 2022 seventh-rounder Brock Purdy and sending Lance to Dallas for a Round 4 pick. (He signed with the Chargers earlier this month.) But just imagine if the 49ers had taken Chase, Sewell, Surtain or Parsons instead of Lance … who maybe eventually blossoms elsewhere, little good as that will do San Fran.

4a. QB Zach Wilson, 2nd overall 2021, Jets

Now queue up the unfortunate 2021 QB corollaries – and brace yourself, Jets fans, as this is merely the first of many mentions. The NYJ effectively threw in the towel on Wilson in 2023 after trading for four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers … then were quickly forced to turn back to the BYU product, who again miserably failed in his third attempt to produce at a level commensurate with his draft billing. Traded to the Denver Broncos during last year’s draft, Wilson is now with the Miami Dolphins – his NFL completion rate (57%) and passer rating (73.2) presently married to 23 TD passes and 34 turnovers. The mistake is magnified by the fact the Jets could have augmented the roster in 2021 around Darnold with Chase, Sewell, Surtain or Parsons, among others, all available.

4b. QB Mac Jones, 15th overall 2021, Patriots

With the help of former New England OC Josh McDaniels, he looked like a legitimate NFL starter … for a year, anyway. Then it all fell apart for Jones, also largely undermined by an organization that didn’t give him sufficient positional coaching or playmakers. It got so bad in 2023, the decision was made to send Jones home in a trade with Jacksonville, where he backed up Lawrence in 2024. Now, like Darnold, Jones is hoping to initiate something of a career reboot while apprenticing with Shanahan and the 49ers.

4c. QB Justin Fields, 11th overall 2021, Bears

Recently signed by the Jets after a perplexing year in Pittsburgh, maybe a guy with titillating dual-threat abilities resurrects his career in New York. But not before the Bears sent four draft selections (including two first-rounders) to the Giants to get Fields four years ago … then almost completely failed to put a legitimate supporting cast around him for two seasons. Many of Fields’ frequent failures must be laid at the doorstep of Halas Hall, a building that’s been so dysfunctional in recent years that the Bears were in position to replace him just three years later – 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams now charged with trying to overcome his surroundings.

5. QB Jeff George, 1st overall 1990, Colts

He looked like Uncle Rico, threw like him, too … and basically played like the “Napoleon Dynamite” folk hero. Navigating into the top spot for George forced Indianapolis to surrender Pro Bowl OT Chris Hinton, future Pro Bowl WR Andre Rison and a first-round pick in 1991 to Atlanta – where George wound up himself in 1994 after wearing out his welcome with a bad attitude and 14-35 record for the Colts, who passed on three eventual Hall of Famers in the first round (more on them later). Never particularly popular in the locker room, George played for five different teams – and did post better numbers, if not many more wins, later in his career.

6. RB Lawrence Phillips, 6th overall 1996, Rams

Bad player. Bad dude. And St. Louis should have known better. The Rams parted with DT Sean Gilbert to acquire the Phillips pick – Eddie George was still available – and they exported Jerome Bettis to Pittsburgh in a separate deal to clear the way for Nebraska’s fallen star. Phillips averaged 3.4 yards per carry and didn’t make it through his second season with the Rams, cut amid excessive in-season drinking.

7. Jets’ decisions to trade down in 1997

After going 1-15 in 1996, Gang Green most definitely earned the No. 1 pick of the ’97 draft – which they surely would have used for Manning … had he opted not to return to the University of Tennessee for his senior year. (And you can argue that newly acquired coach Bill Parcells could have done more to entice Manning to go pro, but that’s neither here nor there.) However after Manning was off the table, Parcells dealt down from No. 1 to No. 6 in a bid to restock this roster, passing on the opportunity to snatch future Hall of Fame LT Orlando Pace. Then Parcells dropped from No. 6 to No. 8, passing on the opportunity to get future Hall of Fame LT Walter Jones. (Ugh and ugh.) LB James Farrior, who was much better in Pittsburgh later in his career than during his Gotham stint, ‘headlined’ New York’s forgettable haul, which could have also included Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez, who went 13th.

8. Colts’ decision to draft John Elway No. 1 in 1983

His talent obviously justified the selection, but team brass should have taken Elway seriously when he threatened to play baseball rather than for Baltimore. In the end, he launched his Hall of Fame career in Denver while the Colts were left with Hinton, backup QB Mark Herrmann, a first-round pick in 1984 (spent on G Ron Solt) and, in a year’s time, a one-way, franchise-wide ticket to Indianapolis.

9. QB Robert Griffin III, 2nd overall 2012, Washington

The team shipped three first-round picks and one in Round 2 to the Rams for the chance to take RG3. Initially, it seemed a reasonable gambit as the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors while leading a charge to the NFC East title. The rest is unfortunate history, both for Griffin personally and the organization at large. But Washington may finally be picking up the pieces now that Jayden Daniels has arrived as the latest presumed savior.

9a. Rams’ haul for Robert Griffin III

On the opposite end of the RG3 coin? St. Louis parlayed its bounty into Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead, Rokevious Watkins, Alec Ogletree, Stedman Bailey, Zac Stacy and Greg Robinson. Some decent (and not-so-decent) players there, but obviously not a group that came anywhere close to salvaging the NFL in The Gateway City, much less providing the bedrock for a perennial powerhouse.

9b. DE Chase Young, 2nd overall 2020, Washington

Basically the defensive version of RG3 – a rookie of the year before suffering a serious knee injury and ultimately falling out of favor with the organization. A player who entered the league with astronomical expectations – reference the frequent (and unfair) Lawrence Taylor comparisons – Young had 7½ sacks in 2020 … and 6½ total over his next three seasons with Washington before being unceremoniously traded for a third-rounder in 2023. Justin Jefferson, Justin Herbert, CeeDee Lamb and Tristan Wirfs were among the players taken later in Round 1 of Young’s draft.

10. OLB Aundray Bruce, 1st overall 1988, Falcons

Atlanta also thought it was getting the next Taylor. Nope. Bruce was no better than a sub package guy, including spot duty at tight end. There were five Hall of Famers picked elsewhere in Bruce’s draft and a dominant pass rusher (Neil Smith) directly after him.

11. RB Bo Jackson, 1st overall 1986, Buccaneers

Don’t get it twisted – this isn’t a dig at a guy who might truly be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ athlete. Instead, interpret it as a dig at a long-feckless franchise that chose to squander its pick even though Jackson had vowed never to play in Tampa, believing the team deliberately cost him his baseball eligibility at Auburn while trying to strong-arm him into a football-only career. The Bucs took Jackson anyway, and he was soon stroking towering taters for the Kansas City Royals … before joining the Raiders in 1987.

12. OT Robert Gallery, 2nd overall 2004, Raiders

He never approached his pre-draft buildup and, like Mandarich years before, only became serviceable after moving to guard. Who could Oakland have had instead? Larry Fitzgerald, Philip Rivers, Sean Taylor and Ben Roethlisberger heard their names called shortly after Gallery’s selection.

13. RB Blair Thomas, 2nd overall 1990, Jets

To think future Hall of Famers Cortez Kennedy and Junior Seau were sitting there. Or, if New York really had to have a tailback, eventual all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith was around until No. 17. He only wound up outrushing Thomas by 16,000 yards.

14. Bills’ decision to draft Tom Cousineau No. 1 in 1979

Buffalo owned the choice after dealing O.J. Simpson to the 49ers. But Cousineau took the Canadian Football League’s money and bolted, never playing a down for the Bills. Hall of Famers Dan Hampton and Kellen Winslow went later in that first round.

15. Seahawks’ decision to trade down in 1977

They were induced to deal out of No. 2 after Tony Dorsett threatened not to play in Seattle, so the Cowboys moved up for the future Hall of Fame back. The Seahawks were left with Steve August, Tom Lynch, Terry Beeson and Glenn Carano. Who? Exactly. Guess who won the Super Bowl the following season …

16. QB Art Schlichter, 4th overall 1982, Colts

On the field, he was horrendous (42.6 passer rating). Off the field, he was worse, his gambling problems leading to his suspension for the 1983 season and, later, prison. Schlichter’s issues also forced Baltimore into its ill-advised Elway pick the next year.

17. QB Jack Thompson, 3rd overall 1979, Bengals

The ‘Throwin’ Samoan’ never threw very effectively in six NFL seasons. Furthermore, Cincinnati was just fine behind center anyway with Ken Anderson, who would lead the Bengals to their first Super Bowl two years later. Also, Phil Simms was chosen four slots after Thompson – or, if Cincy needed, like, a developmental quarterback, they could have had, uh, Joe Montana in Round 3 …

18. DE Dion Jordan, 3rd overall 2013, Dolphins

The slender pass rusher was repeatedly suspended and only rewarded Miami with three sacks in two seasons. The Dolphins paid a first- and second-round pick to Oakland to get the Oregon prospect. Philadelphia took future All-Pro OT Lane Johnson with the next selection.

19. WR Johnny ‘Lam’ Jones, 2nd overall 1980, Jets

New York hoped his Olympic speed would translate into stardom. Not so much. Jones never looked natural as a receiver, often leaving his feet while trying to catch easy passes. The next player taken was Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, arguably the best left tackle of all time. The next receiver selected was Hall of Famer Art Monk. Yeah.

20. DT Steve Niehaus, 2nd overall 1976, Seahawks

Seattle’s maiden draft selection didn’t turn out nearly as well as fellow expansion franchise Tampa Bay’s after the Bucs landed future Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon at No. 1. (The Seahawks recovered by acquiring HOFer Steve Largent, who was taken by the Oilers in Round 4 that year.)

21. Buccaneers’ decision to trade down in 1978

Confident in RB Ricky Bell, the No. 1 pick in 1977, Tampa Bay sent the top pick of ’78 to Houston for TE Jimmie Giles and four selections, including a first- and second-rounder. The Oilers? Hello, Earl Campbell.

22. QB Josh Rosen, 10th overall 2018, Cardinals

Arizona traded a first-, third- and fifth-round pick to move up five spots to snatch him 10th overall in 2018. He flopped as a rookie and was replaced by Kyler Murray atop the 2019 draft … when Rosen also burned the Dolphins, who gave up a Round 2 pick to rescue him from the desert before he failed in Miami. Like Darnold, Rosen was a victim of circumstances, but the Cards wouldn’t have reset had they picked Lamar Jackson in 2018 instead.

23. CB Jeff Okudah, 3rd overall 2020, Lions

No corner has ever been picked higher. But heading into his sixth season – when many first-rounders are already raking in money from lucrative second contracts – Okudah is resetting with his fourth team (Minnesota). He’s missed 40 games in his career to date. Worse, quarterbacks have a 103.8 passer rating when targeting the former Ohio State star. Oh, and just to repeat, Justin Jefferson, Justin Herbert, CeeDee Lamb and Tristan Wirfs were among the players taken later in Round 1 that year.

24. P Russell Erxleben, 11th overall 1979, Saints

Groan. Known for his record 67-yard field goal in college with Texas, he proved neither the kicker nor punter New Orleans envisioned. Erxleben is the highest-drafted special teamer of the common draft era (since 1967), going two spots ahead of Hall of Famer Winslow. Erxleben landed in prison later in life for securities fraud.

24a. K Steve Little, 15th overall 1978, Cardinals

Taking a kicker in Round 1, especially in an era when the position was far less reliable, could be forgiven. But not if your guy misses 14 of 27 field goal attempts in three seasons … and when you could’ve had Ozzie Newsome or Doug Williams.

25. QB Sam Darnold, 3rd overall 2018, Jets

In the former USC star’s robust defense, New York did next to nothing to help him flourish, Darnold’s development further hampered by foot and shoulder injuries, mono and checked-out HC Adam Gase. But given then-GM Mike Maccagnan surrendered the No. 6 overall pick (used by the Colts on future All-Pro G Quenton Nelson) and three high second-rounders to advance three slots in order to get into position for Darnold – and he seemed like a slam-dunk acquisition at the time – it’s hard to view this gamble as anything other than a failure given his inability to overcome his circumstances … especially as QBs drafted later (2019 and 2023 MVP Lamar Jackson, 2024 MVP Josh Allen) figured out how to thrive. Yet Darnold finally did, too, last year, when he blossomed into a Pro Bowler with the Minnesota Vikings … success he hopes to sustain in Seattle now.

26. OLB Vernon Gholston, 6th overall 2008, Jets

He played 45 games for New York. He registered nary a sack.

27. QB Kelly Stouffer, 6th overall 1987, Cardinals

He held out his rookie season and got traded to Seattle. Lucky for the Cards, given Stouffer (7 TD passes, 19 interceptions in five seasons) would make subsequent Seahawks franchise QB Rick Mirer – continue reading – look like an All-Pro.

28. WR Troy Williamson, 7th overall 2005, Vikings

Minnesota basically traded Randy Moss to Oakland in order to get this guy … who finished with 153 fewer TDs than Moss.

29. TE Kyle Brady, 9th overall 1995, Jets

New York could have had Warren Sapp. Or Ty Law. Or Derrick Brooks. But in typical J-E-T-S fashion, they screwed it up royally. (And the availability of Law and Brooks didn’t deter the Jets from taking DE Hugh Douglas 16th overall, either.)

30. QB Sam Bradford, 1st overall 2010, Rams

He certainly wasn’t a bad player, and many forget he was Offensive Rookie of the Year. But his injury history at Oklahoma was predictive. The six players selected after Bradford? Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Trent Williams, Eric Berry, Russell Okung and Joe Haden, with Earl Thomas off the board at No. 14. Bradford later cost Minnesota a first- and fourth-rounder in 2016 to replace Teddy Bridgewater but didn’t get the Vikings to the postseason and lost his job to Case Keenum the next year. Bradford never appeared in a playoff game.

31. Browns’ haul for Julio Jones

Cleveland dealt the sixth pick in 2011 to Atlanta – Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff was widely panned for paying so much to get Jones – and ultimately wound up with NT Phil Taylor, WR Greg Little, FB Owen Marecic and QB Brandon Weeden. (Good job, Tom.)

32. Browns’ 2012 draft

As bad as Weeden (22nd overall) was, RB Trent Richardson, the No. 3 pick, was worse based on relative value. Cleveland sent Minnesota four picks to swap from fourth to third overall. Even when the Browns flipped Richardson to the Colts for a first-round pick in 2013, they eventually wound up with Johnny Manziel.

32a. Browns’ 2014 draft

Manziel (22nd overall) was dreadful. CB Justin Gilbert, the No. 8 pick, was a bigger blunder given his slot.

33. QB Brady Quinn, 22nd overall 2007, Browns

Not only did he add to Cleveland’s litany of quarterback washouts, he cost the Browns a first- and second-round pick in order to trade up for him. (In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s a QB death knell to get drafted by Cleveland at No. 22.)

34. QB Akili Smith, 3rd overall 1999, Bengals

Just abject in four seasons (3-14 record, 5 TD passes, 13 INTs). The next four players taken were Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Torry Holt and Champ Bailey. No. 12 selection Cade McNown, Chicago’s QB failure that year, looked all-world relative to Smith.

35. WR Charles Rogers, 2nd overall 2003, Lions

Sadly, he couldn’t evade drugs or injuries. Also, future Hall of Famer Andre Johnson went to the Texans with the next pick.

36. QB Heath Shuler, 3rd overall 1994, Washington

He was a better congressman than quarterback – and wasn’t even the best passer Washington picked in 1994, seventh-rounder Gus Frerotte proving far superior.

37. DE Andre Wadsworth, 3rd overall 1998, Cardinals

Often forgotten in the aftermath of the Manning-Leaf debate atop that year’s draft, but some scouts considered Wadsworth a better prospect than both quarterbacks. Knee injuries sapped his vast potential after just three seasons. Hall of Famer Charles Woodson was chosen next.

38. QB Rick Mirer, 2nd overall 1993, Seahawks

That year’s Drew Bledsoe consolation prize, Mirer was wretched in four years with Seattle (20-31 record, 65.2 passer rating). Oh, and Hall of Famers Willie Roaf and Bettis were available in the top 10.

38a. Bears’ 1997 trade for QB Rick Mirer

Forgot about this, didn’t you? Seattle stole Chicago’s first-round pick in exchange for Mirer, who was even worse in one season in the Windy City. Meanwhile, the Seahawks recovered to draft stud CB Shawn Springs.

39. QB Mitchell Trubisky, 2nd overall 2017, Bears

Another botched move by Chicago atop a draft in an ill-considered bid to fix the century-old organization’s ongoing quarterback conundrum. To simply swap the No. 2 and No. 3 overall selections, the Bears had to give the 49ers a third- and fourth-rounder plus a future third-rounder (used on eventual All-Pro LB Fred Warner in 2018). GM Ryan Pace then picked Trubisky, who was middling at best while starting for two Bears playoff teams – the 2018 edition was Super Bowl-caliber otherwise – when he could have had Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson.

39a. DL Solomon Thomas, 3rd overall 2017, 49ers

For all the capital the Niners inhaled in the Trubisky deal, they flubbed much of it by taking the disappointing Stanford star before trading the 2017 third-round pick … which the Saints used on perennial Pro Bowl RB Alvin Kamara.

40. Raiders’ 2020 draft

As much trouble as former GM Mike Mayock ran into in early rounds, this was the class that ultimately might have gotten him fired. First-rounders Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette (the latter obtained as part of the Khalil Mack trade years before) were both released in 2021 amid serious off-field incidents, an inebriated Ruggs involved in an auto accident that killed a woman and her dog. Third-rounder Lynn Bowden Jr. was traded to Miami before his rookie season and never amounted to much in the NFL. Fellow third-rounder Tanner Muse never played for the Raiders, either, while WR Bryan Edwards lasted just two seasons in Las Vegas. The best of the bunch is Round 4 G John Simpson, who blossomed with the Ravens and Jets.

40a. Raiders’ 2019 draft

With three first-rounders, this was supposed to be the year that Mayock set the Silver and Black up for years of success. But the immediate criticism of DE Clelin Ferrell, taken fourth overall, proved justified. S Johnathan Abram didn’t make it through his fourth season with the franchise. RB Josh Jacobs was a productive player, but not one the team deemed worthy of a multi-year contract extension. Round 2 CB Trayvon Mullen was also an ex-Raider after three seasons. (Qualifying note: Mayock found DE Maxx Crosby and WR Hunter Renfrow on Day 3, not that they were able to save his job in the final analysis.)

40b. OL Alex Leatherwood, 17th overall 2021, Raiders

Mayock did get one more crack at the draft … and took the Alabama lineman much earlier than most observers had him projected. Unable to handle right tackle in the NFL, Leatherwood moved to guard but was waived prior to the 2022 season – by the regime that succeeded Mayock.

41. Raiders’ 2011 trade for QB Carson Palmer

Can’t blame this on Mayock. Oakland gave up a first- and second-rounder to pry the former No. 1 pick out of Cincinnati and quasi-retirement. A three-time Pro Bowler, Palmer was 8-16 in 1½ seasons with the Silver and Black and was shipped to Arizona – where he reverted to star form – for the net gain of a Round 6 choice in 2013.

42. DE Mike Mamula, 7th overall 1995, Eagles

It’s bad enough that Philly got duped into taking the original scouting combine superstar. Adding to the ignominy, the Eagles traded the 12th pick to Tampa Bay (the Bucs used it on Warren Sapp) plus two second-rounders to elevate into this mistake.

43. Colts’ 1992 draft

Indianapolis owned the top two picks and selected DE Steve Emtman and LB Quentin Coryatt. Emtman was beset by injuries, and Coryatt was a pedestrian performer. This would rank higher, but the ’92 draft was short on talent and hasn’t produced one Hall of Famer – despite running 12 rounds – though Dallas’ Darren Woodson might eventually reach Canton.

44. RB Ki-Jana Carter, 1st overall 1995, Bengals

In fairness, he ripped up his knee in his first preseason game and was never the same. Of note, it could have been much worse for Cincinnati. Expansion Carolina only charged the Bengals the fifth and 36th overall picks to move up for Carter, sweetheart terms by today’s standards. Yet it worked out OK for the Panthers, who took QB Kerry Collins.

44a. DT Dan ‘Big Daddy’ Wilkinson, 1st overall 1994, Bengals

He was average at best for Cincinnati, which could have avoided the Carter gaffe in 1995 by taking Marshall Faulk No. 1 in 1994.

45. WR Treylon Burks, 18th overall 2022, Titans

Rather than pay WR A.J. Brown – now a perennial Pro Bowler, legitimate 1,500-yard receiver and Super Bowl champion – Tennessee traded him to Philadelphia for a pair of picks, including this first-rounder used on Burks. The Arkansas product has produced just 53 catches for 699 yards and one TD in three seasons – a period when the Titans felt the need to acquire WRs DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley, the latter getting a huge contract last year.

45a. WR Jalen Reagor, 21st overall 2020, Eagles

It must also be noted that Philadelphia was compelled to trade for Brown on the first night of the 2022 draft after the disastrous selection of Reagor, who was Burks-esque through two seasons with 64 receptions for 695 yards and three TDs before being shipped to Minnesota for a cheesesteak. However the real cardinal sin associated with Reagor was that the Vikings drafted Jefferson with the next selection.

46. Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason, Ken O’Brien

If you drafted a quarterback in the first round of the 1983 draft, you had a 50% shot at getting a Hall of Famer – Elway, Jim Kelly or Dan Marino. Otherwise, you got one of these guys, all taken with Marino (27th overall) still available.

46a. DT Gabe Rivera, 21st overall 1983, Steelers

For whatever reason, Pittsburgh also bypassed hometown hero Marino, who would have made a mighty fine acquisition with Terry Bradshaw heading into his final season. Driving drunk, Rivera was paralyzed in a car accident midway through his rookie season.

47. Bears’ post-Walter Payton first-round RBs

Brad Muster (23rd overall pick, 1994), Rashaan Salaam (21st in 1995), Curtis Enis (5th in 1998) and Cedric Benson (4th in 2005) all bombed in the years following Sweetness’ retirement after the 1987 campaign.

48. Cowboys’ 2000 trade for WR Joey Galloway

In one of owner Jerry Jones’ most notorious moves, Dallas sent two first-rounders to Seattle for the speedy receiver. Galloway averaged fewer than 50 yards per game in four years in Big D, while the Seahawks snagged future MVP Shaun Alexander.

49. QB J.P. Losman, 22nd overall 2004, Bills

He followed Eli Manning, Rivers and Roethlisberger as the fourth Round 1 passer in 2004. Oops. Oh yeah, Buffalo also gave up a first-, second- and fifth-rounder to get Losman when it could have simply waited to grab future Pro Bowler Matt Schaub in Round 3.

50. QB Blaine Gabbert, 10th overall 2011, Jaguars

Aside from quarterbacks not named Cam Newton, this was an epic draft. Jacksonville didn’t get a crack at Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones or Tyron Smith but could’ve taken J.J. Watt, Robert Quinn, Mike Pouncey, Ryan Kerrigan, Cam Jordan or Mark Ingram (among others – even Andy Dalton) instead of Gabbert. The Jags also gave up a second-rounder to move up six spots for Gabbert. Oy.

50a. QB Jake Locker, 8th overall 2011, Titans

Aside from quarterbacks not named Cam Newton, this was an epic draft. Tennessee didn’t get a crack at Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson or Julio Jones but could’ve taken Tyron Smith, J.J. Watt, Robert Quinn, Mike Pouncey, Ryan Kerrigan, Cam Jordan or Mark Ingram (among others – even Andy Dalton) instead of Locker. Oy.

50b. QB Christian Ponder, 12th overall 2011, Vikings

Aside from quarterbacks not named Cam Newton, this was an epic draft. Minnesota didn’t get a crack at Newton, Von Miller, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, Julio Jones, Tyron Smith or J.J. Watt but could’ve taken Robert Quinn, Mike Pouncey, Ryan Kerrigan, Cam Jordan or Mark Ingram (among others – even Andy Dalton) instead of Ponder. Oy.

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BOULDER, Colo. — Deion Sanders wasn’t so much Coach Prime as he reflected on the upcoming NFL draft and the immense attention flowing with one particular prospect.

He was Daddy Prime.

And boy, daddy certainly has a vast collection of fresh receipts.

Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s youngest son, is undoubtedly the most polarizing player in the draft. The Colorado quarterback was once considered as a possibility to be chosen No. 1 overall when the draft kicks off on Thursday night at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Now, if so many of the draft pundits are to be believed, Shedeur’s standing in recent weeks has supposedly tumbled like Tesla stock.

At least that’s the narrative fueling draft hype. Shedeur’s talent, mechanics, arm strength and character have all been criticized during the ramp-up to the draft, often but not always by nameless, faceless sources.

Sure, Shedeur tended to hold onto the ball too long behind shaky protection. Yet his production, toughness and resilience can’t be knocked.

In some extreme cases, though, the shots have been brutal. Of course, even the connection to his college coach – and Hall of Fame father – has been cast in some cases as a detriment.

“It’s silly to us,” Deion told USA TODAY Sports during an expansive interview. “Most of it is laughable. What I told him, too, is, ‘Son, what I’ve learned in my life is when it don’t make sense, it’s God. Because some of this stuff is so stupid it don’t make sense. That means God is closing doors and opening doors to make sure you get to where you’re supposed to go.”

Sure, every draft comes with negativity and smear campaigns for some prospects. No, that doesn’t make it right. And Deion doesn’t buy it.

Some suggest the 23-year-old Shedeur – who passed for 4,134 yards with 37 TDs and led the nation with a 74% completion rate last season – won’t even be a first-round pick.

Now that’s laughable.

“This is venomous,” Deion contended. “It’s to the point where it ain’t even cute no more. It’s so predictable. I’m flipping the channel today, listening. ‘Jaxson Dart is special; Shedeur Sanders ain’t…’ Y’all c’mon. Stop.”

Daddy Prime is hardly the first father to fiercely defend his sons, which includes Shilo, the Colorado safety who is projected to go undrafted. He’s the rare father, though, with an overpowering presence built on his NFL excellence and an electric persona that remains decades since his heyday – a flair that, then and now, has drawn its share of detractors.

Deion thinks that’s a factor about now.

“It’s like just because they come from me, people take unsolicited shots at them. That’s not fair,” said Deion, who coached Shedeur and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter at Jackson State for two seasons before they bolted to Colorado.

“Just say you don’t like me. Just say you’re tired of me winning, you’re tired of me being the light, tired of me being up, just consistently provoking change wherever I go. Just say that. But don’t attack my kids because of that.”

One case that ruffled Daddy Prime’s feathers come out of the NFL scouting combine in late February and early March: Veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported that the quarterbacks coach from one team, with one of the top seven picks in the draft, maintained that Shedeur came off as “brash” and “arrogant” during his interview with the team.

“The brother who lied and said that, I know what team he’s from,” Sanders reflected. “So, I called the head coach. I said, ‘Dog, c’mon, man. This is what we’re doing?”

The coach told Deion that the characterization was off base.

“He said, ‘That never happened. I was in the meeting. I ran the interview. Shedeur never came off like that. That’s not true,” Deion said.

Deion said that in assuring the coach he wouldn’t blow the story up, he added, “But check your staff, man.”

It should also be noted that during his media session at the combine, Shedeur was quite the contrast to the brash and arrogant description. While he expressed confidence that he can be a difference-maker for a team on the NFL level, he was cordial, respectful, witty and classy, thoughtful as he responded to a barrage of questions for 15 minutes.

The scrutiny on Shedeur reminds his father of the debate – and knocks – surrounding another quarterback: Lamar Jackson.

“We see some bull junk every year, but Lamar was probably the most recent,” Deion said.

Jackson, ultimately chosen in 2018 as the final pick of the first round – and fifth quarterback selected – was cast by some as a player who needed to switch to receiver.

“That was ridiculous,” Deion recalled. “Just insulting. But God was in that to get him where he needed to go, the city of Baltimore. Ozzie (Newsome, Ravens then-GM) took a shot at him. And two MVPs later, damn near the highest-paid quarterback later, who won? He won. He got to a better team, to a better situation, by it being later on.”

Deion insists that although he’s met with team owners, GMs and coaches, he’s never tried to influence where Shedeur lands – even if trying to be on the right side of the 50-50 success-to-bust rate for first-round quarterbacks. No, this would not be an Eli Manning-type of power play.

To amplify that message, Deion appeared on ‘The Skip Bayless Show’ podcast earlier this month and declared that Shedeur would embrace being drafted by any NFL team.

Was it important to make that definitive statement?

“No. I didn’t care,” Deion said. “There are some teams that may be right. Some teams I didn’t believe in. Some of them have been drafting early on for the last decade. It don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that they don’t know what they’re doing.

“So, you’ve got to meet with people and say, ‘This is my son.’ With a quarterback, it’s all about where he goes, with the offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, line, system, all of that. I think there are some really good quarterbacks that got lost in the shuffle because of where they went. I really do. So, I don’t want him to be another statistic, because I know how smart he is. You can’t just tell him anything. He’s going to ask questions about it and you’ve got to be able to answer because he’s been fathered by somebody that knows the game.”

Shedeur won’t be in Green Bay to bear hug NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the pick comes in. Daddy Prime, Shedeur’s ultimate hype man, is throwing an invitation-only bash at his home on the outskirts of Dallas with “a beautiful tent and stage,” he said.

“It’s going to be a tremendous moment,” he added of Shedeur’s selection.

When that exact moment hits, though, is one of the most intriguing storylines of the draft. The New York Giants, picking third overall, conducted a private workout with Shedeur on Colorado’s campus last week to add to the plot. The New Orleans Saints, picking ninth, might be a possibility. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who hosted Shedeur for a visit, have the 21st pick and a crying need for a long-term quarterback – even if they strike a deal with Aaron Rodgers. And who knows? Quarterbacks tend to spark the trade market.

All said, big mystery.

“This is the first time when we haven’t been in control,” Deion said. “Like ever since youth football – we chose the youth team, chose the high school, chose the college. We can’t choose this. So, now you’ve got to relinquish all your power and full autonomy. You’ve got to sit back and really trust God.

Then Deion pivoted to another point, mocking questions about arm strength.

“First, he couldn’t throw, but then Pro Day comes and I didn’t hear that no more,” Deion said. “It was like, ‘So, your arm started getting weaker when? You threw across your body 60 yards in the air for a touchdown to take us to overtime with a Hail Mary. So, when did your arm get weak?’

“That kind of stupid stuff. So, he gets it. He’s always been prepared for it because he’s always dealt with it. We even dealt with it in Jackson. He gets it…We get a tremendous amount of light and a tremendous amount of ignorance as well.”

What a different type of draft experience for Daddy Prime. It was 36 years ago when Deion, sporting a Jheri curl, was drafted fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons. And yes, with a budding Major League Baseball career in the mix, he influenced that selection in a banner draft crop that also included Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders and Derrick Thomas among the top five picks.

Now the suspense is wrapped with so much speculation.

“He’s not falling,” Deion declared. “We’ve already won. We came from an HBCU, man. Who else will be drafted from an HBCU this year? Or was drafted last year? Or the year before that? The year before that? Since Steve McNair (third overall, 1995)? We won, already. And when they talk about him, they’ve got to mention HBCU and Colorado.”

Over the years, Deion has occasionally playfully “ranked” his five children, which include his youngest daughter, Shelomi, a college basketball player who last year transferred from Colorado to Alabama A&M.

Often, his oldest son, Deion. Jr., 31, has “ranked” No. 1. Deion, Jr.’s “Well-Off Media” company has ignited much online traffic (and recruiting hooks) with his behind-the-scenes content for his father’s program.

Yet, as the draft approaches, there’s no disputing who’s No.1. Still.

“My oldest daughter is No. 1 because she gave me my first grandchild,” he said of Deiondra, who became a mother in 2024. “Then Junior.’

“The boys are last,” he added of Shedeur and Shilo. “I mean, all of this draft drama we’ve got to go through.”

Thus, a draft board from Granddaddy Prime that won’t change on Thursday night.

Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell

He was cheered when he took the ice for warmups and cheered even more when coach Jared Bednar put him on the top line for the opening faceoff.

‘The last three years have been difficult at times, but to come back and feel that love is incredible,’ Landeskog, who needed cartilage transplant surgery in 2023, said in his postgame news conference.

Landeskog made an impact early with a big hit on the Dallas Stars’ Mikko Rantanen. He finished the game with six hits and set up several scoring chances but was held without a point.

‘I felt pretty good. Speed-wise, legs, physically I felt good,’ he said, adding that he will have to work on his timing.

In the end, the Stars walked away with a 2-1 victory when Tyler Seguin scored in overtime for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

‘Regardless of the outcome of the game, that was a memory of a lifetime for me,’ Landeskog said.

USA TODAY provided updates on Gabriel Landeskog’s return in Game 3 of the Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars series. Here are the highlights:

Gabriel Landeskog almost lost it when his kids held up sign

Landeskog said the closest he came to losing it during the pregame warmup was seeing the ‘big smiling faces’ of his son and daughter when they held up a sign saying they were proud of him. He noted that they were 1 and 2 when he last played and are 4 and 5 now.

‘They’ve probably been thinking that I’ve been lying this whole time that I do play hockey,’ said Landeskog, whose family has another child on the way. ‘I really do. … It just puts in perspective how much time has passed.’

Avalanche vs. Stars highlights

Final score: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (OT)

Dallas now has a 2-1 lead in the series, even though its only lead, outside of the overtime winners, has been for 62 seconds in Game 2. Game 4 will be Saturday in Denver.

Gabriel Landeskog final stats

He finishes with 18 shifts, 13:16 of ice time, six hits, no shots and one blocked shot.

Avalanche-Stars score: Dallas wins in overtime

Mason Marchment, who took the double minor late in the third, makes a great pass to Tyler Seguin for the game-winner at 5:31 of the first overtime. Mikko Rantanen started the play by fighting off an Avalanche defender to get the puck out of the zone and banks it to Marchment. He picks up his first point of the series. That’s back-to-back overtime wins for Dallas and a 2-1 series lead.

Penalty killed

Dallas’ Esa Lindell blocks a shot with an open net after the penalty ends.

Big stop by Mackenzie Blackwood

Colin Blackwell, who scored in overtime of Game 2, gets a shorthanded chance, but Mackenzie Blackwood stops him.

Overtime begins

Colorado on the power play to start overtime. First unit stars and Landeskog comes out with the second unit.

Gabriel Landeskog stats

He had four shifts in the third period and 16 total for 11:38 of ice time. No shots yet but he’s up to six hits for the game. Considering he hadn’t played in nearly three years, it will be interesting to see how much he plays in overtime.

End of third period: Avalanche 1, Stars 1

Dallas breaks through on a Jamie Benn goal on the power play with Nathan MacKinnon in the penalty box. Colorado outshoots the Stars 12-7 in the period and it’s tied at 25 for the game. Colorado will have more than three minutes of power play to start overtime.

Avalanche go on power play

Mason Marchment is assessed a double minor for high-sticking Brock Nelson, who has a big cut on the nose. Only 40 seconds left in the third period and Dallas escapes the period. The penalty will carry into overtime.

Gabriel Landeskog out with Nathan MacKinnon

There’s a flurry in front of the net but Jake Oettinger keeps it out.

Avalanche go on power play

Matt Duchene is called for tripping. First unit is out there. Dallas kills off the penalty.

Avalanche-Stars score: Dallas ties it up

Colorado kills off the Arturri Lehkonen penalty, then Nathan MacKinnon is called for interference. This time, Dallas strikes quickly. Jamie Benn deflects in a shot-pass from Thomas Harley 10 seconds into the power play. It’s Benn’s first goal in 19 games. Avalanche 1, Stars 1

Stars go on power play

Artturi Lehkonen is called for holding Thomas Harley.

Third period underway

Score remains 1-0 Colorado.

Gabriel Landeskog stats

Landeskog has 12 shifts for 8:11 in ice time and five hits. He has made some strong defensive plays and set up a couple scoring chances that didn’t connect.

End of second period: Avalanche 1, Stars 0

There’s a flurry at the end as Nathan MacKinnon splits the defense and his shot is stopped by Jake Oettinger. Mikael Granlund hits the post at the other end on a breakaway.

Big shift by Gabriel Landeskog

He makes two solid defensive plays against the Stars then sets up a good Avalanche scoring chance.

Jared Bednar praises Gabriel Landeskog

The Avalanche coach tells ESPN that Landeskog is skating well and is involved. ‘He’s making an impact in the game right away and he’s only going to get better,’ he said.

Stars’ Lian Bichsel injured

He gets hit hard into the boards by Joel Kiviranta and is later hit by a shot in the midsection. He’s down for a minute then leaves the ice. He’ll eventually return.

Avalanche go on power play

Dallas is called for too many men on the ice. Landeskog jumps on the ice with the second unit. Stars kill it off. No shots.

Second period underway

Avalanche lead 1-0.

Gabriel Landeskog stats

He skated five shifts for 4:10 of ice time. No shots. Three hits, including one that knocked over Mikko Rantanen. The winger even won a faceoff when called upon.

End of first period: Avalanche 1, Stars 0

The Stars controlled a lot of the period, outshooting Colorado 13-5. But Dallas makes a coverage mistake against Valeri Nichushkin, who scored the lone goal .

Avalanche go on power play

Dallas’ Colin Blackwell, the Game 2 hero, is called for tripping. Stars kill it off. First unit spends most of the time out so no Landeskog.

Avalanche rush

Landeskog leads a rush up ice. Avalanche get a few looks at the net but don’t connect.

Avalanche-Stars score: Colorado gets first goal

What a stickhandling display by Valeri Nichushkin on a 4-on-4. He skates around the offensive zone, loses defenders and beats Jake Oettinger on a breakaway at 8:09 of the first period. Avalanche 1, Stars 0

Gabriel Landeskog video tribute

During the first TV timeout, a video appeared on the video screen detailing Landeskog’s comeback journey.

Lines change

Jonathan Drouin moves onto the Nathan MacKinnon line. Landeskog playing on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Joel Kiviranta.

Gabriel Landeskog hit

Landeskog knocks down Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen, his former teammate.

Gabriel Landeskog line

Landeskog is out on the ice to start the game. He’s playing with Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas. Big cheer from the crowd when his name is announced.

Gabriel Landeskog’s last NHL game before tonight

Gabriel Landesklog last played on June 26, 2022 during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. It has been 1,032 days since he last suited up for an NHL game.

Gabriel Landeskog takes ice for warmups

Gabriel Landeskog thanks fans for their support

The Avalanche posted this message from Gabriel Landeskog before Game 3:

What injury did Gabriel Landeskog have?

He has returned from a chronic injury to his knee that kept him out since 2022. He had cartilage transplant surgery in 2023.

What is Gabriel Landeskog’s position?

Landeskog plays left wing.

Gabriel Landeskog injury update

Landeskog had a recent two-game conditioning assignment in the American Hockey League. He was activated from the injured list on Monday and took part in warmups before Game 2, but Miles Wood was inserted in the lineup instead.

Landeskog likely will play on the third line.

The series is tied 1-1.

How to watch Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars

The game is scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday at Denver’s Ball Arena. ESPN is broadcasting the game. Streaming is available on Fubo.

Evander Kane injury update

Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane is scheduled to make his season debut Wednesday night in Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings.

He had abdominal surgery in the offseason plus knee surgery in January.