Pre Combine 2020 NFL Draft Position Rankings

Pre Combine 2020 NFL Draft Position Rankings

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by | Feb 27, 2020 | Featured, NFL

The 2020 NFL Combine begins today at 4:00 PM EST with the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends doing on the field work. With draft season officially upon us here’s a first look at SneakerReporter’s positional rankings for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Quarterback:

1) Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama)

2) Joe Burrow (LSU)

3) Jordan Love (Utah State)

4) Justin Herbert (Oregon)

5) Jacob Eason (Washington)

Running Back:

1) Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin)

2) J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State)

3) D’ Andre Swift (Georgia)

4) Cam Akers (Florida State)

5) Clyde Edwards-Helaire (LSU)

Wide Receiver:

1) Jerry Jeudy (Alabama)

2) CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma)

3) Laviska Shenault (Colorado)

4) Henry Ruggs III (Alabama)

5) Justin Jefferson (LSU)

 

Tight End:

1) Cole Kmet (Notre Dame)

2) Hunter Bryant (Washington)

3) Harrison Bryant (Florida Atlantic)

4) Adam Trautman (Dayton)

5) Colby Parkinson (Stanford)

 

Offensive Tackle:

1) Tristan Wirfs (Iowa)

2) Jedrick Willis (Alabama)

3) Andrew Thomas (Georgia)

4) Josh Jones (Houston)

5) Mekhi Becton (Louisville)

 

Offensive Lineman:

1) Cesar Ruiz (Michigan)

2) John Simpson (Clemson)

3) Lloyd Cushenberry (LSU)

4) Robert Hunt (Lousiana)

5) Matt Hennessy (Temple)

Defensive Lineman:

1) Derrick Brown (Auburn)

2) Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina)

3) Marlon Davidson (Auburn)

4) Neville Gallimore (Oklahoma)

5) Jordan Elliott (Missouri)

Edge Rusher:

1) Chase Young (Ohio State)

2) K’Lavon Chaisson (LSU)

3) Yetur Gross-Matos (Penn State)

4) A.J. Epenesa (Iowa)

5) Josh Uche (Michigan)

Linebacker:

1) Isaiah Simmons (Clemson)

2) Patrick Queen (LSU)

3) Kenneth Murray (Oklahoma)

4) Zack Baun (Wisconsin)

5) Jordyn Brooks (Texas Tech)

Cornerback:

1) Jeff Okudah (Ohio State)

2) Trevon Diggs (Alabama)

3) CJ Henderson (Florida)

4) Kristian Fulton (LSU)

5) Jeff Gladney (TCU)

Safety:

1) Grant Delpit (LSU)

2) Antoine Winfield Jr. (Minnesota)

3) Xavier McKinney (Alabama)

4) Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne)

5) Ashtyn Davis (California)

Feb 27, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: Boston Celtics at Utah Jazz

SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: Boston Celtics at Utah Jazz

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by | Feb 27, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The streaking Boston Celtics continue their road trip with a visit to the Vivint Smart Home Arena to battle the struggling Utah Jazz, live on ESPN at 10:30 p.m.

If there was a word that could describe just how dominant, confident, and frightening to guard Jayson Tatum has been over the course of his best month as a pro, I’d likely jot it down in this preview…but in truth, there isn’t. After toppling his career-high 40 points in a 2OT win over the Clippers before the All-Star break, Tatum would go on to drop 41 again on the Lakers on the road, and then drop 36 inside Portland’s Moda Center just last night. He’s been on a tear lately, and it’s paid dividends for a Celtics team that became the fifth team in basketball this year to touch 40 wins, further registering them as an elite squad and title contender.

Currently 3rd in the East and a game-and-a-half away from overtaking the 2nd spot in the conference, all while having a secure lead over third with their four-game lead over Miami. Boston has won eight of their last 10 games, and during this Western voyage, have begun to put the rest of the league on notice.

Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz have yet to be beaten by the Gordon Hayward Celtics, dating back to their sweep of the Celtics last year. But, that was last year. Currently, the Jazz are somewhat imploding, going 1-3 on their recent homestand with questions coming out of the Utah media regarding if Quin Snyder’s starting five are capable enough of being competitive in the West.

In a headline just announced this afternoon, Snyder reportedly decided to bump Royce O’Neale up into the starting lineup and demote the regressing Mike Conley Jr. to the sixth man role, usually reserved for O’Neale. And then, he refuted those statements, saying that Joe Ingles would be coming off of the bench instead of Conley. Their last loss at home was a 131-111 loss to the struggling lottery-bound Phoenix Suns. The Jazz allowed the Suns to shoot 56.3% from the field for the game. They also allowed the Suns to score 66 points in the paint, and to make 60% of their 3-point attempts.

If Utah is to right the ship against a Celtics team that will be without their All-Star point guard Kemba Walker for a fourth-straight game due to a sore knee, they’ll need an emptying of the arsenal from Donovan Mitchell, who’s done his best during a season that’s slipping away with his 24.4 points per game off 46 percent shooting.

The Celtics are looking to win their 2nd straight game while the Jazz are looking to avoid a 4 game home losing streak, and that tip-off will go down as soon as the Rockets and Grizzlies game concludes on ESPN.

Feb 27, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: Memphis Grizzlies at Houston Rockets

SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: Memphis Grizzlies at Houston Rockets

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by | Feb 27, 2020 | Featured, NBA

James Harden gets his much sought-after second shot at vanquishing rookie dynamo Ja Morant in Wednesday night’s first of two ESPN prime time games, as the Houston Rockets look to defend the Toyota Center against the Memphis Grizzlies, who already have an advantage in the win column against Houston this year.

You could say that James Harden and his Rockets took the next-generation Grizzlies lightly, as told by their defensive effort late in January 14th’s contest, a 121-110 loss to the young upstart franchise that is currently sitting at eighth in the West. In his words, Ja Morant feared no man, for they laced up the same kicks as he did, and that was evident in their last meeting with the Rockets as the ROY favorite scored a team-high 26 points in the rout. Harden was up to his usual scoring antics with a normal 41-point night, but he and the rest of the Rockets were humbled, to say the least.

But, as fortune would have it, things haven’t been so peachy for the eighth-seeded Grizzlies. Injuries have piled on to this young team, and their schedule is going to be tough to not only finish over .500 in but maintain their playoff spot, now only 2 1/2 games over Portland and four games over New Orleans. In their second matchup against Houston, both Brandon Clarke (quad) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee sprain) will be out of commission for tonight’s game, and that’s not all.

Memphis is still without the viable pieces of Justise Winslow and Grayson Allen — two of their best perimeter scorers and defenders. Head coach Taylor Jenkins will have to sort out minutes and lineup combinations against the small-ball lineup that has been giving defenses nightmares in the past two weeks.

These Rockets have thrown the collective basketball conscience for a loop. Now 5-1 after trading away Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks and acquiring Robert Covington as part of that massive, four-team, 12-player trade during the deadline a while back, they’ve excelled and defied all limitations on the offensive and defensive end as they’ve opted to play all 48 minutes center-less for the rest of the season.

Sliding 6’5 forward PJ Tucker at the five seemed maniacal, almost obscene considering how today’s pace and space style of play revolves around size mismatches, but Mike D’Antoni — I guess we can call him the “mad scientist of current basketball” — has devised such a unique and effective scheme, that it’s hard to guard when Harde, Russell Westbrook, and others go 5-out.

Regardless of however this game turns out, it’ll still be entertaining seeing Ja and Harden duke it out once more, and if we know one thing this time around, it’s that Morant’s certainly earned Harden’s respect.

Tip-off for this exciting duel of guards is at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Feb 27, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers

SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers

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by | Feb 26, 2020 | Featured, NBA

For the first time in his young career, Zion Williamson will square off against his idol LeBron James as the Lakers see the Pelicans in the Staples Center at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Though that old “Reunited and it feels so good” song and dance is applicable since another duel of Ex- Pelicans and Ex-Lakers takes place tonight. Let’s be real: it’s not the biggest elephant in the room for this game. In what will probably be an extensive career filled with accolades aplenty for Zion Williamson, simply matching up with the world’s best player in LeBron James tonight is its own hallmark. But this is far from any sightseeing tour or meet-and-greet for the 19-year-old phenom.

In just 12 games for the Pelicans, Williamson has averaged 22.8 points per game on an unreal 58.6 shooting percentage from the field, and 7.2 rebounds per game. He’s dominating in a way that few rookies before him have, and the Pelicans are reaping the benefits. Alvin Gentry’s spacious offense has allowed the former Naismith Player of the Year to operate at an increased usage rate as he gets further accommodated to NBA pace while controlling the glass, getting out in the open court, and collapsing defenses at will. Seeing him try to do the same against LeBron tonight is going to be like watching a main-event heavyweight fight.

Yet, regardless of the Pelicans winning eight of their last 12, regardless of them now being in arm’s length of challenging for the eighth spot in the West, they’ve yet to pose a threat to LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ Lakers, who rank fourth in offensive rating and third in defensive rating behind Milwaukee and Toronto.

The Pelicans’ 23rd ranked offense, while they’ve excited NBA crowds in the last 12 games with Williamson setting foot on the floor, will likely be hard-pressed to keep up with the Lakers. And ex-communicated Pelican-turned-Laker Anthony Davis would love nothing more than to hand it to his old team, as he was traded last summer.

This could be a barn burner or blowout since there’s no middle room for any of those two outcomes not to happen. Either way, it’ll be exciting to watch two teams with players on each side that want to prove why they shouldn’t have been dealt in the trade earlier last year.

Again, tip-off for Tuesday’s second game on TNT is at 10:30 p.m. ET, shortly after the conclusion of the Bucks – Raptors contest.

Feb 26, 2020 No Comments
SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: Milwaukee Bucks at Toronto Raptors

SR – NBA Prime Time Preview: Milwaukee Bucks at Toronto Raptors

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by | Feb 26, 2020 | Featured, NBA

First up for the night: the 42-15 Toronto Raptors wish to keep their hot home winning streak alive against their Eastern superiors, the 49-8 Milwaukee Bucks, live on TNT at 7:30 p.m. ET.

As it goes for Toronto, it’s probably the safest bet to award Nick Nurse with his second coach of the year award, considering how successful this Raptors team has looked after dealing with the departure of a gravitational star like Kawhi Leonard. They are surely following up last season’s championship with an equally memorable year, representing the second seed in the East during a season many speculated they would take off and rebuild, develop their new core of younger guys, and confide more minutes into their championship-caliber pieces in Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell and first-time All-Star Pascal Siakam.

And what makes this team even more special now: the league-best Bucks only got a small whiff, let alone a taste, of this more developed, poised team since their first game against Toronto back in October. Nick Nurse is never afraid to throw a corkscrew in his unique lineups to offset any defensive scheme he can find his way to decipher, as his Raptors are quite on pace to crack 58, maybe 60+, wins this year without the presence of an All-NBA talent like Leonard playing in the Northern city.

Their defense is startling — now posing as the second-best defensive team in the league behind Milwaukee — potentially turning this one into a slugfest that’s likely to competitively go the distance to the fourth quarter. Milwaukee won the first matchup at the Fiserv Forum with a 115-105 result, even with the Raptors collectively scoring the ball at a 41.7 percentile. And of course, that difference in that game just so happened to be Giannis Antetokounmpo, who posted 36 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in a regulatory MVP showing.

But, it should be realized: this marks a Back-to-Back for the Bucks, who just got lucky in scraping away a win against the Washington Wizards, as it took an overtime period to do so. Second-man-in-command Khris Middleton took things into his own hands, scoring the team’s final nine points in OT to draw the Bucks one game closer to 50 wins on the year.

Tonight’s game should very well be a chess match of two coaches who are overtly proficient at spacing the floor for their wing scorers, so tune in to TNT at 7:30 to find out who prevails in matchup No. 2 on the year between these Eastern powerhouses.

Feb 26, 2020 No Comments