10.Vampire Weekend-Father of the Bride (Release Date: May 3rd)
9.Beast Coast-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
8.Amon Amarth-Berserker (Release Date: May 3rd)
7.Vale of Pnath-Accursed (EP) (Release Date: May 17th)
6.Thank You Scientist-Terraformer (Release Date: June 14th)
5.Slipknot-TBD (Release Date: August 9th)
4.Banks-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
3.Killswitch Engage-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
2.Lana Del Rey-Norman Fucking Rockwell (Release Date: TBD)
1.Danny Brown-U Know What I'm Sayin? (Release Date: TBD)
Also interested in:
Origin-Abiogenesis-A Coming Into Existence (Release Date: May 3rd)
YG-4Real4Real (Release Date: May 3rd)
Abnormality-Sociopathic Constructs (Release Date: May 10th)
Defeater-Defeater (Release Date: May 10th)
Intimate Existence-Clockwork (Release Date: May 10th)
Carley Rae Jepsen-Dedicated (Release Date: May 17th)
Injury Reserve-Injury Reserve (Release Date: May 17th)
Rammstein-Rammstein (Release Date: May 17th)
Destrage-The Chosen One (Release Date: May 24th)
Fleshgod Apocalypse-Veleno (Release Date: May 24th)
Flying Lotus-Flamagra (Release Date: May 24th)
Death Angel-Humanicide (Release Date: May 31st)
Skepta-Ignorance is Bliss (Release Date: May 31st)
CHON-CHON (Release Date: June 7th)
Baroness-Gold & Grey (Release Date: June 14th)
The Raconteurs-Help Us Stranger (Release Date: June 21st)
The Black Keys-Let's Rock (Release Date: June 28th)
Thy Art is Murder-Human Target (Release Date: July 26th)
Northlane-Alien (Release Date: August 2nd)
Chance the Rapper-TBD (Release Date: TBD July)
Lil Uzi Vert-Eternal Atake (Release Date: TBD)
Tame Impala-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
2019 NFL Draft Recap: Winners, Losers and Premature Grades for All 32 Teams
Biggest Winners: Arizona Cardinals
I can't believe I'm saying this after how poorly they handled the Josh Rosen situation, but I LOVE what the Cardinals did in the draft. They added several dynamic athletes (quarterback Kyler Murray, receivers Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler) that are tailor-made for new HC Kliff Kingsbury's speed-driven air raid attack while also starting to chip away at their vast talent deficiencies at several key spots on both sides of the ball by picking up some o-line (possible starting guard/center Lamont Gailard), front 7 (run-stuffing edge defender Zach Allen) and secondary (fearless, physical ballhawk corner Byron Murphy, rangey safety Deionte Thompson) help along the way.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers
Biggest Losers: Baltimore Ravens
Apparently quality talent evaluation left the building with Ozzie Newsome. Outside of blistering scatback Justice Hill-who should be a nice complement to power runners Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards in their RB committee, Eric DeCosta's inaugural draft as the head of the Ravens front office consisted of reaches, poor fits and generally head-scratching decisions. Marquise Brown is a gadget receiver coming off a Lisfranc injury, edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson's lack of speed, size and diverse pass-rushing moves makes him a longshot to have legit success in the NFL, Iman Marshall was arguably the most undisciplined corner in this draft class and a vertical threat that struggles after the catch like Miles Boykin is out of place in an offense ran by a QB with some of the worst deep ball accuracy in the league.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks
Best Value Pick: Andre Dillard, tackle (Selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles)
There was at least a half dozen examples of superb value in the first 50 selections alone, but Dillard's elite upside at a premium position along with the fact that he's entering a situation that couldn't possibly be more ideal pushed him ahead of the pack. Dillard will get a chance to start right away at guard in place of the injured Brandon Brooks and be mentored by a pair of future Hall of Famers in Jason Peters and Jason Kelce before he ever plays a snap at left tackle. If all goes well and he lives up to his immense potential, Dillard could very well be joining his teammates in Canton someday.
Honorable Mentions: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Selected 35th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars), Deandre Baker, cornerback (Selected 30th overall by the New York Giants), Byron Murphy, cornerback (Selected 33rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals)
Worst Value Pick: Daniel Jones, quarterback (Selected 6th overall by the New York Giants)
Dave Gettleman has preached not reaching for a quarterback ever since he arrived in East Rutherford back in late 2017. Well good ol' Dice Roll Dave did just that when he chose the Duke product to be Eli Manning's eventual successor. There was seemingly no market for Jones at this juncture of the draft outside of the Giants, but the Redskins of all teams managed to dupe Gettleman into using the earlier of his team's 2 1st round picks by floating out a BS rumor that they were thinking of trading into the top 5 to select a QB. With no standout traits other than ideal size, Jones is about as unexciting of a young QB prospect as you'll come across and even if they saw something special in him that no one else did, he likely would've been there well after #6. Giants fans, ownership and established players shouldn't have to be putting up with reckless, boneheaded personnel decisions like this that could keep them in the league's basement for a long time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Selected 12th overall by the Green Bay Packers), Kaleb McGary, tackle (Selected 31st overall by the Atlanta Falcons), Jonathan Abram, safety (Selected 27th overall by the Oakland Raiders)
Premature 2019 Draft Grades for Each Team: (Full Draft Classes can be found here: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001028874/article/2019-nfl-draft-final-quicksnap-grades-for-all-32-teams):
Arizona Cardinals: A
Atlanta Falcons: D+
Baltimore Ravens: D
Buffalo Bills: A-
Carolina Panthers: A-
Chicago Bears: B+
Cincinnati Bengals: B-
Cleveland Browns: B
Dallas Cowboys: C+
Denver Broncos: B+
Detroit Lions: B
Green Bay Packers: A-
Houston Texans: C-
Indianapolis Colts: C+
Jacksonville Jaguars: B
Kansas City Chiefs: B+
Los Angeles Chargers: B+
Los Angeles Rams: A-
Miami Dolphins: B+
Minnesota Vikings: B
New England Patriots: A-
New Orleans Saints: B
New York Giants: B-
New York Jets: B+
Oakland Raiders: B-
Philadelphia Eagles: A
Pittsburgh Steelers: B+
San Francisco 49ers: B-
Seattle Seahawks: C-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
Tennessee Titans: A
Washington Redskins: B+
I can't believe I'm saying this after how poorly they handled the Josh Rosen situation, but I LOVE what the Cardinals did in the draft. They added several dynamic athletes (quarterback Kyler Murray, receivers Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler) that are tailor-made for new HC Kliff Kingsbury's speed-driven air raid attack while also starting to chip away at their vast talent deficiencies at several key spots on both sides of the ball by picking up some o-line (possible starting guard/center Lamont Gailard), front 7 (run-stuffing edge defender Zach Allen) and secondary (fearless, physical ballhawk corner Byron Murphy, rangey safety Deionte Thompson) help along the way.
Honorable Mentions: Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers
Biggest Losers: Baltimore Ravens
Apparently quality talent evaluation left the building with Ozzie Newsome. Outside of blistering scatback Justice Hill-who should be a nice complement to power runners Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards in their RB committee, Eric DeCosta's inaugural draft as the head of the Ravens front office consisted of reaches, poor fits and generally head-scratching decisions. Marquise Brown is a gadget receiver coming off a Lisfranc injury, edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson's lack of speed, size and diverse pass-rushing moves makes him a longshot to have legit success in the NFL, Iman Marshall was arguably the most undisciplined corner in this draft class and a vertical threat that struggles after the catch like Miles Boykin is out of place in an offense ran by a QB with some of the worst deep ball accuracy in the league.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks
Best Value Pick: Andre Dillard, tackle (Selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles)
There was at least a half dozen examples of superb value in the first 50 selections alone, but Dillard's elite upside at a premium position along with the fact that he's entering a situation that couldn't possibly be more ideal pushed him ahead of the pack. Dillard will get a chance to start right away at guard in place of the injured Brandon Brooks and be mentored by a pair of future Hall of Famers in Jason Peters and Jason Kelce before he ever plays a snap at left tackle. If all goes well and he lives up to his immense potential, Dillard could very well be joining his teammates in Canton someday.
Honorable Mentions: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Selected 35th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars), Deandre Baker, cornerback (Selected 30th overall by the New York Giants), Byron Murphy, cornerback (Selected 33rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals)
Worst Value Pick: Daniel Jones, quarterback (Selected 6th overall by the New York Giants)
Dave Gettleman has preached not reaching for a quarterback ever since he arrived in East Rutherford back in late 2017. Well good ol' Dice Roll Dave did just that when he chose the Duke product to be Eli Manning's eventual successor. There was seemingly no market for Jones at this juncture of the draft outside of the Giants, but the Redskins of all teams managed to dupe Gettleman into using the earlier of his team's 2 1st round picks by floating out a BS rumor that they were thinking of trading into the top 5 to select a QB. With no standout traits other than ideal size, Jones is about as unexciting of a young QB prospect as you'll come across and even if they saw something special in him that no one else did, he likely would've been there well after #6. Giants fans, ownership and established players shouldn't have to be putting up with reckless, boneheaded personnel decisions like this that could keep them in the league's basement for a long time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Selected 12th overall by the Green Bay Packers), Kaleb McGary, tackle (Selected 31st overall by the Atlanta Falcons), Jonathan Abram, safety (Selected 27th overall by the Oakland Raiders)
Premature 2019 Draft Grades for Each Team: (Full Draft Classes can be found here: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001028874/article/2019-nfl-draft-final-quicksnap-grades-for-all-32-teams):
Arizona Cardinals: A
Atlanta Falcons: D+
Baltimore Ravens: D
Buffalo Bills: A-
Carolina Panthers: A-
Chicago Bears: B+
Cincinnati Bengals: B-
Cleveland Browns: B
Dallas Cowboys: C+
Denver Broncos: B+
Detroit Lions: B
Green Bay Packers: A-
Houston Texans: C-
Indianapolis Colts: C+
Jacksonville Jaguars: B
Kansas City Chiefs: B+
Los Angeles Chargers: B+
Los Angeles Rams: A-
Miami Dolphins: B+
Minnesota Vikings: B
New England Patriots: A-
New Orleans Saints: B
New York Giants: B-
New York Jets: B+
Oakland Raiders: B-
Philadelphia Eagles: A
Pittsburgh Steelers: B+
San Francisco 49ers: B-
Seattle Seahawks: C-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
Tennessee Titans: A
Washington Redskins: B+
Sunday, April 28, 2019
2019 NFL Draft: Top 50 Overall Prospects+5 Best at Each Position+Biggest Sleepers and Potential Busts (Updated w/ NFL Landing Spots)
Overall Prospects:
1.Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama) Selected 3rd overall by the New York Jets
2.Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State) Selected 2nd overall by the San Francisco 49ers
3.Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky) Selected 7th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
4.Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston) Selected 9th overall by the Buffalo Bills
5.Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU) Selected 5th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6.Jeffrey Simmons, defensive tackle (Mississippi State) Selected 19th overall by the Tennessee Titans
7.Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State) Selected 16th overall by the Carolina Panthers
8.Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson) Selected 13th overall by the Miami Dolphins
9.T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa) Selected 8th overall by the Detroit Lions
10.Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State) Selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles
11.Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida) Selected 35th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
12.Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia) Selected 30th overall by the New York Giants
13.Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington) Selected 33rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
14.Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama) Selected 11th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
15.Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson) Selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders
16.A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi) Selected 51st overall by the Tennessee Titans
17.Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama) Selected 24th overall by the Oakland Raiders
18.Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State) Selected 41st overall by the Denver Broncos
19.Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State) Selected 26th overall by the Washington Redskins
20.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (UMass) Selected 62nd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
21.Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State) Selected 15th overall by the Washington Redskins
22.Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU) Selected 46th overall by the Cleveland Browns
23.Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware) Selected 60th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers
24.Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State) Selected 18th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
25.Darnell Savage, safety (Maryland) Selected 21st overall by the Green Bay Packers
26.Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame) Selected 28th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers
27.Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa) Selected 20th overall by the Denver Broncos
28.Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi) Selected 37th overall by the Carolina Panthers
29.David Montgomery, running back (Iowa State) Selected 73rd overall by the Chicago Bears
30.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame) Selected 108th overall by the New York Giants
31.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford) Selected 57th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles
32.Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma) Selected 1st overall by the Arizona Cardinals
33.N'Keal Harry, wide receiver (Arizona State) Selected 32nd overall by the New England Patriots
34.Chris Lindstrom, guard (Boston College) Selected 14th overall by the Atlanta Falcons
35.Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama) Selected 50th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
36.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan) Selected 77th overall by the New England Patriots
37.Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington) Selected 61st overall by the Los Angeles Rams
38.Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia) Selected 63rd overall by the Kansas City Chiefs
39.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State) Selected 103rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
40.Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma) Selected 38th overall by the Buffalo Bills
41.Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College) Selected 65th overall by the Arizona Cardinals
42.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State) Selected 146th overall by the Detroit Lions
43.Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson) Selected 17th overall by the New York Giants
44.Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State) Selected 44th overall by the Green Bay Packers
45.David Long, cornerback (Michigan) Selected 79th overall by the Los Angeles Rams
46.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa) Selected 116th overall by the Tennessee Titans
47.Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan) Selected 10th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers
48.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida) Selected 105th overall by the New Orleans Saints
49.Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina) Selected 36th overall by the San Francisco 49ers
50.L.J Collier, edge rusher (TCU) Selected 29th overall by the Seattle Seahawks
Top 5 Prospects by Position:
Quarterback:
1.Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State) NFL team: Washington Redskins
2.Kyler Murray (Oklahoma) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
3.Will Grier (West Virginia) NFL team: Carolina Panthers
4.Daniel Jones (Duke) NFL team: New York Giants
5.Ryan Finley (NC State) NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
Running Back:
1.Josh Jacobs (Alabama) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
2.David Montgomery (Iowa State) NFL team: Chicago Bears
3.Miles Sanders (Penn State) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
4.Darrell Henderson (Memphis) NFL team: Los Angeles Rams
5.Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic) NFL team: Buffalo Bills
Wide Receiver:
1.A.J. Brown (Mississippi) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
2.Andy Isabella (UMass) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
3.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
4.N'Keal Harry (Arizona State) NFL team: New England Patriots
5.Hakeem Butler (Iowa State) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
Tight End:
1.T.J. Hockensen (Iowa) NFL team: Detroit Lions
2.Noah Fant (Iowa) NFL team: Denver Broncos
3.Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) NFL team: Minnesota Vikings
4.Jace Sternberger (Texas A&M) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
5.Josh Oliver (San Jose State) NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Center:
1.Garrett Bradbury (NC State) NFL team: Minnesota Vikings
2.Elgton Jenkins (Mississippi State) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
3.Erik McCoy (Texas A&M) NFL team: New Orleans Saints
4.Lamont Gaillard (Georgia) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
5.Michael Jordan (Ohio State) NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
Guard:
1.Jonah Williams (Alabama) NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
2.Chris Lindstrom (Boston College) NFL team: Atlanta Falcons
3.Cody Ford (Oklahoma) NFL team: Buffalo Bills
4.Connor McGovern (Penn State) NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
5.Michael Dieter (Wisconsin) NFL team: Miami Dolphins
Tackle:
1.Andre Dillard (Washington State) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
2.Jawaan Taylor (Florida) NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Dalton Risner (Kansas State) NFL team: Denver Broncos
4.Greg Little (Mississippi) NFL team: Carolina Panthers
5.Max Scharping (Northern Illinois) NFL team: Houston Texans
Edge Rusher (Defensive End/Outside Linebacker):
1.Nick Bosa (Ohio State) NFL team: San Francisco 49ers
2.Josh Allen (Kentucky) NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Brian Burns (Florida State) NFL team: Carolina Panthers
4.Clellin Ferrell (Clemson) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
5.Montez Sweat (Mississippi State) NFL team: Washington Redskins
Defensive Tackle:
1.Quinnen Williams (Alabama) NFL team: New York Jets
2.Ed Oliver (Houston) NFL team: Buffalo Bills
3.Jeffrey Simmons (Mississippi State) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
4.Christian Wilkins (Clemson) NFL team: Miami Dolphins
5.Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame) NFL team: Los Angeles Chargers
Inside Linebacker:
1.Devin White (LSU) NFL team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2.Devin Bush (Michigan) NFL team: Pittsburgh Steelers
3.Blake Cashman (Minnesota) NFL team: New York Jets
4.Te'Von Coney (Notre Dame) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
5.Mack Wilson (Alabama) NFL team: Cleveland Browns
Cornerback:
1.Deandre Baker (Georgia) NFL team: New York Giants
2.Byron Murphy (Washington) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
3.Greedy Williams (LSU) NFL team: Cleveland Browns
4.Julian Love (Notre Dame) NFL team: New York Giants
5.Amani Oruwayrie (Penn State) NFL team: Detroit Lions
Safety:
1.Nasir Adderley (Delaware) NFL team: Los Angeles Chargers
2.Darnell Savage (Maryland) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
3.Taylor Rapp (Washington) NFL team: Los Angeles Rams
4.Juan Thornhill (Virginia) NFL team: Kansas City Chiefs
5.Amani Hooker (Iowa) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
Biggest Sleepers:
1.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (UMass) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
2.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
3.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan) NFL team: New England Patriots
4.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame) NFL team: New York Giants
5.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State) NFL team: Detroit Lions
6.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
7.Jamel Dean, cornerback (Auburn) NFL team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8.Blake Cashman, inside linebacker (Minnesota) NFL team: New York Jets
9.Jace Sternberger, tight end (Texas A&) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
10.Darrell Henderson, running back (Memphis) NFL team: Los Angeles Rams
Highest Bust Potential:
1.D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi) NFL team: Seattle Seahawks
2.Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri) NFL team: Denver Broncos
3.Daniel Jones, quarterback (Duke) NFL team: New York Giants
4.Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
5.Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma) NFL team: Baltimore Ravens
6.Rock Ya-Sin, cornerback (Temple) NFL team: Indianapolis Colts
7.Jonathan Abram, safety (Mississippi Stat) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
8.Jachai Polite, edge rusher (Florida) NFL team: New York Jets
9.Jaylon Ferguson, edge rusher (Louisiana Tech) NFL team: Baltimore Ravens
10.Trayvon Mullen, cornerback (Clemson) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
1.Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama) Selected 3rd overall by the New York Jets
2.Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State) Selected 2nd overall by the San Francisco 49ers
3.Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky) Selected 7th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
4.Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston) Selected 9th overall by the Buffalo Bills
5.Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU) Selected 5th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6.Jeffrey Simmons, defensive tackle (Mississippi State) Selected 19th overall by the Tennessee Titans
7.Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State) Selected 16th overall by the Carolina Panthers
8.Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson) Selected 13th overall by the Miami Dolphins
9.T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa) Selected 8th overall by the Detroit Lions
10.Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State) Selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles
11.Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida) Selected 35th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
12.Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia) Selected 30th overall by the New York Giants
13.Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington) Selected 33rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
14.Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama) Selected 11th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
15.Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson) Selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders
16.A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi) Selected 51st overall by the Tennessee Titans
17.Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama) Selected 24th overall by the Oakland Raiders
18.Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State) Selected 41st overall by the Denver Broncos
19.Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State) Selected 26th overall by the Washington Redskins
20.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (UMass) Selected 62nd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
21.Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State) Selected 15th overall by the Washington Redskins
22.Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU) Selected 46th overall by the Cleveland Browns
23.Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware) Selected 60th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers
24.Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State) Selected 18th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
25.Darnell Savage, safety (Maryland) Selected 21st overall by the Green Bay Packers
26.Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame) Selected 28th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers
27.Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa) Selected 20th overall by the Denver Broncos
28.Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi) Selected 37th overall by the Carolina Panthers
29.David Montgomery, running back (Iowa State) Selected 73rd overall by the Chicago Bears
30.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame) Selected 108th overall by the New York Giants
31.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford) Selected 57th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles
32.Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma) Selected 1st overall by the Arizona Cardinals
33.N'Keal Harry, wide receiver (Arizona State) Selected 32nd overall by the New England Patriots
34.Chris Lindstrom, guard (Boston College) Selected 14th overall by the Atlanta Falcons
35.Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama) Selected 50th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
36.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan) Selected 77th overall by the New England Patriots
37.Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington) Selected 61st overall by the Los Angeles Rams
38.Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia) Selected 63rd overall by the Kansas City Chiefs
39.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State) Selected 103rd overall by the Arizona Cardinals
40.Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma) Selected 38th overall by the Buffalo Bills
41.Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College) Selected 65th overall by the Arizona Cardinals
42.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State) Selected 146th overall by the Detroit Lions
43.Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson) Selected 17th overall by the New York Giants
44.Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State) Selected 44th overall by the Green Bay Packers
45.David Long, cornerback (Michigan) Selected 79th overall by the Los Angeles Rams
46.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa) Selected 116th overall by the Tennessee Titans
47.Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan) Selected 10th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers
48.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida) Selected 105th overall by the New Orleans Saints
49.Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina) Selected 36th overall by the San Francisco 49ers
50.L.J Collier, edge rusher (TCU) Selected 29th overall by the Seattle Seahawks
Top 5 Prospects by Position:
Quarterback:
1.Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State) NFL team: Washington Redskins
2.Kyler Murray (Oklahoma) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
3.Will Grier (West Virginia) NFL team: Carolina Panthers
4.Daniel Jones (Duke) NFL team: New York Giants
5.Ryan Finley (NC State) NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
Running Back:
1.Josh Jacobs (Alabama) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
2.David Montgomery (Iowa State) NFL team: Chicago Bears
3.Miles Sanders (Penn State) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
4.Darrell Henderson (Memphis) NFL team: Los Angeles Rams
5.Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic) NFL team: Buffalo Bills
Wide Receiver:
1.A.J. Brown (Mississippi) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
2.Andy Isabella (UMass) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
3.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
4.N'Keal Harry (Arizona State) NFL team: New England Patriots
5.Hakeem Butler (Iowa State) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
Tight End:
1.T.J. Hockensen (Iowa) NFL team: Detroit Lions
2.Noah Fant (Iowa) NFL team: Denver Broncos
3.Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama) NFL team: Minnesota Vikings
4.Jace Sternberger (Texas A&M) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
5.Josh Oliver (San Jose State) NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Center:
1.Garrett Bradbury (NC State) NFL team: Minnesota Vikings
2.Elgton Jenkins (Mississippi State) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
3.Erik McCoy (Texas A&M) NFL team: New Orleans Saints
4.Lamont Gaillard (Georgia) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
5.Michael Jordan (Ohio State) NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
Guard:
1.Jonah Williams (Alabama) NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
2.Chris Lindstrom (Boston College) NFL team: Atlanta Falcons
3.Cody Ford (Oklahoma) NFL team: Buffalo Bills
4.Connor McGovern (Penn State) NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
5.Michael Dieter (Wisconsin) NFL team: Miami Dolphins
Tackle:
1.Andre Dillard (Washington State) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
2.Jawaan Taylor (Florida) NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Dalton Risner (Kansas State) NFL team: Denver Broncos
4.Greg Little (Mississippi) NFL team: Carolina Panthers
5.Max Scharping (Northern Illinois) NFL team: Houston Texans
Edge Rusher (Defensive End/Outside Linebacker):
1.Nick Bosa (Ohio State) NFL team: San Francisco 49ers
2.Josh Allen (Kentucky) NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Brian Burns (Florida State) NFL team: Carolina Panthers
4.Clellin Ferrell (Clemson) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
5.Montez Sweat (Mississippi State) NFL team: Washington Redskins
Defensive Tackle:
1.Quinnen Williams (Alabama) NFL team: New York Jets
2.Ed Oliver (Houston) NFL team: Buffalo Bills
3.Jeffrey Simmons (Mississippi State) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
4.Christian Wilkins (Clemson) NFL team: Miami Dolphins
5.Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame) NFL team: Los Angeles Chargers
Inside Linebacker:
1.Devin White (LSU) NFL team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2.Devin Bush (Michigan) NFL team: Pittsburgh Steelers
3.Blake Cashman (Minnesota) NFL team: New York Jets
4.Te'Von Coney (Notre Dame) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
5.Mack Wilson (Alabama) NFL team: Cleveland Browns
Cornerback:
1.Deandre Baker (Georgia) NFL team: New York Giants
2.Byron Murphy (Washington) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
3.Greedy Williams (LSU) NFL team: Cleveland Browns
4.Julian Love (Notre Dame) NFL team: New York Giants
5.Amani Oruwayrie (Penn State) NFL team: Detroit Lions
Safety:
1.Nasir Adderley (Delaware) NFL team: Los Angeles Chargers
2.Darnell Savage (Maryland) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
3.Taylor Rapp (Washington) NFL team: Los Angeles Rams
4.Juan Thornhill (Virginia) NFL team: Kansas City Chiefs
5.Amani Hooker (Iowa) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
Biggest Sleepers:
1.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (UMass) NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
2.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford) NFL team: Philadelphia Eagles
3.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan) NFL team: New England Patriots
4.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame) NFL team: New York Giants
5.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State) NFL team: Detroit Lions
6.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa) NFL team: Tennessee Titans
7.Jamel Dean, cornerback (Auburn) NFL team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8.Blake Cashman, inside linebacker (Minnesota) NFL team: New York Jets
9.Jace Sternberger, tight end (Texas A&) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
10.Darrell Henderson, running back (Memphis) NFL team: Los Angeles Rams
Highest Bust Potential:
1.D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi) NFL team: Seattle Seahawks
2.Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri) NFL team: Denver Broncos
3.Daniel Jones, quarterback (Duke) NFL team: New York Giants
4.Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan) NFL team: Green Bay Packers
5.Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma) NFL team: Baltimore Ravens
6.Rock Ya-Sin, cornerback (Temple) NFL team: Indianapolis Colts
7.Jonathan Abram, safety (Mississippi Stat) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
8.Jachai Polite, edge rusher (Florida) NFL team: New York Jets
9.Jaylon Ferguson, edge rusher (Louisiana Tech) NFL team: Baltimore Ravens
10.Trayvon Mullen, cornerback (Clemson) NFL team: Oakland Raiders
Saturday, April 27, 2019
2019 NFL Draft: 25 Best Players Available on Day 3
1.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
2.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
3.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
4.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
5.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida)
6.Blake Cashman, inside linebacker (Minnesota)
7.Deionte Thompson, safety (Alabama)
8.Kelvin Harmon, wide receiver (NC State)
9.Charles Omenihu, edge rusher (Texas)
10.Kingsley Keke, defensive tackle (Texas A&M)
11.Lamont Gaillard, center/guard (Georgia)
12.Te'Von Coney, inside linebacker (Notre Dame)
13.Anthony Nelson, edge rusher (Iowa)
14.Hjate Froholdt, guard (Arkansas)
15.Riley Ridley, wide receiver (Georgia)
16.Bryce Love, running back (Stanford)
17.Maxx Crosby, edge rusher (Eastern Michigan)
18.Ryan Finley, quarterback (NC State)
19.Trevon Tate, guard (Memphis)
20.Kaden Smith, tight end (Stanford)
21.Emmanuel Hill, wide receiver (Missouri)
22.Isaiah Johnson, cornerback (Houston)
23.Mack Wilson, inside linebacker (Alabama)
24.Justice Hill, running back (Oklahoma State)
25.Greg Gaines, defensive tackle (Washington
2.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
3.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
4.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
5.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida)
6.Blake Cashman, inside linebacker (Minnesota)
7.Deionte Thompson, safety (Alabama)
8.Kelvin Harmon, wide receiver (NC State)
9.Charles Omenihu, edge rusher (Texas)
10.Kingsley Keke, defensive tackle (Texas A&M)
11.Lamont Gaillard, center/guard (Georgia)
12.Te'Von Coney, inside linebacker (Notre Dame)
13.Anthony Nelson, edge rusher (Iowa)
14.Hjate Froholdt, guard (Arkansas)
15.Riley Ridley, wide receiver (Georgia)
16.Bryce Love, running back (Stanford)
17.Maxx Crosby, edge rusher (Eastern Michigan)
18.Ryan Finley, quarterback (NC State)
19.Trevon Tate, guard (Memphis)
20.Kaden Smith, tight end (Stanford)
21.Emmanuel Hill, wide receiver (Missouri)
22.Isaiah Johnson, cornerback (Houston)
23.Mack Wilson, inside linebacker (Alabama)
24.Justice Hill, running back (Oklahoma State)
25.Greg Gaines, defensive tackle (Washington
Friday, April 26, 2019
2019 NFL Draft: 25 Best Players Available on Day 2
1.Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
2.Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
3.A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
4.Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
5.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (Massachusetts)
6.Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
7.Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware)
8.Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
9.David Montgomery, running back (Iowa State)
10.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
11.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
12.Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
13.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
14.Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
15.Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia)
16.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
17.Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
18.Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College)
19.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
20.Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State)
21.David Long, cornerback (Michigan)
22.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
23.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida)
24.Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina)
25.Justin Layne, cornerback (Michigan State)
2.Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
3.A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
4.Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
5.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (Massachusetts)
6.Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
7.Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware)
8.Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
9.David Montgomery, running back (Iowa State)
10.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
11.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
12.Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
13.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
14.Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
15.Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia)
16.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
17.Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
18.Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College)
19.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
20.Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State)
21.David Long, cornerback (Michigan)
22.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
23.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida)
24.Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina)
25.Justin Layne, cornerback (Michigan State)
Thursday, April 25, 2019
2019 NFL Mock Draft 6.0 (April 25th, Draft Day)
1.Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma)
It's hard to tell what's actually true during Smokescreen SZN, but the "Josh Rosen might be staying in Arizona after all!" whispers are by far the least convincing reports floating around the NFL news wire at the moment. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury is a perceived offensive wizard that wants his own guy under center and since they're picking 1st overall, the Cardinals have the rare luxury of honoring that request without having to give anything up in the process. Murray's rare accuracy and pocket presence for a dual-threat QB makes him a really appealing option to run Kingsbury's air raid attack.
2.San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
With the Cardinals going with a quarterback, the next four teams on the board will seemingly get their pick of the litter in this loaded defensive draft. While there's durability concerns that aren't there with Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen, Bosa would fill a desperate need at defensive end/outside linebacker. With his combination of excellent power, speed and technique off the edge, Bosa looks like could become an even more lethal pass rusher than his older brother Joey-who was picked 3rd overall by the Chargers in 2016 and has 28.5 sacks in his first 35 NFL games.
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
A trade down is very possible here as the Jets currently only have 6 picks and aren't slated to pick again until the top of the 3rd round. That being said, their near signing of Anthony Barr in free agency indicates that they're desperate for edge help and the consistent tenacity that Allen displays when pursuing the quarterback paired with his ability to drop back in coverage if needed might be too tempting for Mike Maccganan to pass up.
4.Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
Dealing Khalil Mack prior to the start of last season has left the Raiders with no elite defensive assets to build around. Taking Williams here could change that. Williams is arguably the most disruptive interior defensive line prospect to come along since Aaron Donald and even the remote possibility of adding that type of game-changing force to the middle of their defense should have Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock rushing to the phones to send their pick in.
5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston)
Switching to a 3-4 under new DC Todd Bowles has completely re-shuffled the Bucs front 7. With Jason Pierre-Paul moving back to outside linebacker and last year's 1st round pick Vita Vea being penciled at nose tackle, a slot on the defensive line is now up for grabs. Enter Oliver. Allowing him to play as more of a defensive end eliminates the size concerns (he's listed at 6'2, 287 lbs) that have plagued him throughout the pre-draft evaluation process and his superb instincts, relentless motor and steadfast refusal to quit on a play would be a great addition to this overhauled unit.
6.New York Giants: Daniel Jones, quarterback (Duke)
The Giants seem strangely content to trot out the rotting corpse of Eli Manning at quarterback for another year and I wouldn't bat an eye if Dave Gettleman's repeated insistence that the 2x Super Bowl Champ will be their uncontested starter for the foreseeable future proved to be truthful. That being said, they've been linked to Jones for quite some time now, so I'm going to go ahead and say with a modest amount of confidence that 2019's “Looks the Part” QB of the Year ends up landing in East Rutherford.
7.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
The Jags o-line has been wretched for years now and considering that they want to be a smashmouth, run-first team that relies on their defense to win games, addressing this perennial liability remains at the top of their list of needs. Taylor is the best run-blocking tackle in this draft by far-which should be enough to give him an edge over the rest of the offensive lineman that are projected to go in the top 20.
8.Detroit Lions: Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
The Lions desire to move down is no secret, but if they decide to stick and pick, adding an edge rusher to pair with free agent pickup Trey Flowers makes a ton of sense. An explosive pass rush-centric guy like Burns would be the perfect complement to Flowers-who is one of the position's finest run defenders.
9.Buffalo Bills: Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
While their woes at receiver gained more attention thanks to the passing game struggles of rookie quarterback Josh Allen, no unit on the Bills struggled more in 2018 than their defensive interior. Free agent pickup Star Loltulelei got torched in the running game, rookie Harrison Phillips was below average at best and beloved veteran workhorse Kyle Williams-who announcement his retirement at the end of the year-finally slowed down to the point where he wasn't making a notable impact whenever he was on the field. Adding a strong, well-rounded player like Wilkins who is polished enough to start right away could help alleviate some of these lingering issues as they look to take a step forward in their rebuilding process.
10.Denver Broncos: Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
This pick would be a perfect marriage of value and fit. White is a top 5-caliber talent who just happens to be exactly the type of sound, athletic field general new head coach Vic Fangio wants in the middle of his defense. Plus selecting White would allow John Elway, who is clearly still scarred from his decision to take Paxton Lynch 26th overall in 2016, to continue to stall on taking a quarterback- making this a win for every power player in the Broncos organization.
11.Cincinnati Bengals: Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
Bringing in a new head coach (former Rams QB coach Zac Taylor) should be enough to inspire a long-overdue shakeup at the quarterback position. Haskins is an accurate pure pocket-passer who made a ton of NFL-caliber throws during his lone year as Ohio State's starter and getting a chance to sit behind frustrating albeit completely competent vet Andy Dalton for a year should be beneficial for his long-term development.
12.Green Bay Packers: T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
Yes, the Packers spent big bucks on Jimmy Graham a year ago, but he's a nearly 33-year old receiver who barely lines up outside of the slot and is coming off an underwhelming 2 TD season. Hockensen is willing to do the dirty work as a blocker that Graham isn't while also providing the downfield receiving prowess that the 5-time Pro Bowler failed to provide during his inaugural season in Cheese Country.
13.Miami Dolphins: Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
Is a quarterback out of the question here? No, but considering that they effectively just launched a rebuild and Ryan Fitzpatrick is a completely viable stopgap option, they can afford to wait until next year to take their next potential franchise guy. Adding a hard-nosed technician who can lineup anywhere but center to a line that currently has no legit starters besides left tackle Laremy Tunsil would be a savvy, forward-thinking move for Brian Flores' squad.
14.Atlanta Falcons: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
No one benefited more from the results of the post-combine medical recheck than Tillery and his rapidly-rising stock could catapult him to the middle of the first round. Putting someone with Tillery's burst and strength next to gap-clogging mauler Grady Jarrett should put the Falcons in contention for the title of Most Overwhelming Interior Pass Rush in the League.
15.Washington Redskins: Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
Alex Smith's career is still very much in jeopardy and projected 2019 starter Case Keenum will be a free agent after the season. These long-term question marks under center open up the door for the 'Skins to take a chance on Lock. His accuracy (56.9 career CMP%) and performance against tough competition (he only posted a 2:1 TD:INT ratio against SEC opponents in 2018) in college were very questionable, but Lock's rocket arm, mobility and wealth of starting experience (3 years) has won him quite a few fans in scouting circles despite the presence of these alarming red flags on his resume.
16.Carolina Panthers: Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
Not having a true left tackle on the roster with Cam Newton coming off major shoulder surgery isn't a great look for the Panthers. While his inconsistency as a run-blocker game admittedly isn't ideal for a team that heavily relies on the run, Dillard is a stout pass-protector that possesses exceptional athleticism for the position who could have what it takes to slide into that vital role.
17.New York Giants: Rashan Gary, edge rusher/defensive tackle (Michigan)
Gettleman is reportedly just as interested in adding an edge rusher as he is a quarterback whose strongest asset is being tall. Gary is a polarizing prospect with a bum shoulder who never really popped at Michigan, but he's super athletic and can line up anywhere on the defensive line-making him a very desirable target for Dice Roll Dave.
18.Minnesota Vikings: Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
There's honestly not even a single spot on the Vikings o-line can be a considered a strength right now, so the front office has the freedom to draft whoever they feel is the best lineman still on the board at #18. Fluid, pro-ready footwork/hand usage and 3 years of starting experience at a solid ACC program should ultimately help Bradbury get the nod over the physically-imposing, but very erratic Oklahoma product Cody Ford.
19.Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
Surrounding Marcus Mariota with weapons has been ongoing mission that has yielded very poor results during his 4 years with the Titans. Bringing in a potential matchup nightmare (6'4, 249 lbs, 4.5 40 time) in Fant to occupy the slot may finally introduce an element of explosiveness to a typically conservative aerial attack as the 25 year-old signalcaller enters his contract year.
20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
Inside linebacker play has been a crippling problem in the Steel City since Ryan Shazier suffered a (likely) career-ending spine injury in December 2017. Filling the shoes of a guy who became a cult hero thanks to his sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability over his 4 years in the league would be tough for anybody, but Bush appears to be 100% qualified to take on this daunting challenge. The freakishly athletic Michigan star plays the game with the same type of frenzied energy as Shazier did and could end up being similarly productive in Keith Butler's zone scheme as a result.
21.Seattle Seahawks: Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
Pass rush was an area that the Seahawks needed to improve going to 2019 and now that they've traded reigning sack leader Frank Clark, they're absolutely desperate to land some edge help here. Luckily for them, a touted prospect like Ferrell should still be on the board at #21. Ferrell is nowhere near the project that Clark was coming out of college and his ideal quick first step/power to fight through blocks combo makes him the next potential double-digit sack threat in the Pacific Northwest.
22.Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
A quick glance at the Ravens wide receiver depth chart (Willie Snead and Seth Roberts, who combined for 1,148 YDS and 3 TD's in 2018, are currently projected to start) indicates that the position is a top priority for them during this draft. With his blistering speed and shiftiness in the open field, Brown is the type of home run threat that could help bring Lamar Jackson's passing to the next level.
23.Houston Texans: Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
Whether or not Ford, who battled some consistency issues throughout his college career, is ready to play tackle at the next level remains a serious question, but his proficiency as a downfield blocker and exceptional athleticism for his size (nearly 330 lbs) makes him perfectly suited to play guard right away in the Texans uptempo offense.
24.Oakland Raiders: Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
Getting a read on this corner class is damn near impossible. There's nothing that even resembles a consensus regarding the top prospects and the estimates of when the 1st guy will come off the board have been all over the map (I've seen everything from top 5 to the beginning of Round 2). Given their egregious lack of secondary talent, the Raiders seems like a good bet to kick off the draft night festivities for the divas of the backend. Williams is a gambler who will allow some ugly TD's and regularly get exploited as a tackler, but his strong footwork, route-recognition skills and top-end speed gives him a high ceiling that rivals any DB in this class.
25.Philadelphia Eagles: Darnell Savage, safety (Maryland)
Buzz has started to swell around this previously wildly underrated safety from the University of Maryland entering the 1st round equation. While there's a ton of teams picking from 20-32 that are in the market for a safety, the Eagles appear to be the most likely to pull the trigger on Savage early. His combination of strong coverage skills, exceptional burst that allows him to stalk the line of scrimmage and the high football IQ you want in a free safety makes him a really appealing option for a defense that ranked 30th against the pass last season.
26.Indianapolis Colts: Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
Pierre Desir was a nice surprise for the Colts last year, but they still need to add some more depth at the corner position if they want to try and separate themselves from the pack in a deep AFC South. Murphy is a tough and disciplined ballhawk (of the 87 targets he faced in college, he made 7 INT's, 20 pass breakups and allowed a CMP% of just 48.8) who could ruin a lot of receiver's days for the next decade.
27.Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
Gruden is a proud gridiron Neanderthal, so him taking the 1st running back of the 2019 draft would truly be poetic. While he lacks top-end speed (the 4.63 40 he ran at his Pro Day has drawn a lot of criticism), Jacobs is a tough, patient runner with very little tread on his tires (he never touched the ball more than 140 times in any of his 3 seasons at Alabama) who contributes enough in the passing game to be an all-around back at the next level.
28.Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson)
Ask the Patriots just how easy it was to run wild on the Chargers last season. Adding a 340-pound nose tackle who can routinely blow through double teams and make TFL's might not be enough to completely nix their woes against competent ground attacks, but it would certainly be a nice step in the right direction of accomplishing their lofty goal of allowing nearly 5 yards per carry in a playoff game again for a 2nd straight season.
29.Seattle Seahawks: Rock Ya-Sin, cornerback (Temple)
The Seahawks have rostered plenty of physical, athletically-gifted corners who are far from finished products over the years (Byron Maxwell, Brandon Browner, current top Shaq Griffin) and that's exactly what Ya-Sin is at this juncture. He only played against D1 competition for 1 season and his fundamentals are REALLY rough, but Sin displayed solid ball skills and a consistent willingness to help in run support during his time at Temple.
30.Green Bay Packers: Chris Lindstorm, guard (Boston College)
With his great lateral movement, sizable mean streak and potential to play all 5 spots on the line, Lindstorm would bring a nice dose of athleticism and versatility to an o-line that needs some help alongside 3x All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari.
31.Los Angeles Rams: Chauncey Gardener-Johnson, safety/cornerback/linebacker (Florida)
Gardner-Johnson is a versatile weapon with absurd range and a strong nose for the ball who can start off as a slot corner or perhaps even an undersized coverage linebacker a la Mark Barron before eventually transitioning back to his natural position of free safety once 34-year old Eric Weddle hangs them up for good.
32.New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
Smith might lack the size (6'4, 241 lbs) and blocking prowess Bill Belichick covets at the position, but he would still be an intriguing addition to a suddenly-depleted Patriots tight end group. He's a solid receiving option who can make things happen after the catch and despite not being dominant, is more than willing to take on any blocking assignment you throw his way. The fact that he played for Belichick's longtime pal Nick Saban at Alabama also doesn't hurt.
2nd round:
33.Arizona Cardinals: D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
34.Indianapolis Colts: A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
35.Oakland Raiders: Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina)
36.San Francisco 49ers: Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
37.New York Giants: Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
38.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeffrey Simmons, defensive tackle (Mississippi State)
39.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
40.Buffalo Bills: Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
41.Denver Broncos: Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
42.Cincinnati Bengals: Tytus Howard, tackle (Alabama State)
43.Detroit Lions: Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State)
44.Green Bay Packers: Dre'Mont Jones, defensive tackle (Ohio State)
45.Atlanta Falcons: Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
46.Washington Redskins: Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
47.Carolina Panthers: N'Keal Harry, wide receiver (Arizona State)
48.Miami Dolphins: Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College)
49.Cleveland Browns: Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware)
50.Minnesota Vikings: Jaylon Ferguson, edge rusher (Louisiana Tech)
51.Tennessee Titans: Erik McCoy, center/guard (Texas A&M)
52.Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Layne, cornerback (Michigan State)
53.Philadelphia Eagles: Parris Campbell, wide receiver (Ohio State)
54.Houston Texans: Jonathan Abram, safety (Mississippi State)
55.Houston Texans: Miles Sanders, running back (Penn State)
56.New England Patriots: Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
57.Philadelphia Eagles: Connor McGovern, guard (Penn State)
58.Dallas Cowboys: Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia)
59.Indianapolis Colts: Khalen Saunders, defensive tackle (Western Illinois)
60.Los Angeles Chargers: Kaleb McGary, tackle (Washington)
61.Kansas City Chiefs: Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
62.New Orleans Saints: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
63.Kansas City Chiefs: Lonnie Johnson Jr., cornerback (Kentucky)
64.New England Patriots: Mack Wilson, inside linebacker (Alabama)
It's hard to tell what's actually true during Smokescreen SZN, but the "Josh Rosen might be staying in Arizona after all!" whispers are by far the least convincing reports floating around the NFL news wire at the moment. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury is a perceived offensive wizard that wants his own guy under center and since they're picking 1st overall, the Cardinals have the rare luxury of honoring that request without having to give anything up in the process. Murray's rare accuracy and pocket presence for a dual-threat QB makes him a really appealing option to run Kingsbury's air raid attack.
2.San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
With the Cardinals going with a quarterback, the next four teams on the board will seemingly get their pick of the litter in this loaded defensive draft. While there's durability concerns that aren't there with Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen, Bosa would fill a desperate need at defensive end/outside linebacker. With his combination of excellent power, speed and technique off the edge, Bosa looks like could become an even more lethal pass rusher than his older brother Joey-who was picked 3rd overall by the Chargers in 2016 and has 28.5 sacks in his first 35 NFL games.
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
A trade down is very possible here as the Jets currently only have 6 picks and aren't slated to pick again until the top of the 3rd round. That being said, their near signing of Anthony Barr in free agency indicates that they're desperate for edge help and the consistent tenacity that Allen displays when pursuing the quarterback paired with his ability to drop back in coverage if needed might be too tempting for Mike Maccganan to pass up.
4.Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
Dealing Khalil Mack prior to the start of last season has left the Raiders with no elite defensive assets to build around. Taking Williams here could change that. Williams is arguably the most disruptive interior defensive line prospect to come along since Aaron Donald and even the remote possibility of adding that type of game-changing force to the middle of their defense should have Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock rushing to the phones to send their pick in.
5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston)
Switching to a 3-4 under new DC Todd Bowles has completely re-shuffled the Bucs front 7. With Jason Pierre-Paul moving back to outside linebacker and last year's 1st round pick Vita Vea being penciled at nose tackle, a slot on the defensive line is now up for grabs. Enter Oliver. Allowing him to play as more of a defensive end eliminates the size concerns (he's listed at 6'2, 287 lbs) that have plagued him throughout the pre-draft evaluation process and his superb instincts, relentless motor and steadfast refusal to quit on a play would be a great addition to this overhauled unit.
6.New York Giants: Daniel Jones, quarterback (Duke)
The Giants seem strangely content to trot out the rotting corpse of Eli Manning at quarterback for another year and I wouldn't bat an eye if Dave Gettleman's repeated insistence that the 2x Super Bowl Champ will be their uncontested starter for the foreseeable future proved to be truthful. That being said, they've been linked to Jones for quite some time now, so I'm going to go ahead and say with a modest amount of confidence that 2019's “Looks the Part” QB of the Year ends up landing in East Rutherford.
7.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
The Jags o-line has been wretched for years now and considering that they want to be a smashmouth, run-first team that relies on their defense to win games, addressing this perennial liability remains at the top of their list of needs. Taylor is the best run-blocking tackle in this draft by far-which should be enough to give him an edge over the rest of the offensive lineman that are projected to go in the top 20.
8.Detroit Lions: Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
The Lions desire to move down is no secret, but if they decide to stick and pick, adding an edge rusher to pair with free agent pickup Trey Flowers makes a ton of sense. An explosive pass rush-centric guy like Burns would be the perfect complement to Flowers-who is one of the position's finest run defenders.
9.Buffalo Bills: Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
While their woes at receiver gained more attention thanks to the passing game struggles of rookie quarterback Josh Allen, no unit on the Bills struggled more in 2018 than their defensive interior. Free agent pickup Star Loltulelei got torched in the running game, rookie Harrison Phillips was below average at best and beloved veteran workhorse Kyle Williams-who announcement his retirement at the end of the year-finally slowed down to the point where he wasn't making a notable impact whenever he was on the field. Adding a strong, well-rounded player like Wilkins who is polished enough to start right away could help alleviate some of these lingering issues as they look to take a step forward in their rebuilding process.
10.Denver Broncos: Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
This pick would be a perfect marriage of value and fit. White is a top 5-caliber talent who just happens to be exactly the type of sound, athletic field general new head coach Vic Fangio wants in the middle of his defense. Plus selecting White would allow John Elway, who is clearly still scarred from his decision to take Paxton Lynch 26th overall in 2016, to continue to stall on taking a quarterback- making this a win for every power player in the Broncos organization.
11.Cincinnati Bengals: Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
Bringing in a new head coach (former Rams QB coach Zac Taylor) should be enough to inspire a long-overdue shakeup at the quarterback position. Haskins is an accurate pure pocket-passer who made a ton of NFL-caliber throws during his lone year as Ohio State's starter and getting a chance to sit behind frustrating albeit completely competent vet Andy Dalton for a year should be beneficial for his long-term development.
12.Green Bay Packers: T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
Yes, the Packers spent big bucks on Jimmy Graham a year ago, but he's a nearly 33-year old receiver who barely lines up outside of the slot and is coming off an underwhelming 2 TD season. Hockensen is willing to do the dirty work as a blocker that Graham isn't while also providing the downfield receiving prowess that the 5-time Pro Bowler failed to provide during his inaugural season in Cheese Country.
13.Miami Dolphins: Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
Is a quarterback out of the question here? No, but considering that they effectively just launched a rebuild and Ryan Fitzpatrick is a completely viable stopgap option, they can afford to wait until next year to take their next potential franchise guy. Adding a hard-nosed technician who can lineup anywhere but center to a line that currently has no legit starters besides left tackle Laremy Tunsil would be a savvy, forward-thinking move for Brian Flores' squad.
14.Atlanta Falcons: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
No one benefited more from the results of the post-combine medical recheck than Tillery and his rapidly-rising stock could catapult him to the middle of the first round. Putting someone with Tillery's burst and strength next to gap-clogging mauler Grady Jarrett should put the Falcons in contention for the title of Most Overwhelming Interior Pass Rush in the League.
15.Washington Redskins: Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
Alex Smith's career is still very much in jeopardy and projected 2019 starter Case Keenum will be a free agent after the season. These long-term question marks under center open up the door for the 'Skins to take a chance on Lock. His accuracy (56.9 career CMP%) and performance against tough competition (he only posted a 2:1 TD:INT ratio against SEC opponents in 2018) in college were very questionable, but Lock's rocket arm, mobility and wealth of starting experience (3 years) has won him quite a few fans in scouting circles despite the presence of these alarming red flags on his resume.
16.Carolina Panthers: Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
Not having a true left tackle on the roster with Cam Newton coming off major shoulder surgery isn't a great look for the Panthers. While his inconsistency as a run-blocker game admittedly isn't ideal for a team that heavily relies on the run, Dillard is a stout pass-protector that possesses exceptional athleticism for the position who could have what it takes to slide into that vital role.
17.New York Giants: Rashan Gary, edge rusher/defensive tackle (Michigan)
Gettleman is reportedly just as interested in adding an edge rusher as he is a quarterback whose strongest asset is being tall. Gary is a polarizing prospect with a bum shoulder who never really popped at Michigan, but he's super athletic and can line up anywhere on the defensive line-making him a very desirable target for Dice Roll Dave.
18.Minnesota Vikings: Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
There's honestly not even a single spot on the Vikings o-line can be a considered a strength right now, so the front office has the freedom to draft whoever they feel is the best lineman still on the board at #18. Fluid, pro-ready footwork/hand usage and 3 years of starting experience at a solid ACC program should ultimately help Bradbury get the nod over the physically-imposing, but very erratic Oklahoma product Cody Ford.
19.Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
Surrounding Marcus Mariota with weapons has been ongoing mission that has yielded very poor results during his 4 years with the Titans. Bringing in a potential matchup nightmare (6'4, 249 lbs, 4.5 40 time) in Fant to occupy the slot may finally introduce an element of explosiveness to a typically conservative aerial attack as the 25 year-old signalcaller enters his contract year.
20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
Inside linebacker play has been a crippling problem in the Steel City since Ryan Shazier suffered a (likely) career-ending spine injury in December 2017. Filling the shoes of a guy who became a cult hero thanks to his sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability over his 4 years in the league would be tough for anybody, but Bush appears to be 100% qualified to take on this daunting challenge. The freakishly athletic Michigan star plays the game with the same type of frenzied energy as Shazier did and could end up being similarly productive in Keith Butler's zone scheme as a result.
21.Seattle Seahawks: Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
Pass rush was an area that the Seahawks needed to improve going to 2019 and now that they've traded reigning sack leader Frank Clark, they're absolutely desperate to land some edge help here. Luckily for them, a touted prospect like Ferrell should still be on the board at #21. Ferrell is nowhere near the project that Clark was coming out of college and his ideal quick first step/power to fight through blocks combo makes him the next potential double-digit sack threat in the Pacific Northwest.
22.Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
A quick glance at the Ravens wide receiver depth chart (Willie Snead and Seth Roberts, who combined for 1,148 YDS and 3 TD's in 2018, are currently projected to start) indicates that the position is a top priority for them during this draft. With his blistering speed and shiftiness in the open field, Brown is the type of home run threat that could help bring Lamar Jackson's passing to the next level.
23.Houston Texans: Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
Whether or not Ford, who battled some consistency issues throughout his college career, is ready to play tackle at the next level remains a serious question, but his proficiency as a downfield blocker and exceptional athleticism for his size (nearly 330 lbs) makes him perfectly suited to play guard right away in the Texans uptempo offense.
24.Oakland Raiders: Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
Getting a read on this corner class is damn near impossible. There's nothing that even resembles a consensus regarding the top prospects and the estimates of when the 1st guy will come off the board have been all over the map (I've seen everything from top 5 to the beginning of Round 2). Given their egregious lack of secondary talent, the Raiders seems like a good bet to kick off the draft night festivities for the divas of the backend. Williams is a gambler who will allow some ugly TD's and regularly get exploited as a tackler, but his strong footwork, route-recognition skills and top-end speed gives him a high ceiling that rivals any DB in this class.
25.Philadelphia Eagles: Darnell Savage, safety (Maryland)
Buzz has started to swell around this previously wildly underrated safety from the University of Maryland entering the 1st round equation. While there's a ton of teams picking from 20-32 that are in the market for a safety, the Eagles appear to be the most likely to pull the trigger on Savage early. His combination of strong coverage skills, exceptional burst that allows him to stalk the line of scrimmage and the high football IQ you want in a free safety makes him a really appealing option for a defense that ranked 30th against the pass last season.
26.Indianapolis Colts: Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
Pierre Desir was a nice surprise for the Colts last year, but they still need to add some more depth at the corner position if they want to try and separate themselves from the pack in a deep AFC South. Murphy is a tough and disciplined ballhawk (of the 87 targets he faced in college, he made 7 INT's, 20 pass breakups and allowed a CMP% of just 48.8) who could ruin a lot of receiver's days for the next decade.
27.Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
Gruden is a proud gridiron Neanderthal, so him taking the 1st running back of the 2019 draft would truly be poetic. While he lacks top-end speed (the 4.63 40 he ran at his Pro Day has drawn a lot of criticism), Jacobs is a tough, patient runner with very little tread on his tires (he never touched the ball more than 140 times in any of his 3 seasons at Alabama) who contributes enough in the passing game to be an all-around back at the next level.
28.Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson)
Ask the Patriots just how easy it was to run wild on the Chargers last season. Adding a 340-pound nose tackle who can routinely blow through double teams and make TFL's might not be enough to completely nix their woes against competent ground attacks, but it would certainly be a nice step in the right direction of accomplishing their lofty goal of allowing nearly 5 yards per carry in a playoff game again for a 2nd straight season.
29.Seattle Seahawks: Rock Ya-Sin, cornerback (Temple)
The Seahawks have rostered plenty of physical, athletically-gifted corners who are far from finished products over the years (Byron Maxwell, Brandon Browner, current top Shaq Griffin) and that's exactly what Ya-Sin is at this juncture. He only played against D1 competition for 1 season and his fundamentals are REALLY rough, but Sin displayed solid ball skills and a consistent willingness to help in run support during his time at Temple.
30.Green Bay Packers: Chris Lindstorm, guard (Boston College)
With his great lateral movement, sizable mean streak and potential to play all 5 spots on the line, Lindstorm would bring a nice dose of athleticism and versatility to an o-line that needs some help alongside 3x All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari.
31.Los Angeles Rams: Chauncey Gardener-Johnson, safety/cornerback/linebacker (Florida)
Gardner-Johnson is a versatile weapon with absurd range and a strong nose for the ball who can start off as a slot corner or perhaps even an undersized coverage linebacker a la Mark Barron before eventually transitioning back to his natural position of free safety once 34-year old Eric Weddle hangs them up for good.
32.New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
Smith might lack the size (6'4, 241 lbs) and blocking prowess Bill Belichick covets at the position, but he would still be an intriguing addition to a suddenly-depleted Patriots tight end group. He's a solid receiving option who can make things happen after the catch and despite not being dominant, is more than willing to take on any blocking assignment you throw his way. The fact that he played for Belichick's longtime pal Nick Saban at Alabama also doesn't hurt.
2nd round:
33.Arizona Cardinals: D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
34.Indianapolis Colts: A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
35.Oakland Raiders: Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina)
36.San Francisco 49ers: Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
37.New York Giants: Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
38.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jeffrey Simmons, defensive tackle (Mississippi State)
39.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
40.Buffalo Bills: Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
41.Denver Broncos: Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
42.Cincinnati Bengals: Tytus Howard, tackle (Alabama State)
43.Detroit Lions: Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State)
44.Green Bay Packers: Dre'Mont Jones, defensive tackle (Ohio State)
45.Atlanta Falcons: Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
46.Washington Redskins: Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
47.Carolina Panthers: N'Keal Harry, wide receiver (Arizona State)
48.Miami Dolphins: Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College)
49.Cleveland Browns: Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware)
50.Minnesota Vikings: Jaylon Ferguson, edge rusher (Louisiana Tech)
51.Tennessee Titans: Erik McCoy, center/guard (Texas A&M)
52.Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Layne, cornerback (Michigan State)
53.Philadelphia Eagles: Parris Campbell, wide receiver (Ohio State)
54.Houston Texans: Jonathan Abram, safety (Mississippi State)
55.Houston Texans: Miles Sanders, running back (Penn State)
56.New England Patriots: Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
57.Philadelphia Eagles: Connor McGovern, guard (Penn State)
58.Dallas Cowboys: Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia)
59.Indianapolis Colts: Khalen Saunders, defensive tackle (Western Illinois)
60.Los Angeles Chargers: Kaleb McGary, tackle (Washington)
61.Kansas City Chiefs: Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
62.New Orleans Saints: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
63.Kansas City Chiefs: Lonnie Johnson Jr., cornerback (Kentucky)
64.New England Patriots: Mack Wilson, inside linebacker (Alabama)
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
2019 NFL Draft: Top 50 Overall Prospects+5 Best at Each Position+Biggest Sleepers and Potential Busts
Top 50 Overall Prospects:
1.Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
2.Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
3.Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
4.Ed Oliver, defensive tackle/end (Houston)
5.Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
6.Jeffrey Simmons, defensive tackle (Mississippi State)
7.Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
8.Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
9.T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
10.Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
11.Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
12.Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
13.Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
14.Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
15.Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
16.A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
17.Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
18.Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
19.Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
20.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (Massachusetts)
21.Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
22.Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
23.Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware)
24.Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
25.Darnell Savage, safety (Maryland)
26.Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
27.Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
28.Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
29.David Montgomery, running back (Iowa State)
30.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
31.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
32.Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma)
33.N'Keal Harry, wide receiver (Arizona State)
34.Chris Lindstrom, guard (Boston College)
35.Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
36.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
37.Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
38.Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia)
39.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
40.Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
41.Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College)
42.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
43.Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson)
44.Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State)
45.David Long, cornerback (Michigan)
46.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
47.Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
48.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida)
49.Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina)
50.L.J. Collier, edge rusher (TCU)
Top 5 Prospects by Position:
Quarterback:
1.Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State)
2.Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
3.Will Grier (West Virginia)
4.Daniel Jones (Duke)
5.Ryan Finley (NC State)
Running Back:
1.Josh Jacobs (Alabama)
2.David Montgomery (Iowa State)
3.Miles Sanders (Penn State)
4.Darrell Henderson (Memphis)
5.Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic)
Wide Receiver:
1.A.J. Brown (Mississippi)
2.Andy Isabella (Massachusetts)
3.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford)
4.N'Keal Harry (Arizona State)
5.Hakeem Butler (Iowa State)
Tight End:
1.T.J. Hockensen (Iowa)
2.Noah Fant (Iowa)
3.Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama)
4.Jace Sternberger (Texas A&M)
5.Josh Oliver (San Jose State)
Center:
1.Garrett Bradbury (NC State)
2.Elgton Jenkins (Mississippi State)
3.Erik McCoy (Texas A&M)
4.Lamont Gaillard (Georgia)
5.Michael Jordan (Ohio State)
Guard:
1.Jonah Williams (Alabama)
2.Chris Lindstrom (Boston College)
3.Cody Ford (Oklahoma)
4.Connor McGovern (Penn State)
5.Michael Dieter (Wisconsin)
Tackle:
1.Andre Dillard (Washington State)
2.Jawaan Taylor (Florida)
3.Dalton Risner (Kansas State)
4.Greg Little (Mississippi)
5.Max Scharping (Northern Illinois)
Edge Rusher (Defensive End/Outside Linebacker):
1.Nick Bosa (Ohio State)
2.Josh Allen (Kentucky)
3.Brian Burns (Florida State)
4.Clelin Ferrell (Clemson)
5.Montez Sweat (Mississippi State)
Defensive Tackle:
1.Quinnen Williams (Alabama)
2.Ed Oliver (Houston)
3.Jeffrey Simmons (Mississippi State)
4.Christian Wilkins (Clemson)
5.Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame)
Inside Linebacker:
1.Devin White (LSU)
2.Devin Bush (Michigan)
3.Blake Cashman (Minnesota)
4.Te'Von Coney (Notre Dame)
5.Mack Wilson (Alabama)
Cornerback:
1.Deandre Baker (Georgia)
2.Byron Murphy (Washington)
3.Greedy Williams (LSU)
4.Julian Love (Notre Dame)
5.Amani Oruwayrie (Penn State)
Safety:
1.Nasir Adderley (Delaware)
2.Darnell Savage (Maryland)
3.Taylor Rapp (Washington)
4.Juan Thornhill (Virginia)
5.Amani Hooker (Iowa)
Biggest Sleepers:
1.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (Massachusetts)
2.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
3.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
4.David Long, cornerback (Michigan)
5.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
6.Jamel Dean, cornerback (Auburn)
7.Max Scharping, tackle (Northern Illinois)
8.Blake Cashman, inside linebacker (Minnesota)
9.Jace Sternberger, tight end (Texas A&M)
10.Darrell Henderson, running back (Memphis)
Highest Bust Potential:
1.D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
2.Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
3.Daniel Jones, quarterback (Duke)
4.Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan)
5.Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
6.Rock Ya-Sin, cornerback (Temple)
7.Jonathan Abram, safety (Mississippi State)
8.Jachai Polite, edge rusher (Florida)
9.Jaylon Ferguson, edge rusher (Louisiana Tech)
10.Mack Wilson, inside linebacker (Alabama)
1.Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
2.Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
3.Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
4.Ed Oliver, defensive tackle/end (Houston)
5.Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
6.Jeffrey Simmons, defensive tackle (Mississippi State)
7.Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
8.Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
9.T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
10.Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
11.Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
12.Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
13.Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
14.Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
15.Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
16.A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
17.Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
18.Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
19.Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
20.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (Massachusetts)
21.Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
22.Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
23.Nasir Adderley, safety (Delaware)
24.Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
25.Darnell Savage, safety (Maryland)
26.Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
27.Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
28.Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
29.David Montgomery, running back (Iowa State)
30.Julian Love, cornerback (Notre Dame)
31.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
32.Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma)
33.N'Keal Harry, wide receiver (Arizona State)
34.Chris Lindstrom, guard (Boston College)
35.Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
36.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
37.Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
38.Juan Thornhill, safety (Virginia)
39.Hakeem Butler, wide receiver (Iowa State)
40.Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
41.Zach Allen, edge rusher (Boston College)
42.Amani Oruwayrie, cornerback (Penn State)
43.Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson)
44.Elgton Jenkins, center/guard (Mississippi State)
45.David Long, cornerback (Michigan)
46.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
47.Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
48.Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, safety/cornerback/inside linebacker (Florida)
49.Deebo Samuel, wide receiver (South Carolina)
50.L.J. Collier, edge rusher (TCU)
Top 5 Prospects by Position:
Quarterback:
1.Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State)
2.Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
3.Will Grier (West Virginia)
4.Daniel Jones (Duke)
5.Ryan Finley (NC State)
Running Back:
1.Josh Jacobs (Alabama)
2.David Montgomery (Iowa State)
3.Miles Sanders (Penn State)
4.Darrell Henderson (Memphis)
5.Devin Singletary (Florida Atlantic)
Wide Receiver:
1.A.J. Brown (Mississippi)
2.Andy Isabella (Massachusetts)
3.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (Stanford)
4.N'Keal Harry (Arizona State)
5.Hakeem Butler (Iowa State)
Tight End:
1.T.J. Hockensen (Iowa)
2.Noah Fant (Iowa)
3.Irv Smith Jr. (Alabama)
4.Jace Sternberger (Texas A&M)
5.Josh Oliver (San Jose State)
Center:
1.Garrett Bradbury (NC State)
2.Elgton Jenkins (Mississippi State)
3.Erik McCoy (Texas A&M)
4.Lamont Gaillard (Georgia)
5.Michael Jordan (Ohio State)
Guard:
1.Jonah Williams (Alabama)
2.Chris Lindstrom (Boston College)
3.Cody Ford (Oklahoma)
4.Connor McGovern (Penn State)
5.Michael Dieter (Wisconsin)
Tackle:
1.Andre Dillard (Washington State)
2.Jawaan Taylor (Florida)
3.Dalton Risner (Kansas State)
4.Greg Little (Mississippi)
5.Max Scharping (Northern Illinois)
Edge Rusher (Defensive End/Outside Linebacker):
1.Nick Bosa (Ohio State)
2.Josh Allen (Kentucky)
3.Brian Burns (Florida State)
4.Clelin Ferrell (Clemson)
5.Montez Sweat (Mississippi State)
Defensive Tackle:
1.Quinnen Williams (Alabama)
2.Ed Oliver (Houston)
3.Jeffrey Simmons (Mississippi State)
4.Christian Wilkins (Clemson)
5.Jerry Tillery (Notre Dame)
Inside Linebacker:
1.Devin White (LSU)
2.Devin Bush (Michigan)
3.Blake Cashman (Minnesota)
4.Te'Von Coney (Notre Dame)
5.Mack Wilson (Alabama)
Cornerback:
1.Deandre Baker (Georgia)
2.Byron Murphy (Washington)
3.Greedy Williams (LSU)
4.Julian Love (Notre Dame)
5.Amani Oruwayrie (Penn State)
Safety:
1.Nasir Adderley (Delaware)
2.Darnell Savage (Maryland)
3.Taylor Rapp (Washington)
4.Juan Thornhill (Virginia)
5.Amani Hooker (Iowa)
Biggest Sleepers:
1.Andy Isabella, wide receiver (Massachusetts)
2.J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, wide receiver (Stanford)
3.Chase Winovich, edge rusher (Michigan)
4.David Long, cornerback (Michigan)
5.Amani Hooker, safety (Iowa)
6.Jamel Dean, cornerback (Auburn)
7.Max Scharping, tackle (Northern Illinois)
8.Blake Cashman, inside linebacker (Minnesota)
9.Jace Sternberger, tight end (Texas A&M)
10.Darrell Henderson, running back (Memphis)
Highest Bust Potential:
1.D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
2.Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
3.Daniel Jones, quarterback (Duke)
4.Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan)
5.Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
6.Rock Ya-Sin, cornerback (Temple)
7.Jonathan Abram, safety (Mississippi State)
8.Jachai Polite, edge rusher (Florida)
9.Jaylon Ferguson, edge rusher (Louisiana Tech)
10.Mack Wilson, inside linebacker (Alabama)
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
The Best and Worst of Chris Hemsworth
“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career
highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's
new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography
of “Avengers: Endgame” star Chris Hemsworth.
Films starring Chris Hemsworth that I've seen:
Star Trek
Thor
The Cabin in the Woods
The Avengers
Snow White and the Huntsman
Red Dawn
Rush
Thor: The Dark World
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Vacation
In the Heart of the Sea
Ghostbusters
Thor: Ragnarok
Avengers: Infinity War
Bad Times at the El Royale
Best Performance: Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
Of all the great things present in this clever, claustrophobic and engrossing noir thriller, Hemsworth might just be the absolute best. With a startling combination of charisma and understated menace, Hemsworth makes cult leader Billy Lee an overwhelmingly eerie figure that makes the rest of the morally dubious characters that occupy this very underrated flick look like saints.
Worst Performance: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
A cast of elite actors showing up and slumming it HARD was the most memorable thing about this so-so gritty reimagining of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While not quite as comatose as lead Kristen Stewart, Hemsworth still displays minimal signs of life as he sleepwalks through his role as villain-turned-hero Eric the Huntsman.
Best Film: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Handing Thor over to Taika Waititi was the best decision Marvel has ever made. Not only did he make the God of Thunder a more engaging character, he established a weird, goofy and hilarious little universe that was unlike anything the superhero giant had ever done in the past. Fingers crossed that Tessa Thompson's statement last week about Waititi pitching Marvel another Thor project proves to be true.
Worst Film: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
I'll spare all of you from teeing off on Age of Ultron for a second straight week. To put it succinctly, this turd deserves to be banished to superhero movie Siberia with all of the non-MCU titles (Fantastic Four, Batman v. Superman, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, several others) that have received endless public ridicule over the past decade.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “The Intruder” star Dennis Quaid.
Films starring Chris Hemsworth that I've seen:
Star Trek
Thor
The Cabin in the Woods
The Avengers
Snow White and the Huntsman
Red Dawn
Rush
Thor: The Dark World
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Vacation
In the Heart of the Sea
Ghostbusters
Thor: Ragnarok
Avengers: Infinity War
Bad Times at the El Royale
Best Performance: Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
Of all the great things present in this clever, claustrophobic and engrossing noir thriller, Hemsworth might just be the absolute best. With a startling combination of charisma and understated menace, Hemsworth makes cult leader Billy Lee an overwhelmingly eerie figure that makes the rest of the morally dubious characters that occupy this very underrated flick look like saints.
Worst Performance: Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
A cast of elite actors showing up and slumming it HARD was the most memorable thing about this so-so gritty reimagining of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While not quite as comatose as lead Kristen Stewart, Hemsworth still displays minimal signs of life as he sleepwalks through his role as villain-turned-hero Eric the Huntsman.
Best Film: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Handing Thor over to Taika Waititi was the best decision Marvel has ever made. Not only did he make the God of Thunder a more engaging character, he established a weird, goofy and hilarious little universe that was unlike anything the superhero giant had ever done in the past. Fingers crossed that Tessa Thompson's statement last week about Waititi pitching Marvel another Thor project proves to be true.
Worst Film: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
I'll spare all of you from teeing off on Age of Ultron for a second straight week. To put it succinctly, this turd deserves to be banished to superhero movie Siberia with all of the non-MCU titles (Fantastic Four, Batman v. Superman, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, several others) that have received endless public ridicule over the past decade.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “The Intruder” star Dennis Quaid.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Programming Notice
2019 NFL Draft week is here at last!!! Here's the posting schedule for this week:
Tomorrow: The Best and Worst of Chris Hemsworth (only non-draft post of the week)
Wednesday: Top 50 Prospects+5 Best Players at Each Position+Potential Sleepers and Busts
Thursday: Final 2-round mock with write-ups for each 1st round pick
Friday: 25 Best Prospects available on Day 2
Saturday: 25 Best Prospects available on Day 3
Sunday: Updated List of Top 50 Prospects and 5 Best Players at Each Position with NFL landing spots
Next Monday: Draft Recap featuring winners, losers, best/worst value picks and grades for all 32 teams
Hope you enjoy this avalanche of content as much as I enjoy working on it!
Chris Maitland
Tomorrow: The Best and Worst of Chris Hemsworth (only non-draft post of the week)
Wednesday: Top 50 Prospects+5 Best Players at Each Position+Potential Sleepers and Busts
Thursday: Final 2-round mock with write-ups for each 1st round pick
Friday: 25 Best Prospects available on Day 2
Saturday: 25 Best Prospects available on Day 3
Sunday: Updated List of Top 50 Prospects and 5 Best Players at Each Position with NFL landing spots
Next Monday: Draft Recap featuring winners, losers, best/worst value picks and grades for all 32 teams
Hope you enjoy this avalanche of content as much as I enjoy working on it!
Chris Maitland
Friday, April 19, 2019
As We Proceed Episode #35
On this episode, Feliciano and I discuss the breakout success of Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" and whether or not country trap is going to turn into a trend, Kevin Abstract's new EP ARIZONA baby and Anderson .Paak's Ventura. Check out this funky cowboy celebration at any of the links below:
Soundcloud:
YouTube:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2
Soundcloud:
YouTube:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Quick Movie Reviews: Shazam!, Hellboy
Shazam!: It's evident that Shazam! was designed to be the most lighthearted DC film to-date. Nothing says "we're moved from our days as the bleak superhero movie universe" like the dude from Chuck (aka Zachary Levi) doing The Floss and walking around crowded malls charging people's phones with the lightning bolts that come out of his fingers. For a while, Shazam! successfully commits to DC's mission statement. The humor is generally well-conceived and Levi does a good job of selling the goofiness and immaturity that just about every teenager would display if they were suddenly gifted with the ability to turn into an adult superhero on command. Things starts to unravel around the halfway mark when the rapid tone-shifting messiness that has plagued most of the recent DCU titles comes in like a god damn freight train. A surprisingly strong dose of corny family melodrama and some horrific overacting from Mark Strong as primary antagonist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana completely undermines its attempts to be a self-aware piece of superhero satire. Not to mention, director David F. Sandberg (Anabelle: Creation, Lights Out) handles the limited action setpieces with the grace of a non-trained dancer attempting to perform Swan Lake after sucking down a gallon of jungle juice. After the cohesion and confidence of Aquaman, Shazam! represents a disjointed and disappointing step backwards for the up-and-down DCU.
Grade: B-
Hellboy: Reimagining Hellboy as an over-the-top R-rated splatterfest was a great idea... on paper. The beauty of this unfiltered reboot goes to hell (no pun intended) when the onslaught of gore is rendered almost completely indecipherable through choppy editing and only one actor (Mila Jovovich, who portrays a recently-resurrected ancient British sorceress looking to infect the world with a lethal plague) from the ensemble decides to fully embrace the monumental absurdity present in the story. Is it a completely joyless exercise? No. The comical plot twists and a couple of respectable hack-and-slash fight scenes makes things entertaining in spurts, but the choice to play material that is so profoundly stupid and corny (mostly) straight makes the proceedings a lot less fun than they should be.
Grade: C+
Grade: B-
Hellboy: Reimagining Hellboy as an over-the-top R-rated splatterfest was a great idea... on paper. The beauty of this unfiltered reboot goes to hell (no pun intended) when the onslaught of gore is rendered almost completely indecipherable through choppy editing and only one actor (Mila Jovovich, who portrays a recently-resurrected ancient British sorceress looking to infect the world with a lethal plague) from the ensemble decides to fully embrace the monumental absurdity present in the story. Is it a completely joyless exercise? No. The comical plot twists and a couple of respectable hack-and-slash fight scenes makes things entertaining in spurts, but the choice to play material that is so profoundly stupid and corny (mostly) straight makes the proceedings a lot less fun than they should be.
Grade: C+
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
The Best and Worst of Linda Cardellini
“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career
highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's
new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography
of “The Curse of La Llorona” star Linda Cardellini.
Films starring Linda Cardellini that I've seen:
Good Burger
Legally Blonde
Scooby-Doo
Grandma's Boy
Kill the Irishman
Super
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Welcome to Me
Daddy's Home
The Founder
Daddy's Home 2
A Simple Favor
Hunter Killer
Green Book
Best Performance: Grandma's Boy (2006)
What's not to love to about Cardellini's character from Grandma's Boy? Samantha is cute, smart, charming, funny and endlessly likable. Bonus points for being responsible for the greatest karaoke rendition of Salt and Pepa's "Push It" ever put on film.
Worst Performance: Scooby-Doo (2002)
The live action remake of Scooby-Doo was a dark moment for everybody involved. With the possible exception of Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, all of the leads seemed miscast and gave super stiff performances. Cardellini's career trajectory continued to trend up after this, so clearly casting directors were able to overlook her poor work here and realize she was capable of far better things.
Best Film: Grandma's Boy (2006)
The 2000's were a particularly fantastic era for cult stoner movies. Dude Where's My Car?, How High, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and Pineapple Express were able to bring a tremendous amount of joy to millions of people under the influence of the sweet leaf (as well as people like myself who don't partake, but love anything that's silly and doesn't require any thinking to enjoy). As great as all of these movies are, Grandma's Boy remains my favorite from this golden era for dumb, marijuana-driven comedies. The way this movie revels in its absurdity by consistently putting its lovable oddball characters into unexpected outrageous situations makes it one of the most creative and hilarious comedies to come out in the past 15 years.
Worst Film: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
With the release of Avengers: Endgame imminent, MCU retrospective conversations are being had all over the world. If you were to ask me what the worst movie Marvel has put out over the past 11 years, the no-brainer answer would be Avengers; Age of Ultron. Quite frankly, I don't think their other missteps (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 2) come anywhere close to matching the vast ineptitude of this stinker. Joss Whedon tried to stuff way too shit into 150 minutes and it results in a convoluted, headache-inducing mess that is legitimately painful to sit through.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Avengers: Endgame” star Chris Hemsworth.
Films starring Linda Cardellini that I've seen:
Good Burger
Legally Blonde
Scooby-Doo
Grandma's Boy
Kill the Irishman
Super
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Welcome to Me
Daddy's Home
The Founder
Daddy's Home 2
A Simple Favor
Hunter Killer
Green Book
Best Performance: Grandma's Boy (2006)
What's not to love to about Cardellini's character from Grandma's Boy? Samantha is cute, smart, charming, funny and endlessly likable. Bonus points for being responsible for the greatest karaoke rendition of Salt and Pepa's "Push It" ever put on film.
Worst Performance: Scooby-Doo (2002)
The live action remake of Scooby-Doo was a dark moment for everybody involved. With the possible exception of Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, all of the leads seemed miscast and gave super stiff performances. Cardellini's career trajectory continued to trend up after this, so clearly casting directors were able to overlook her poor work here and realize she was capable of far better things.
Best Film: Grandma's Boy (2006)
The 2000's were a particularly fantastic era for cult stoner movies. Dude Where's My Car?, How High, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and Pineapple Express were able to bring a tremendous amount of joy to millions of people under the influence of the sweet leaf (as well as people like myself who don't partake, but love anything that's silly and doesn't require any thinking to enjoy). As great as all of these movies are, Grandma's Boy remains my favorite from this golden era for dumb, marijuana-driven comedies. The way this movie revels in its absurdity by consistently putting its lovable oddball characters into unexpected outrageous situations makes it one of the most creative and hilarious comedies to come out in the past 15 years.
Worst Film: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
With the release of Avengers: Endgame imminent, MCU retrospective conversations are being had all over the world. If you were to ask me what the worst movie Marvel has put out over the past 11 years, the no-brainer answer would be Avengers; Age of Ultron. Quite frankly, I don't think their other missteps (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 2) come anywhere close to matching the vast ineptitude of this stinker. Joss Whedon tried to stuff way too shit into 150 minutes and it results in a convoluted, headache-inducing mess that is legitimately painful to sit through.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Avengers: Endgame” star Chris Hemsworth.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Concert Review: Dance Gavin Dance-- Worcester, MA--April 14th, 2019
Lineup: Dance Gavin Dance/Periphery/Don Broco/Hail the Sun/Covet
Venue: The Palladium, Worcester, MA
Covet: Only saw the final portion of their last song. They sounded like a pretty solid, mellow instrumental band.
Hail the Sun: On paper, Hail the Sun is a band that I should really enjoy. They play a high energy brand of post-hardcore with plenty of indulgent guitar theatrics and spastic drumming. The reason this intriguing description becomes far less exciting in execution is vocalist Donovan Melero. Don't get it twisted: Melero is a capable vocalist who performs the material pretty much perfectly live, it's just that his Anthony Green-esque voice doesn't click with me. Ultimately, Hail the Sun is energetic and musically precise enough to endure for a 30-minute opening slot, but I'd be completely fine with never seeing them again.
Don Broco: Around 8:00, the lights went down and piercing screams from female audience members soon filled the room. Once the stage became illuminated again, I was treated to a sight that simultaneously deeply confused me and explained why a wave of sexualized energy had suddenly entered The Palladium.
A massive, goofy bass groove that sounded like Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" had been put through a new wave filter kicked in and this curly-haired white dude breaks into this gyration-heavy strut that was essentially a horndog version of the dance JuJu Smith-Schuster does in the above Pizza Hut commercial. Moments later, a man that looked like Angus Young entering a Planet Fitness to hop on the treadmill for 15 minutes to get in a quick blast of cardio after a sweet riff writing session ran by this air-fucking spectacle and the gyrating man starts crooning like he's in a Duran Duran cover band. Throw in the occasional pseudo-djent breakdown to add some grit to their otherwise sunny sound and you have a rough idea of the unique type of madness that Don Broco served up.
Was Don Broco's music and stage antics incredibly odd? Very much so. Were they out of place on this bill? Probably. Was every minute of their set captivating as hell? You bet your ass it was. If every show featured a bizarre British pop rock band, the world would likely be a much happier place.
Periphery: The Palladium is notorious for having sketchy acoustics that are difficult for the sound personnel to navigate. Periphery became the latest act to fall victim to the merciless Audio Gods of Worcester. Like Veil of Maya vocalist Lukas Magyar at last year's Summer Slaughter, the volume of Spencer Sotelo's vocals consistently fluctuated throughout the set.
As opposed to Magyar who faced a consistent problem with the audibility of his lower pitched vocals, there were stretches where Sotelo had no issues at all. While their 45-minute set was bookended with largely muddled mixes that buried both his harsh and clean vocals behind the booming albeit spot-on instrumentation, he sounded terrific during the mid-section ("Garden in the Bones", "The Way News Goes...", "Marigold") where his vocals shined through. It was definitely a little bit disappointing to see their set get bogged down by sound problems,especially with this being my first time seeing them since August 2013, but there was still enough positives along the way to chalk this up as a W for Maryland's finest musical export since Father John Misty.
Dance Gavin Dance: Periphery should've borrowed Dance Gavin Dance's sound guy. From top to bottom, this was one of the crisper mixes I've ever heard at this venue. Without the burden of being held back by audio problems that are out of their control, the post-hardcore vets proceeded to absolutely rip shit up.
When a band delivers a performance of this magnitude, you start to dissect how this came to be. The conclusion that I reached after marinating on it for a bit is simple: When a group is completely engaged and in sync with one another, you're going to get a special show. Their universal technical wizardry and the brilliant vocal dynamic between the angelic falsetto singing of Tillan Pearson and rough screams of Jon Mess provides a strong backbone, but their off-the-charts chemistry and visible enjoyment for what they do is what pushes them from a great to an elite live act. For a band that lacked stability in its early years, the continuity they've enjoyed of late (this current iteration has been together since 2012) is a blessing that has allowed them to thrive more than they had at any other point of their career.
Honestly, the only problem with Dance Gavin Dance's set was that it was barley an hour long. I would've loved to see them play at least 4-5 more songs and work in some more old material, but that's just an obligatory petty complaint for a performance that was damn near perfect. Starting off my 2019 concertgoing with a performance of this caliber was truly special and I'd be surprised if it doesn't end up placing very high on my year-end top 10 list.
Grades:
Hail the Sun: B-
Don Broco: B+
Periphery: B+
Dance Gavin Dance: A+
Setlists:
Don Broco:
Everybody
Stay Ignorant
You Wanna Know
Technology
Come Out to LA
T-Shirt Song
Pretty
Periphery:
The Bad Thing
Remain Indoors
Garden in the Bones
The Way News Goes...
Marigold
Blood Eagle
Masamune
Dance Gavin Dance:
Son of Robot
Suspended in This Disaster
Summertime Gladness
The Rattler
Count Bassy
Chucky vs. the Giant Tortoise
Flossie Dickey Bounce
Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most
Head Hunter
We Own the Night
Man of the Year
Encore:
Evaporate
Venue: The Palladium, Worcester, MA
Covet: Only saw the final portion of their last song. They sounded like a pretty solid, mellow instrumental band.
Hail the Sun: On paper, Hail the Sun is a band that I should really enjoy. They play a high energy brand of post-hardcore with plenty of indulgent guitar theatrics and spastic drumming. The reason this intriguing description becomes far less exciting in execution is vocalist Donovan Melero. Don't get it twisted: Melero is a capable vocalist who performs the material pretty much perfectly live, it's just that his Anthony Green-esque voice doesn't click with me. Ultimately, Hail the Sun is energetic and musically precise enough to endure for a 30-minute opening slot, but I'd be completely fine with never seeing them again.
Don Broco: Around 8:00, the lights went down and piercing screams from female audience members soon filled the room. Once the stage became illuminated again, I was treated to a sight that simultaneously deeply confused me and explained why a wave of sexualized energy had suddenly entered The Palladium.
Was Don Broco's music and stage antics incredibly odd? Very much so. Were they out of place on this bill? Probably. Was every minute of their set captivating as hell? You bet your ass it was. If every show featured a bizarre British pop rock band, the world would likely be a much happier place.
Periphery: The Palladium is notorious for having sketchy acoustics that are difficult for the sound personnel to navigate. Periphery became the latest act to fall victim to the merciless Audio Gods of Worcester. Like Veil of Maya vocalist Lukas Magyar at last year's Summer Slaughter, the volume of Spencer Sotelo's vocals consistently fluctuated throughout the set.
As opposed to Magyar who faced a consistent problem with the audibility of his lower pitched vocals, there were stretches where Sotelo had no issues at all. While their 45-minute set was bookended with largely muddled mixes that buried both his harsh and clean vocals behind the booming albeit spot-on instrumentation, he sounded terrific during the mid-section ("Garden in the Bones", "The Way News Goes...", "Marigold") where his vocals shined through. It was definitely a little bit disappointing to see their set get bogged down by sound problems,especially with this being my first time seeing them since August 2013, but there was still enough positives along the way to chalk this up as a W for Maryland's finest musical export since Father John Misty.
Dance Gavin Dance: Periphery should've borrowed Dance Gavin Dance's sound guy. From top to bottom, this was one of the crisper mixes I've ever heard at this venue. Without the burden of being held back by audio problems that are out of their control, the post-hardcore vets proceeded to absolutely rip shit up.
When a band delivers a performance of this magnitude, you start to dissect how this came to be. The conclusion that I reached after marinating on it for a bit is simple: When a group is completely engaged and in sync with one another, you're going to get a special show. Their universal technical wizardry and the brilliant vocal dynamic between the angelic falsetto singing of Tillan Pearson and rough screams of Jon Mess provides a strong backbone, but their off-the-charts chemistry and visible enjoyment for what they do is what pushes them from a great to an elite live act. For a band that lacked stability in its early years, the continuity they've enjoyed of late (this current iteration has been together since 2012) is a blessing that has allowed them to thrive more than they had at any other point of their career.
Honestly, the only problem with Dance Gavin Dance's set was that it was barley an hour long. I would've loved to see them play at least 4-5 more songs and work in some more old material, but that's just an obligatory petty complaint for a performance that was damn near perfect. Starting off my 2019 concertgoing with a performance of this caliber was truly special and I'd be surprised if it doesn't end up placing very high on my year-end top 10 list.
Grades:
Hail the Sun: B-
Don Broco: B+
Periphery: B+
Dance Gavin Dance: A+
Setlists:
Don Broco:
Everybody
Stay Ignorant
You Wanna Know
Technology
Come Out to LA
T-Shirt Song
Pretty
Periphery:
The Bad Thing
Remain Indoors
Garden in the Bones
The Way News Goes...
Marigold
Blood Eagle
Masamune
Dance Gavin Dance:
Son of Robot
Suspended in This Disaster
Summertime Gladness
The Rattler
Count Bassy
Chucky vs. the Giant Tortoise
Flossie Dickey Bounce
Uneasy Hearts Weigh the Most
Head Hunter
We Own the Night
Man of the Year
Encore:
Evaporate
Monday, April 15, 2019
2019 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 (April 15th)
1.Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
4.Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
6.New York Giants: Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
7.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
8.Detroit Lions: Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
9.Buffalo Bills: Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
10.Denver Broncos: T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
11.Cincinnati Bengals: Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
12.Green Bay Packers: Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston)
13.Miami Dolphins: Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
14.Atlanta Falcons: Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
15.Washington Redskins: D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
16.Carolina Panthers: A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
17.New York Giants: Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan)
18.Minnesota Vikings: Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
19.Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
21.Seattle Seahawks: Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
22.Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
23.Houston Texans: Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
24.Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
25.Philadelphia Eagles: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
26.Indianapolis Colts: Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson)
27.Oakland Raiders: Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
28.Los Angeles Chargers: Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
29.Kansas City Chiefs: Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
30.Green Bay Packers: Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
31.Los Angeles Rams: Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
32.New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr, tight end (Alabama)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
4.Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
6.New York Giants: Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
7.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
8.Detroit Lions: Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
9.Buffalo Bills: Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
10.Denver Broncos: T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
11.Cincinnati Bengals: Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
12.Green Bay Packers: Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston)
13.Miami Dolphins: Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
14.Atlanta Falcons: Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
15.Washington Redskins: D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
16.Carolina Panthers: A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
17.New York Giants: Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan)
18.Minnesota Vikings: Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
19.Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
21.Seattle Seahawks: Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
22.Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
23.Houston Texans: Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
24.Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
25.Philadelphia Eagles: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle (Notre Dame)
26.Indianapolis Colts: Dexter Lawrence, defensive tackle (Clemson)
27.Oakland Raiders: Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
28.Los Angeles Chargers: Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
29.Kansas City Chiefs: Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
30.Green Bay Packers: Taylor Rapp, safety (Washington)
31.Los Angeles Rams: Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
32.New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr, tight end (Alabama)
Friday, April 12, 2019
10 Funniest Moments of the 2018-19 NBA Season
Michael Beasley's Refusal to Adhere to Traditional Uniform Concepts:
Lance Stephenson Nearly Kills Mortiz Wagner Going Up for a Rebound Then Just Leaves Him on the Floor
Giannis Tries to End the MVP Debate
Brook Lopez Gets Hit with Flying Debris
Boogie Finds an Open Man... On the Bench
10.LeBron Shows off his GOAT Work Ethic
LeBron can't even be bothered to try on inbound passes anymore. Smh.
9.Victor Oladipo Tries to Get the Ref Involved in the Offense
Finding an open man in an NBA game can be a struggle sometimes, so I applaud Oladipo for his outside-the-box thinking. Real shame that the ref wasn't ready for the pass. He probably could've gotten a nice look against this sorry-ass Knicks team.
8.Eric Bledsoe Pays Tribute to his brother Drew
I bet Joel Embiid wasn't expecting to get hit by a rocket on a night where he wasn't playing against Houston!!!!
(I'm so sorry)
7.The Bulls Prove Why They're an Offensive Juggernaut
6.Lance Stephenson Exhibits Effort When He Doesn't Need To
It's going to be a very sad day for the NBA social media world when this living, breathing hardwood follie retires. Dude's career has essentially been an extended meme and I'll never not love him for it.
5.Kyle O'Quinn Donates to Charity
This selfless gesture should be enough for O'Quinn to win NBA community service awards for the rest of his career.
4.P.J. Tucker Takes a Nap
Eric Gordon's reaction tells the whole story. NBA players-especially guys like Tucker who have been playing forever-just shouldn't be making inexplicably dumb decisions like this.
3.Kyle Kuzma Forces LeBron to Play Defense in a Regular Season Game
2.Thomas Bryant: The Stop, Drop and Roll King
Not even James Harden shows this level of commitment to a flop. Job well done Mr. Bryant.
1.Magic Johnson's Impromptu Resignation Press Conference
Thursday, April 11, 2019
10 Best Movie Action Sequences of 2018
I've wanted to do something like this for a long time and now that just about every 2018 title is available on home video/streaming, I can finally pull it off. The amount of work that goes into staging an action sequence is something that I feel never gets the proper amount of respect in the world of moviemaking and this silly little piece is my way of shining a light on these unheralded technical accomplishments. Below, you'll find a group of scenes from movies of varying production scales and subgenres that cover just about every type of action scene imaginable. Some are brutal. Some are intense. Some are essentially sizzle reels for the world's most gifted stunt performers. All of them made me glad that this artform exists. Hope you enjoy.
Honorable Mentions:
"Wakanda Battle"-Avengers: Infinity War
"Arthur Curry fucks up some pirates"-Aquaman
"Hospital Fight"-Mile 22
"Casino Fight"-Black Panther
Every scene from The Night Comes for Us and Upgrade not listed below
10."Queen Atlanna vs. Atlantis Guards"-Aquaman
James Wan's fantasy superhero epic got off to a really hot start with this quick, completely badass single take showdown between Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and a group of guards trying to take her back to her underwater kingdom shortly after giving birth to the half human/half Atlantean title character.
9."Chaos at the Café"-The Spy Who Dumped Me
The Spy Who Dumped Me was one of the more underrated movies of last year and the steady proficiency in which first-time action director Susanna Fogel staged chaotic setpieces like this was a large part of why this R-rated spy comedy worked so well.
8."Home Invasion"-Assassination Nation (Note: Sadly the full scene isn't on YouTube, but this New York Times clip with commentary from director Sam Levinson provides the gist of it.)
Assassination Nation was a mixed bag of a movie that is ultimately weighed down by its uneven attempts at social/political commentary, but this pivotal scene that set the bloody climax into motion is one of the most tense and interestingly shot home invasions I've ever seen.
7."Bathroom Fight"-Mission-Impossible: Fallout
While there are far more elaborate sequences along the way (HALO jump, rooftop chase scene, helicopter/mountain climbing finale) nothing in this acclaimed blockbuster had the sheer kinetic force of this bathroom fight that spawned the infamous Henry Cavill "fist reloading" meme.
6."Red Miller vs. The Black Skulls"-Mandy (Warning: Quality is very poor)
Nicolas Cage squaring off against a house full of bikers that morphed into sadomasochistic, not-entirely-human creatures after ingesting bad acid was the depraved peak of this gonzo revenge flick.
5."Alaskan Shootout"-Hold the Dark
Even though the film marked a bit of a regression in quality from his past couple of projects (Green Room, Blue Ruin) on the whole, Hold the Dark features yet another unrelentingly brutal and disturbingly realistic shootout from master suspense director Jeremy Saulnier.
4."Apartment Takeover"-The First Purge
I've never been happier that The Purge turned into an action thriller franchise after its horror-centric original than I was while watching this glorious scene where co-protagonist Dmitri (Y'lan Noel) finally gets an opportunity to take down the government-hired mercuries that have been terrorizing his Staten Island neighborhood during the trial run of The Purge (particularly during the stairwell sequence). If this is any indication of Gerard McMurray's capabilities as an action director, his new project with John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad that just got picked up by Sony should rule.
3."Warehouse Fight"-The Night Comes for Us
Picking just one fight scene from this jaw-dropping Netflix martial arts extravaganza was borderline torturous. Ultimately, I settled on this 3 minute slice of over-the-top carnage because it features the most impressive, insane and creative use of improvised weapons in addition to the always stunning traditional fight choreography/stuntwork of pencak silat master Joe Taslim.
2."Shot Down"-Overlord
Apparently they edited this scene out of the airplane version of Overlord. While I'm not usually a proponent of reworking the content of a movie under any circumstances, this is a move I can get behind. Watching this in a theater was harrowing enough. With the flawless sound design, editing and direction that makes the audience feel like they're on the aircraft while it's taking fire, I'd probably have a full-on panic attack watching this in the sky.
1."Kitchen Fight"-Upgrade
The beauty of this scene is the buildup. Grey (Logan Marshall-Green), who had recently become a paraplegic following a car accident, has just had a superhuman chip known as STEM implanted in his neck so he could walk again and this marks the first time he become aware of its full capabilities. Marshall-Green's ability to perfectly capture the confusion and shock of realizing he has a lethal weapon planted inside of him paired with the unique camera angles director Leigh Whannell employs throughout allows this to be more than just a typical fight sequence. The eventual graphic dispatching of the assailant serves as the unforgettable exclamation point that helped turn the strong grip this had on the top spot of this list into something insurmountable.
Honorable Mentions:
"Wakanda Battle"-Avengers: Infinity War
"Arthur Curry fucks up some pirates"-Aquaman
"Hospital Fight"-Mile 22
"Casino Fight"-Black Panther
Every scene from The Night Comes for Us and Upgrade not listed below
10."Queen Atlanna vs. Atlantis Guards"-Aquaman
James Wan's fantasy superhero epic got off to a really hot start with this quick, completely badass single take showdown between Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and a group of guards trying to take her back to her underwater kingdom shortly after giving birth to the half human/half Atlantean title character.
9."Chaos at the Café"-The Spy Who Dumped Me
The Spy Who Dumped Me was one of the more underrated movies of last year and the steady proficiency in which first-time action director Susanna Fogel staged chaotic setpieces like this was a large part of why this R-rated spy comedy worked so well.
8."Home Invasion"-Assassination Nation (Note: Sadly the full scene isn't on YouTube, but this New York Times clip with commentary from director Sam Levinson provides the gist of it.)
Assassination Nation was a mixed bag of a movie that is ultimately weighed down by its uneven attempts at social/political commentary, but this pivotal scene that set the bloody climax into motion is one of the most tense and interestingly shot home invasions I've ever seen.
7."Bathroom Fight"-Mission-Impossible: Fallout
While there are far more elaborate sequences along the way (HALO jump, rooftop chase scene, helicopter/mountain climbing finale) nothing in this acclaimed blockbuster had the sheer kinetic force of this bathroom fight that spawned the infamous Henry Cavill "fist reloading" meme.
6."Red Miller vs. The Black Skulls"-Mandy (Warning: Quality is very poor)
Nicolas Cage squaring off against a house full of bikers that morphed into sadomasochistic, not-entirely-human creatures after ingesting bad acid was the depraved peak of this gonzo revenge flick.
5."Alaskan Shootout"-Hold the Dark
Even though the film marked a bit of a regression in quality from his past couple of projects (Green Room, Blue Ruin) on the whole, Hold the Dark features yet another unrelentingly brutal and disturbingly realistic shootout from master suspense director Jeremy Saulnier.
4."Apartment Takeover"-The First Purge
I've never been happier that The Purge turned into an action thriller franchise after its horror-centric original than I was while watching this glorious scene where co-protagonist Dmitri (Y'lan Noel) finally gets an opportunity to take down the government-hired mercuries that have been terrorizing his Staten Island neighborhood during the trial run of The Purge (particularly during the stairwell sequence). If this is any indication of Gerard McMurray's capabilities as an action director, his new project with John Wick screenwriter Derek Kolstad that just got picked up by Sony should rule.
3."Warehouse Fight"-The Night Comes for Us
Picking just one fight scene from this jaw-dropping Netflix martial arts extravaganza was borderline torturous. Ultimately, I settled on this 3 minute slice of over-the-top carnage because it features the most impressive, insane and creative use of improvised weapons in addition to the always stunning traditional fight choreography/stuntwork of pencak silat master Joe Taslim.
2."Shot Down"-Overlord
Apparently they edited this scene out of the airplane version of Overlord. While I'm not usually a proponent of reworking the content of a movie under any circumstances, this is a move I can get behind. Watching this in a theater was harrowing enough. With the flawless sound design, editing and direction that makes the audience feel like they're on the aircraft while it's taking fire, I'd probably have a full-on panic attack watching this in the sky.
1."Kitchen Fight"-Upgrade
The beauty of this scene is the buildup. Grey (Logan Marshall-Green), who had recently become a paraplegic following a car accident, has just had a superhuman chip known as STEM implanted in his neck so he could walk again and this marks the first time he become aware of its full capabilities. Marshall-Green's ability to perfectly capture the confusion and shock of realizing he has a lethal weapon planted inside of him paired with the unique camera angles director Leigh Whannell employs throughout allows this to be more than just a typical fight sequence. The eventual graphic dispatching of the assailant serves as the unforgettable exclamation point that helped turn the strong grip this had on the top spot of this list into something insurmountable.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
The Best and Worst of Thomas Haden Church
“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career
highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's
new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography
of “Hellboy” star Thomas Haden Church.
Films starring Thomas Haden Church that I've seen:
Tombstone
George of the Jungle
Rolling Kansas
Sideways
Idiocracy
Spider-Man 3
Easy A
We Bought a Zoo
John Carter
Daddy's Home
Best Performance: Sideways (2004)
Like the fine wines that nearly every character here takes great pride in drinking, Sideways is too highbrow for my trash bag tastes. The one thing in Alexander Payne's sophisticated buddy dramedy that kept me somewhat engaged were the two protagonists (Paul Giamatti, Haden Church). Haden Church flawlessly captures the blasé attitude and recklessness of a selfish guy who wants to fill his final days as a non-married man with as much pleasure as possible.
Worst Performance: Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Emo Spider-Man has understandably gone down as the symbol of Spider-Man 3's failure. As a result of this notoriously bad section of the film, Haden Church has gotten a pass for his role in soiling the final entry in Sam Rami's quietly influential trilogy. To be fair, The Sandman isn't exactly the most imposing or interesting villain in the world, but the sheer passiveness Haden Church displays in his portrayal ensures that he's one of the dullest antagonists to ever appear in a superhero movie.
Best Film: Easy A (2010)
Hot take: Easy A is a better movie than Mean Girls. This modern version of The Scarlet Letter is a hilarious, clever and sweet teen comedy that remains one of the finest showcases of Emma Stone's limitless talent.
Worst Film: John Carter (2012)
Disney's biggest financial L of this decade also happens to be the worst movie they've released during that time period (I'm confident enough that a stinker of this magnitude isn't present in the rest of their 2019 slate to make this statement eight months before the 2010's come to a close). John Carter is the type of gross universal failure that I believe is truly hard to come by in Hollywood. The story has the coherency of a Dennis Rodman interview, every single actor that shows up on screen is stuck in a charisma black hole and to top off this shit sandwich, its pacing is brutally slow.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “The Curse of La Llorona” star Linda Cardellini.
Films starring Thomas Haden Church that I've seen:
Tombstone
George of the Jungle
Rolling Kansas
Sideways
Idiocracy
Spider-Man 3
Easy A
We Bought a Zoo
John Carter
Daddy's Home
Best Performance: Sideways (2004)
Like the fine wines that nearly every character here takes great pride in drinking, Sideways is too highbrow for my trash bag tastes. The one thing in Alexander Payne's sophisticated buddy dramedy that kept me somewhat engaged were the two protagonists (Paul Giamatti, Haden Church). Haden Church flawlessly captures the blasé attitude and recklessness of a selfish guy who wants to fill his final days as a non-married man with as much pleasure as possible.
Worst Performance: Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Emo Spider-Man has understandably gone down as the symbol of Spider-Man 3's failure. As a result of this notoriously bad section of the film, Haden Church has gotten a pass for his role in soiling the final entry in Sam Rami's quietly influential trilogy. To be fair, The Sandman isn't exactly the most imposing or interesting villain in the world, but the sheer passiveness Haden Church displays in his portrayal ensures that he's one of the dullest antagonists to ever appear in a superhero movie.
Best Film: Easy A (2010)
Hot take: Easy A is a better movie than Mean Girls. This modern version of The Scarlet Letter is a hilarious, clever and sweet teen comedy that remains one of the finest showcases of Emma Stone's limitless talent.
Worst Film: John Carter (2012)
Disney's biggest financial L of this decade also happens to be the worst movie they've released during that time period (I'm confident enough that a stinker of this magnitude isn't present in the rest of their 2019 slate to make this statement eight months before the 2010's come to a close). John Carter is the type of gross universal failure that I believe is truly hard to come by in Hollywood. The story has the coherency of a Dennis Rodman interview, every single actor that shows up on screen is stuck in a charisma black hole and to top off this shit sandwich, its pacing is brutally slow.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “The Curse of La Llorona” star Linda Cardellini.
Monday, April 8, 2019
2019 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 (April 8th)
1.Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, quarterback (Oklahoma)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
4.Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
6.New York Giants: Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
7.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
8.Detroit Lions: Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston)
9.Buffalo Bills: Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
10.Denver Broncos: T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
11.Cincinnati Bengals: Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
12.Green Bay Packers: Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan)
13.Miami Dolphins: Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
14.Atlanta Falcons: Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
15.Washington Redskins: D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
16.Carolina Panthers: Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
17.New York Giants: Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
18.Minnesota Vikings: Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
19.Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
21.Seattle Seahawks: Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
22.Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
23.Houston Texans: Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
24.Oakland Raiders: Chris Lindstrom, guard (Boston College)
25.Philadelphia Eagles: Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
26.Indianapolis Colts: Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
27.Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
28.Los Angeles Chargers: Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
29.Kansas City Chiefs: Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
30.Green Bay Packers: A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
31.Los Angeles Rams: Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
32.New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
2.San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, edge rusher (Ohio State)
3.New York Jets: Josh Allen, edge rusher (Kentucky)
4.Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (Alabama)
5.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, inside linebacker (LSU)
6.New York Giants: Montez Sweat, edge rusher (Mississippi State)
7.Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, tackle (Florida)
8.Detroit Lions: Ed Oliver, defensive tackle (Houston)
9.Buffalo Bills: Andre Dillard, tackle (Washington State)
10.Denver Broncos: T.J. Hockensen, tight end (Iowa)
11.Cincinnati Bengals: Cody Ford, guard/tackle (Oklahoma)
12.Green Bay Packers: Rashan Gary, edge rusher (Michigan)
13.Miami Dolphins: Dwayne Haskins, quarterback (Ohio State)
14.Atlanta Falcons: Greedy Williams, cornerback (LSU)
15.Washington Redskins: D.K. Metcalf, wide receiver (Mississippi)
16.Carolina Panthers: Jonah Williams, guard/tackle (Alabama)
17.New York Giants: Drew Lock, quarterback (Missouri)
18.Minnesota Vikings: Greg Little, tackle (Mississippi)
19.Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, tight end (Iowa)
20.Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, inside linebacker (Michigan)
21.Seattle Seahawks: Brian Burns, edge rusher (Florida State)
22.Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, wide receiver (Oklahoma)
23.Houston Texans: Deandre Baker, cornerback (Georgia)
24.Oakland Raiders: Chris Lindstrom, guard (Boston College)
25.Philadelphia Eagles: Christian Wilkins, defensive tackle (Clemson)
26.Indianapolis Colts: Clelin Ferrell, edge rusher (Clemson)
27.Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, running back (Alabama)
28.Los Angeles Chargers: Dalton Risner, tackle (Kansas State)
29.Kansas City Chiefs: Byron Murphy, cornerback (Washington)
30.Green Bay Packers: A.J. Brown, wide receiver (Mississippi)
31.Los Angeles Rams: Garrett Bradbury, center/guard (NC State)
32.New England Patriots: Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Alabama)
Friday, April 5, 2019
As We Proceed Episode #34
On this episode, we discuss the tragic murder of Nipsey Hussle and the legacy he leaves behind, Lil Uzi Vert's "surprise" comeback, J. Cole's involvement with Young Thug's new project and Yelawolf's Trunk Muzik III. Our long-awaited comeback to the world of aimless take-spewing can be streamed at any of the links below.
Soundcloud:
YouTube:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2
Soundcloud:
YouTube:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/as-we-proceed/id1122163104?mt=2
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Movie Review: The Beach Bum
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It's been a while since we've heard from polarizing filmmaker Harmony Korine. Despite coming off his biggest critical and commercial success to-date with 2013's Spring Breakers, he stepped away from the industry for several years with the exception of a couple of bit acting parts in his friend's movies (David Gordon Green's Manglehorn and Jonah Hill's Mid90s). After a six year layoff, Korine has finally returned to his home behind the camera with The Beach Bum-a euphoric project that successfully combines his hypnotic, episodic storytelling style with the good-natured breeziness of a goofy stoner comedy.
Korine's decision to make a full-on comedy isn't a complete shock. His films are always focused around eccentric characters on the outskirts of society and through examining their lives, humorous situations have a tendency to arise sometimes. However, The Beach Bum represents a huge jump in terms of frequency and effectiveness of his humor. The jokes cover a wide variety of movements (absurdist, dark, stoner, screwball, slapstick) within the genre and like any great comedy, it hits its stride early and only gets funnier as it goes along. While I never doubted Korine's ability to pull something like this off, making a movie that is consistently hilarious and entertaining throughout was still kind of an unexpected treat.
This seamless transition is further aided by the fact that Korine brought in the perfect individual to lead this woozy little project. I say this with no intended hyperbole: Matthew McConaughey playing a laid-back, hard-partying poet known as Moondog is one of the finest pieces of casting in the history of cinema. The 49-year old Oscar winner brings a tremendous amount of joy, passion and charisma to a character that likely would've been a grating shithead in less capable hands. Watching Moondog delay work on his long-awaited book to engage in a series of loosely-connected misadventures with an array of similarly eccentric accomplices (Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Martin Lawrence, Zac Efron, Jimmy Buffett, Hill) is some of the most purely absorbing, laugh-out-loud fun I've had in a movie theater recently. While I wouldn't be surprised if this was just a one-off, I really hope this is just the beginning of a long partnership between Korine and McConaughey. If this project is any indication, their ability to operate on the same oddball wavelength seem to bring the best out of each other creatively.
Colorful characters engaging in hedonistic behavior is going to be on the docket whenever you sit down to watch a Korine film. Where The Beach Bum enters uncharted territory is with the presence of some warmth underneath its scuzzy exterior. Its underlying message of treating life as a gift and embracing happiness over financial wellbeing leads to a few unexpectedly heartwarming moments as Moondog's wild journey of self-exploration reaches its excellent conclusion. Copious amounts of sex, drugs, booze and generally immoral behavior are still very much at the forefront of his work, but these little glimpses of legitimate poignancy suggests that even a proud nihilist like Korine is capable of acknowledging the brighter aspects of the human experience from time to time.
The Beach Bum is a beautiful change of pace for Korine. While its vulgar content and non-traditional narrative style will make it every bit as polarizing as his past projects, the lighthearted way in which this non-stop debauchery is delivered results in a project that features a heavy dose of positivity that never really crept into his past work. The former avant-garde rebel reflecting anything that even resembles happiness or mainstream accessibility in his work was a move I never would've ever expected, but am ultimately very glad came to fruition.
Korine's decision to make a full-on comedy isn't a complete shock. His films are always focused around eccentric characters on the outskirts of society and through examining their lives, humorous situations have a tendency to arise sometimes. However, The Beach Bum represents a huge jump in terms of frequency and effectiveness of his humor. The jokes cover a wide variety of movements (absurdist, dark, stoner, screwball, slapstick) within the genre and like any great comedy, it hits its stride early and only gets funnier as it goes along. While I never doubted Korine's ability to pull something like this off, making a movie that is consistently hilarious and entertaining throughout was still kind of an unexpected treat.
This seamless transition is further aided by the fact that Korine brought in the perfect individual to lead this woozy little project. I say this with no intended hyperbole: Matthew McConaughey playing a laid-back, hard-partying poet known as Moondog is one of the finest pieces of casting in the history of cinema. The 49-year old Oscar winner brings a tremendous amount of joy, passion and charisma to a character that likely would've been a grating shithead in less capable hands. Watching Moondog delay work on his long-awaited book to engage in a series of loosely-connected misadventures with an array of similarly eccentric accomplices (Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Martin Lawrence, Zac Efron, Jimmy Buffett, Hill) is some of the most purely absorbing, laugh-out-loud fun I've had in a movie theater recently. While I wouldn't be surprised if this was just a one-off, I really hope this is just the beginning of a long partnership between Korine and McConaughey. If this project is any indication, their ability to operate on the same oddball wavelength seem to bring the best out of each other creatively.
Colorful characters engaging in hedonistic behavior is going to be on the docket whenever you sit down to watch a Korine film. Where The Beach Bum enters uncharted territory is with the presence of some warmth underneath its scuzzy exterior. Its underlying message of treating life as a gift and embracing happiness over financial wellbeing leads to a few unexpectedly heartwarming moments as Moondog's wild journey of self-exploration reaches its excellent conclusion. Copious amounts of sex, drugs, booze and generally immoral behavior are still very much at the forefront of his work, but these little glimpses of legitimate poignancy suggests that even a proud nihilist like Korine is capable of acknowledging the brighter aspects of the human experience from time to time.
The Beach Bum is a beautiful change of pace for Korine. While its vulgar content and non-traditional narrative style will make it every bit as polarizing as his past projects, the lighthearted way in which this non-stop debauchery is delivered results in a project that features a heavy dose of positivity that never really crept into his past work. The former avant-garde rebel reflecting anything that even resembles happiness or mainstream accessibility in his work was a move I never would've ever expected, but am ultimately very glad came to fruition.
Grade: A-
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