J.J. McCarthy probably didn’t go where he thought he might in Round 1 of the NFL Draft…
but at least he planned ahead. More than we can say for the Atlanta Falcons.
QB Shakeup in Round 1
What Happened: The first round of the NFL Draft is complete.
There was no race for the fourth quarterback off the board, and as a matter of fact, when a passer outside of the Williams-Daniels-Maye trio was taken, it was not the name many expected to hear.
Why It Matters: Uhh, what are the Falcons doing?
Widely expected to be the first team to go with a defensive player, Atlanta instead opted for a (checks note) soon-to-be 24-year old QB with an extensive injury past. And this is after signing Kirk Cousins to a deal with $100 million in guarantees. It’s fair to wonder what exactly the plan is there after a head-scratching choice.
Elsewhere, the NFC champion 49ers selected a wide receiver at the end of Round 1. Unless the league is going to let them play with two footballs next season, it sure seems like San Francisco has a surplus of playmakers. Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, you guys might not want to unpack from vacation just yet.
How We’re Feeling Today
Impressed by J.J. McCarthy’s decision-making. And no, we aren’t talking about his ability to find open receivers.
Imagine having a TV crew film a company as they debate, on a live broadcast, whether it should hire you or not. Sounds like the stuff of nightmares, doesn’t it.
So why would prospects such as McCarthy want to have cameras trained on them as they wait for an NFL team to pick them? It feels like the potential for tremendous downside in the form of an embarrassing and unexpected slide down the round.
While McCarthy did have a TV crew at his home, at least he didn’t subject himself to the Aaron Rodgers treatment of sitting in a green room while everyone else around you leaves that lame corner of the party to go have fun elsewhere.
There’s a key lesson in here: most times, it’s better to just stay home.
The Look Ahead
Russell Westbrook PRA – On Sunday, we told our subscribers (whom we love) that Westbrook had notched a PRA line of at least 19 in 80 straight playoff games. In Games 1 and 2, Russ has produced PRAs of 21 and 19, so when we see his line set for tonight at 14.5, we almost do a double-take. He’s gotten there in eight of his last nine games entering Game 3, so the recent trend is in his favor as well.
Jason Zucker SOG – Zucker needs just two shots on net to cash in for bettors tonight. And while he didn’t get there in Game 2, he did in Game 1 and in nine of Nashville’s last 11 regular season games. It’s a pivotal home Game 3 for the Preds with the chance to take the series lead, and games like this are exactly why they acquired Zucker back in March.
T.J. McConnell PR – We are banking on a bounce back for McConnell at home tonight. The Indiana guard went for 10 and 2 in Game 1, but a lousy 6 and 2 on Tuesday. His line is only 10.5, and while we know the playoffs is a different beast, McConnell scored 15+ points in five straight before this series.
