Author: Bobby Finger on Jezebel, shared by Tom Ley to Deadspin

NFL mock draft 7.0: First-round outlook comes into focus

NFL draft week has finally arrived. Round 1 of the league’s annual “player selection meeting” begins Thursday night in Philadelphia. Rounds 2 and 3 follow on Friday, and the event wraps up Saturday with Rounds 4 through 7. But that still leaves us time for one more first-round prognostication, which will be freshened through the week as news dictates. So here’s mock draft 7.0 for 2017: 1. Cleveland Browns — Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M: A lot of conjecture in recent weeks, from the Browns’ rumored consideration of a quarterback at No. 1 to questions about Garrett’s work ethic. We’re not buying it. No reason for the league’s worst team to pass on this year’s best available player, and one who

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2017 NFL Mock Draft: Speedy John Ross falls to Saints; Chiefs, Raiders take LBs

Despite what some have suggested, inside linebackers are not being phased out of the NFL any more than running backs. Expect that fact to be proven in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft on Thursday night. As former linebackers, themselves, Oakland Raiders’ head coach Jack Del Rio and Kansas City Chiefs’ general manager John Dorsey recognize the value of the position better than most. The AFC West competitors may see SEC standouts Jarrad Davis (Florida) and Zach Cunningham (Vanderbilt) as more likely to provide an immediate impact that rookies at other positions — a significant factor given that both clubs fancy themselves as potential Super Bowl candidates. With one final update coming, here

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Bill Polian says no NFL player who failed combine drug test has succeeded. He's very wrong.

Alabama LB Rueben Foster failed a drug test at the NFL combine — the same event he was kicked out of after getting into an argument with a medical assistant. Foster’s draft stock will certainly take a hit, but, as we’ve seen in the past, these missteps don’t really tells us anything about his future in the league. There have been many players who failed drug tests at the combine and went on to have a great career. But don’t tell Bill Polian that. The former Colts GM, who has been on a roll with ridiculous comments this offseason, made one his more outlandish claims while discussing Foster’s prospects on Mike and Mike. Take it away, Bill. “No one that I can think of who tested positive or came

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Former Bengals RB Rex Burkhead explains why he picked Patriots

The New England Patriots have been adding running backs to their roster like there’s a buy-one, get-two sale going on. Which makes former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rex Burkhead’s decision to join all the more confusing. “It’s the tradition here,” Burkhead said Tuesday per Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire. “Coach [Bill] Belichick’s instilled the attitude. You can tell on film just watching the guys, they play hard and football is kind of their passion. And that’s what I wanted to be a part of. When I came on my visit, I got a glimpse of that just meeting with the coaches. And I could definitely see myself fitting in here.” Just from his wording, it seems that Burkhead liked the mentality New

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