Looking forward to the 2023 NFL Draft, there are a lot of questions as to who might be picking first. Many experts suggest the Houston Texans, while others predict the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions or even the Carolina Panthers as potential options. 

If there is something specifically known about next year’s draft, it’s that the focus will be on the quarterback class. While the 2023 draft consists of a long list of overall players at every position, the QB class stands out the most. 

With that said, let’s look at which QBs are the most notable. 

Who will go First Overall Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud or Alabama’s Bryce Young?

Last year at this time, Sam Howell and Spencer Rattler were protected to go one and two as the first QBs were taken. Both QBs put up less than stellar numbers and found themselves out of that conversation come draft time. 

We’ve got two QBs once again: Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Both QBs put up outstanding numbers last year and are expected to lead their respected teams yet again. 

First, let’s start with Stroud, who completed 73 percent of his passes last season with the Buckeyes, en route to a Rose Bowl victory over Utah. 

While Stroud will look to build off his 2021 season, he does come into this year without Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, his top two targets from last season. However, he does get Jaxon Smith-Njigba back, who led the Buckeyes with 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and nine TDs. 

While Stroud put up video game-like numbers last season, he still finished runner-up in the Heisman voting to none other than Alabama’s Bryce Young. 

Despite only standing just  5’11, Young proved to be the nation’s best player. Alabama had an uncharacteristically bad offensive line last season, but Young still managed to thrive under pressure. While he did have help in the form of 12th overall pick Jameson Williams and second round pick John Metchie, I think Young will get to have a little bit more time to navigate the pocket next season. 

As mentioned earlier, the one knock on Young is his size, as he’s generated a lot of comparisons to guys like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson. Given that both of those guys have panned out, could Young thrive as well? 

That brings me to the initial question: Who will go first in the 2023 NFL Draft? According to multiple mock drafts, many people suggest that the Houston Texans will end up with the first pick. 

While Houston will start young Davis Mills at QB this year, my prediction is that they will more than likely draft a franchise QB, and I believe that C.J. Stroud is that guy. 

Yes, Bryce Young may have more talent, but he’s a bit undersized and I think Stroud’s accuracy and arm talent will get him picked first. However, I see Bryce Young getting picked second, right behind Stroud. 

Three Other QBs to Look Out For 

Will Levis, Kentucky

Projected 1st Rounder

• With so many teams in need of a QB next season, the options are endless. One of the QBs looking to make a name for himself is Kentucky’s Will Levis. The Penn State transfer put together a solid season for Kentucky and will look to continue that success next season. Standing at 6’3”, 232, Levis has the ideal build for an NFL QB, mixed in with good arm talent. Levis is certainly a guy to watch out for come draft time. The one question surrounding him is whether or not he can clean up his mistakes from last year. According to CBSSports latest mock draft, Levis would be the first overall pick to the Houston Texans.

Anthony Richardson, Florida

Dark Horse First Rounder

• Out of all the QB prospects, we probably know the least about Florida QB Anthony Richardson. That’s not his his fault, he just didn’t get a whole lot of playing time, and he had Dan Mullen as his head coach. As a die-hard Gator fan, I know quite a lot about Richardson. Out of the QB prospects, Richardson has the most to prove. He is athletic as hell and has almost the same build as Cam Newton. As I said before, we don’t know a lot about Richardson, but if he’s worth all the hype, he could be a potential top 10 pick in next year’s draft, but for now, expect to see Richardson as a Day 2 or Day 3 pick. 

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami

Top 10 Pick

• As of right now, Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke sits as one of the QBs that could go in the top 10 of this year’s draft. After D’Eriq King suffered an injury three games into the season, Van Dyke took over and there was no turning back. He ended up winning ACC Rookie of the Year and is a tall athlete with unique size and speed. He’s got good arm talent and has immense accuracy on his intermediate passes. As of right now, his arm talent mixed in with his ideal QB size makes for an intriguing QB in next year’s draft. The main question surrounding Van Dyke is whether or not he can build off last year. 

The post Five QBs Who Could Be 2023 NFL Draft First Round Picks appeared first on The Sports Bank.

The University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame commenced in 2017, and it wasn’t until this year’s class, announced today that a quarterback made the cut. Hard to believe, given all the great QBs that have donned orange and blue, that it took this long, but the drought ends with Jeff George.

Yes, the Indianapolis native and Purdue transfer, who led Illinois to a Top 10 national finish in 1989, and a Citrus Bowl win over Virginia on New Year’s Day 1990. He was the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick in 1990, getting selected by him hometown Colts.

George, who has an estimated net worth of between $1-$5 million (although that’s a very big spread, and I question the validity of that) currently resides back in Indy.

According to SB Nation’s Hammer and Rails founder Travis Miller, George owns a Dairy Queen on the outskirts of town where his photo is prominently placed.

Jeff George played in the NFL for 12 years, with five teams, and signing for an additional three for whom he never threw a single pass.

He just never completely gelled with coaches, coordinators, teammates etc. His career was marked by frequent conflicts with coaches and management, which resulted in his departure from most of the teams he played for.

At the end of the day, Jeff George couldn’t find the right fit anywhere, and that means the problem was indeed him. That was too bad, because he had all the physical tools and skill sets to be among the elite.

George even rivaled Dan Marino in his prime when it came to having a lightning quick release.

After being a massive bust with his hometown Colts, he found some success with Atlanta, before wearing out his welcome there. He had his best season in Oakland (ah, the sea forgives all! So do the Raiders) in 1997; when he threw for 29 TDs and 9 INTs.

Then in ’98 he blew off his Offensive Coordinator to call his own plays all season.

As you can imagine, this act of defiance didn’t sit well.

He was replaced by the eventual 1998 NFL MVP Rich Gannon.

Jeff George finished his career with a 46-78 record; 151 TDs vs 133 INTs, and one playoff win (1999, while with the Minnesota Vikings)

His NFL legacy, whether it’s justified or not, was one of someone who had it all physically, but didn’t have what it took in between the ears.

Whether that is fair or not, depends on who you talk to and what their point of view is. Former Bears QB Jay Cutler, for what it is worth, has often drawn Jeff George comparisons.

In college however, Jeff George was a legend. He was named Second-Team All-B1G in ’88 and First-Team in ’89, after leading the Fighting Illini to back-to-back bowl games. Jeff George earned Honorable Mention All-America honors in 1989.

During his two seasons at Illinois, George threw for 5,189 yards and 31 touchdowns. He set the Illini single-season record with 22 touchdown passes 1989, which still ranks tied for third.

Kurt Kittner broke the single season TD pass record twice. The only other football player for this class is Bill Burrell, who finished fourth in 1959 Heisman Trophy balloting.

Illini football and Heisman Trophy candidate are not phrases that often go together, and thus the OL/LB (yes, a two way player) was long overdue. 

Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”

He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Jeff George: Polarizing NFL Bust Entering Illini Hall of Fame appeared first on The Sports Bank.

By this week, all the soundbites for every NFL draft prospect now run together into an indecipherable word salad. Actually, it all becomes gobbedly-gook well before this week, due to the over-usage of cliches. All the Draftniks do it:

Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Mike Mayock, and Jon Gruden most of all. Gruden speaks with a much higher buzz word/NFL draft catch-phrase per sentence percentage than anyone. If I sat down and watched Gruden’s “QB Camp” show again, this list would be four times as long.

Actually, I shouldn’t single out Gruden, maybe Mayock is the most cliche, or any of them for that matter. By the end of NFL Draft weekend it all bleeds into the same page and runs the same.

Yes, I’m aware that many of these are just scouting terms that have made their way into the mainstream lexicon as the NFL Draft went from niche to headliner. And yes, those scouting terms do have an actual specific meaning in some cases, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t make fun of them. And yes, I do actually know what all of these are supposed to mean, but seriously, when you hear them Thursday-Saturday, soooooooooooooooo baaaaaaaaaaaaaad!

It probably just conveys how much the NFL Draft coverage has long been in way overkill mode. It’s a highly specialized activity or at least it should be, but now it’s all up in the faces of even casual sports fans. Really, it’s not healthy that we care this much about this stuff.

So without further ado, let’s get the NFL Draft cliche party started.

1. “Has all the measurables”

2.”measurables monster”

3. “aced the scouting combine”

4. “combine hero”

5. “he can make all the throws”

6. “character issues” 7. “red flags” 8. “off-the-field issues” <– these are all essentially all the same thing. They are blanket terms that can cover serious things like alleged murder and rape accusations. I mean “red flag” is a legitimately important metaphor, and players who have committed violent crimes don’t really deserve euphemisms.

However, these phrases can also cover immature, dumb, but essentially harmless things like stealing crab meat and yelling “fuck her right in the pussy” on top of a table.

When we were 18 or 19 we pretty much all did stuff that was beyond stupid and inexplicable.

These three terms can cover a wide spectrum of events, and they range greatly in how serious or superficial the magnitude. Can’t you just say the legal term for the alleged crime? Supposed infraction?

Would that really be such a big deal?

9. “quicker than fast”

10. “can drop his pads”

11. “all he does is make plays”

12. “manufacturing touches”

13. “his tape is better than he tests”

14. “can get up the field”

15. “straight line speed”

16. “generational talent”

17. “a wow get off”

18. “sets a violent edge”

19.”great acceleration to the ball.”

20. “a height/weight/speed guy”

21. “best take get off”

22. “converts speed to power”

23. “edge-rusher” <–a new position made up during the past ten years, used to be called “defensive end” or “outside linebacker”

24. “plays well in space” <– this one always reminds me of “IIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNN SPPPPPAAAAAAAAACCCCCEEEEE” like the old Daffy Duck cartoons “Duck Dodgers! Of the 24th and a half century!!”

25. “hand-in-the-ground player” <– so he’s a gardener? and yes I know what it really means

26. “high character guy”

27. “tremendous upside”

28. “untapped potential”

29. “great ball skills”

30. “you coach him up” <– one of Kiper’s favorites, at this point Mel Kiper essentially is Frank Caliendo doing Mel Kiper, much like Jon Gruden actually is Frank Caliendo doing Jon Gruden.

31. “plays faster/slower than his tape/tests”

32. “5 technique, 3 technique”<– just a trendier, more scientific renaming of the defensive tackle or nose tackle position

33. “gets all the 50/50 balls” <– a more recent one, which originated in basketball

34. “shows great physicality”

35. “at the point of attack” <–this isn’t a trench in the Ardennes during World War I

36. “a space eater/run stuffer/a big body” we also would have accepted “road grader”

37. “a high motor guy”

38. “intangibles”

39. “SEC speed” <–the bastard cousin of this one is “he’s good at catching it in a crowd because he’ll always be in one”

40. “true north/south runner” <– I know what this means, but man I still really hate this one

41. “great acceleration in getting to the second level,” “pad level” is a catching on a lot too.

42. “very coachable”

43. “doesn’t have a lot of tread/too much tread on the tires”

44. “a locker room guy”

45.”he’s a football player” <–well, no shit he’s a football player but yes, we still hear this one all the time

<-which is loosely related to “He just wins” and “he’s just a winner”

45. “a man child”

46. “he’s a beast”

47. “Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane”<– a guy who really looks like he should be very good, but actually totally sucks. This one might be a bit sexist, misogynist depending on just how far you go in being pc. It’s getting phased out now in the modern era.

48. “It’s a quarterback driven league”

49. “It all starts with the quarterback”

50. “It’s a passing league”

51. “blue collar”

52. “lunch pail”

53. “hard hat”

54. “grinder”

55.  “he’s a freak/physical freak/freak of nature”

56. “can be gap sound”

57. “fox hole guy” <– bastard sibling of “point of attack” “in the trenches guy”

58. “phone booth guy” “you put ’em in a phone booth” “he plays in a phone booth”

59. “plays to the whistle” “gets after it on every play”

Has your mind been turned into oatmeal yet, from all of this mush, or should I continue?

60. “passes the eye test”

61. “eye discipline”

62. “physical specimen”

63. “football IQ”

64. “a quick study”

65. “plug n play”

66. “day one starter”

67. “mortgage the future”

68. “heat seeking missile”

69. “those big paws”

70. “unleashes up field”

71. “good gap integrity”

Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”

He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.

The post 71 of the Worst NFL Draft Cliches, Buzzwords, and Word Salad appeared first on The Sports Bank.

Three days of intense deal making is set to get underway as the 32 NFL franchise teams battle to boost their rosters. The NFL draft is imminent with the best college players waiting to find out where they will be playing next season.

As always, the event will attract huge attention this year, so here’s a guide to the three days, along with some main trading predictions.

Don’t Miss Out

The draft opens on Thursday April 27, with the first round of picks gaining the most attention. Three days later, those trades will conclude on Saturday April 29. It’s a major event in itself and something that helps NFL fans stay in touch as they eagerly await the start of a new campaign.

The NFL network picks up the live coverage, while a host of nfl draft odds can be found at major sportsbooks across the United States and beyond. Another thrilling three days is in prospect, but what can we expect?

Bryce Young to the Carolina Panthers

While some debate continues as to who will be the confirmed number one draft pick this year, it’s certain that Bryce Young will be among the hottest prospects in 2023. The 21-year-old quarterback enjoyed some exceptional campaigns with the Alabama Crimson Tide and he claimed the Heisman Trophy in 2021.

Under NFL draft rules, the team with the worst record from the previous season gets the first pick. In 2023, that dubious honor goes to the Carolina Panthers. Irrespective of whether Young is the first in line, the Panthers need a top class QB and Bryce Young fits their profile.

Jalen Carter to Seattle Seahawks

Issues away from the field have seen Jalen Carter’s stock levels diminish, but the young defensive tackle remains one of the best in his position. In a sense, teams may be taking a gamble based on certain concerns, but there are no doubts about his quality and potential.

Who will make the trade? As Carter looks set to become only the fifth defensive player to be drafted, the Seahawks have a gap on their roster, and he could enjoy more gametime in Seattle.

Lukas Van Ness to Chicago Bears

For many serious football fans, the really interesting trades begin in round two. This is the point where the scouts have to prove their worth as they look to identify less heralded college players who they feel could still make the step up.

Defensive End Lukas Van Ness falls into that category: He hasn’t captured the same levels of media attention as the first round options, but he’s enjoyed solid performances for the Iowa Hawkeyes and many feel he has a big NFL future. The Chicago Bears are in line to give Van Ness that opportunity.

Mixed Messages from Reigning Champions

Kansas City Chiefs won a dramatic Super Bowl in February but, like all NFL teams, they will continue to strengthen their roster where possible. The franchise’s general manager Brett Veach has talked up the quality of defensive players in this year’s draft, but many experts are suggesting that the Chief’s priorities lie at the other end of the field.

Could Offensive Tackle Anton Harrison be Kansas City’s first pick of the draft? The Oklahoma graduate comes with a strong reputation and, if the Chiefs do have a weakness, it’s in Harrison’s right tackle position.

Eagles Make it Count

2022 NFC Champions the Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t quite find Super Bowl success, and they’ll be aiming higher next season. The team has just six picks at the upcoming draft, so they will need to make them count.

The good news for Eagles fans is that they have two picks in the first round and four inside the top 100. Predictions vary, but names in the frame include Devon Witherspoon, Edge Nolan Smith, Joey Porter Jr and Calijah Kancey.

C.J. Stroud Not in Demand

With Bryce Young’s stock tending to fall, the popular theory is that C.J. Stroud will now enter the 2023 NFL draft as the Number One pick. What isn’t so certain is his final destination, with the possibility of teams passing as they look to strengthen in other areas.

Stroud’s quality is not in question: The graduate from the Ohio State Buckeyes won a host of individual awards during his college career. A number of possibilities are being touted, including a shock trade to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nothing is ever certain at an NFL draft, and that’s all part of the entertainment. The first round picks tend to find a logical home, but there can always be a surprise or two among the early trades.

As the draft moves on, it’s all about finding value among players who have the potential to make an impression in the big league. It’s a highly anticipated event, but will these predictions come true in 2023?

The post Bold 2023 NFL Draft Draft Pick Predictions appeared first on The Sports Bank.

Illini Football returned to relevance last fall, and with that, they are back with a presence this spring at the NFL Draft as well. Defensive back Jartavius Martin rocked it at the NFL Combine last month, and he’s gonna parlay that into a nice mid-round selection this weekend.

Martin set the Illini Combine record in the vertical jump, and he posted the 8th-best 40-yard dash time in Illinois’ history at the scouting event.

Martin’s vertical was the No. 1 score in this year’s Combine and it tied for fifth all-time in Combine history. In other words, he’s got mad hops.

His impressive leaping marks didn’t end there. He set an Illini record in the broad jump and tied for fourth at this year’s Combine. He also ran the third fastest 40-yard dash among safeties in this class.

NFL Network’s draftnik Daniel Jeremiah gave a NFL Draft stock report on Jartavius Martin.

“When you look at Jartavius Martin, I think he is going to be a day 1 starting nickel,” he said on media conference all.

“He is quick and fluid. He can change directions. He is a physical hitter. He shows you his toughness. I’m curious to see what the pure speed is.

That’s the only box left for him to check is the speed part, but I thought he was somebody that could come in and be a really good nickel right away.”

No doubt.

Martin teamed up with cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who will be a top ten overall pick tomorrow night to combine for 29 passes defended, the most in the nation among Power-5 teammates.

Jartavius Martin also had the top tackling grade in the Big Ten among cornerbacks and the No. 2 grade in the nation this past season.

It was all part of the Illini’s crazy good secondary as Illinois was 1st in the nation in interceptions (22), as well as
• 1st in the nation in passing efficiency defense (89.8)
• 1st in the nation in passing touchdowns allowed (8)
• 1st in the nation in yards per pass attempt (5.4)

It was definitely a balanced unit, with talent, depth and skill all around.

Illinois and Alabama are the only teams with two Bednarik semifinalists, which lists the top 20 defenders in the nation.

The strength of the Illini defense, and with that, obviously the Illini football team in general, was the secondary.

NFL Draft Stock Profiles

Devon Witherspoon    Chase & Sydney Brown    Jartavius Martin   Peter Skoronski    C.J. Stroud    Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”

He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Illini DB Jartavius Martin Projects as a NFL Day 1 Starting Nickel appeared first on The Sports Bank.

Given a. it’s NFL Draft night and b. the opioids epidemic that is currently gripping America, we now re-publish this piece from November 2, 2018, and our Ryan Leaf exclusive from November 29, 2018.

Ryan Leaf is known by many football fans as perhaps the greatest bust in NFL Draft history. His career began with an endless debate about who should be taken first in the 1998 draft- himself, or the man who did get selected first overall, Peyton Manning.

Thank you for the opportunity to be of service. #soberlife #bethesolution https://t.co/3razbuofg5

— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) October 29, 2018

While Leaf only saw 25 games of action over the course of three seasons, Manning went on to win five MVP awards, two Super Bowls and get selected to 14 Pro Bowls.

Given the elite level of Manning’s many prodigious accomplishments, Leaf’s washing out of the league by age 26 seems even more disappointing by comparison.

That’s extremely unfair on many levels to Ryan Leaf, but unfortunately that is how this chapter in the book of sports history has been written.

Not to go all ESPN 30 for 30 style on you, but “what if I told you” football was from the most interesting aspect of the Ryan Leaf story?

And it’s a tale that is, of course, still very much in the progress of being told.

Leaf has now found his calling as a behavioral and mental health advocate, a position that is needed now more than ever, amidst the opioids catastrophe.

He will deliver the keynote address at the 2nd Annual Gala for Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center on Friday night. The fundraiser will be held in the Drake Hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood on November 2nd.

Proceeds raised from the event will go towards supporting addiction recovery efforts for those most vulnerable.

Ryan Leaf is currently the Program Ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community, and Chair of FIF.

The former Heisman Trophy finalist, who led Washington State to the 1997 Rose Bowl, still has a very strong presence in the game as he now hosts “PAC-12 This Morning” on SiriusXM 373, Monday-Friday 7-10 AM PT. The Los Angeles based media personality also currently has a television presence, serving as an analyst for PAC-12 Network.

However, the road Leaf took to get where he is today is rockier than anyone could imagine.  Mental health issues took their toll on the Great Falls, Montana native and opioids were his way out. There was great pain in his life and his addiction to opioids painkillers sent him on a very dark and extremely downward spiral.

In a very revealing radio interview, Leaf referred to April 1, 2012 as the worst day in his life. It was then that he looked up ways to commit suicide, and even went so far as to slash his wrist.

That was also the day that he broke into a house in order to steal painkiller pills and, having already acquired a rap sheet by that point, was handed a seven year prison sentence.

He ended up serving 32 months and it was during that time he finally reached rock bottom, and then turned it all around.

Today, Leaf is a leading advocate for the recovery community and he travels all across the United States giving inspirational speeches.

His mission is to reach those in need and try to help inspire others to begin the long road to recovery. He shares his story of dealing with mental health issues and opioids abuse, striving to eliminate the mental health stigma.

Leaf emphasizes this message: “asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.”

I'm in awe of humanity, you all help transform a life I felt was hopeless. #askforhelp @TranscendSL #Grateful pic.twitter.com/9k6E4dQ3vW

— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) December 24, 2016

Above and Beyond, a nonprofit center located in East Garfield Park – was founded and funded in 2015 by businessman Bryan Cressey. You can find more information about how to help fight the opioids epidemic at Above and Beyond online.

Tickets for the gala can be obtained by visiting this site.

NFL Draft Stock Profiles

Devon Witherspoon    Chase & Sydney Brown    Jartavius Martin   Peter Skoronski    C.J. Stroud    Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”

He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Ryan Leaf Overcame Opioids, Prison to Become Inspirational Recovery Advocate appeared first on The Sports Bank.

Given a. it’s NFL Draft night and b. the opioids epidemic that is currently gripping America, we now re-publish this piece from November 2, 2018, and our Ryan Leaf exclusive from November 29, 2018.

In the first college football game I attended as a student, the visiting team scored an 80-yard touchdown pass on the very first play from scrimmage.

The visitors, Washington State, would go on to win and play in the Rose Bowl against that year’s eventual national champions, Michigan. The home team, my alma mater of Illinois, wouldn’t even win a single game that year.

More than 20 years later, I’m sitting in a Cadillac Escalade, rolling down Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and the quarterback who threw that 80-yard TD pass, Ryan Leaf, is now granting me an exclusive interview; and the topic of football is ancillary to the purpose of our discourse.

This exclusive takes place after I had just watched Leaf give a speech to Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center in the East Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. A few hours later, I’ll witness his giving a longer, more detailed, version of that speech again at Above and Beyond’s Second Annual Gala at the Drake Hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood.

The unexpected twists and turns on the road of life, the small choices that eventually have tremendous consequence on our direction towards certain moments in our lives was a theme omnipresent in these speeches.

“I have an unbelievable life that has nothing to do with football,” the Great Falls Montana native said towards the end of his speech to Above and Beyond, a nonprofit center founded and funded by businessman Bryan Cressey (You can find more information on Above and Beyond online here).

“I have a one year old baby boy at home, a beautiful fiancé, and a family and a community that supports me not because I was a great athlete- that was the furthest thing from the truth. It’s because I became a flawed human being trying to be better, every day, just like every one of you.”

While we did discuss Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff chances (read his take at this link) and the playoff chances for Michigan and the Big Ten, the actual meat and potatoes of our Q&A revolves around topics that are infinitely more serious and meaningful than the gridiron. 

Ryan Leaf is currently the Program Ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community and Chair of FIF (Focused Intensity Foundation). He’s a leading advocate for the recovery community, and he travels all across the country giving inspirational speeches like the two that I heard on this specific Friday. His mission is to reach and inspire addicts, and help them on along the road to recovery.

He’s been there himself having overcome an eight year struggle with prescription painkillers. Leaf’s addiction was so severe that it led to a considerable amount of criminal behavior, and finally a burglary that sent him to jail for 32 months.

Because of his celebrity status as a former NFL starting quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist, his criminal exploits garnered a lot of national media coverage.

A big part of his recovery was achieved by implementing Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, the pioneering form of cognitive behavior therapy developed by Dr. Albert Ellis in 1955 and strongly advocated at Above and Beyond.

“Even though I was getting negative attention for it, for somebody who is a narcissist, at least somebody cared,” he said during his speech.

“Because the police kept showing up.” 

These days Ryan Leaf shares his story of dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse, and he’s striving to eliminate the stigmas that accompany both of these afflictions.

I began the Ryan Leaf Q&A by asking him what do you say to the addict that says “I can quit any time if I want to.”

“I got a great answer for that- then do it,” he responded.

Audio of our podcast, “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” on SB Nation’s Hammer and Rails Network, covering Ryan Leaf is below:

“I don’t have a drinking problem, then how about we just quit for a year. Try it out.”

“Since it’s not a problem, then go to it and you’ll know you can do it, and there’s no response to it. Either they acquiesce to it, or they continue on their path. Until somebody is ready to change, you can’t change for them.”

Although the situation is obviously very different for every individual, what is the key to helping a person take ownership of their situation and finally have that important self-realization and awakening?

“It has to be their bottom, whatever that is,” Leaf answered.

“For me, I was such a narcissist that I had to be humbled in a way that I ended up on a prison cell floor.”

“My hope is, the only thing I can control is, to tell my story and that somebody who hears it, who’s going through something similar to what I went through knows that there is a solution and a way out; and will take it, but like I said, I can’t do it for ’em.”

I then followed up for further clarification on what rock bottom truly is.

“Your rock bottom, whatever that is. Mine had to be in a prison cell I guess. Where somebody else’s might be having to be confronted by an employer. That’s their rock bottom. It’s important that people who unconditionally care about them stop enabling it and hold them accountable for their actions, and sometimes that’s enough.”

“Unfortunately, sometimes the rock bottom ends up being really the bottom where they die- that’s the part that keeps driving me.”

“I don’t want anybody else to die from this disease, because of lack of information or stigma.”

When asked about what role denial can play in obstructing addicts from reaching recovery, Leaf says that was not an issue in his particular case.

“I looked at myself in the mirror every night and was like ‘you junkie; you just need so much help.’ I just wasn’t willing to ask for it. I liked feeling high, I liked that feeling of not knowing that I’m a junkie and the way to do that is to medicate myself, to make myself numb and to not feel anything.”

“And I think a lot of people self-medicate that way, because they feel like a loser or depressed, and they chose to numb that away instead of to deal with that in a positive way.”

What an honor to meet you. Thank you for being part of the solution. Enjoy retirement!! https://t.co/YCOaFKiIij

— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) November 3, 2018

Leaf makes it known right off the bat in his speeches that he is not a product of his environment.

He was raised by two loving parents, in a privileged white middle class background. 

He was put on a pedestal in his hometown due to his athletic prowess, and at age 21 was handed 31 million dollars (which he likened to handing a 13-year-old that egregiously exorbitant amount of money). 

When Ryan Leaf completed his final season of college football he was part of a Heisman Trophy finalist grouping that consisted of himself, Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Peyton Manning. The other three men in that group are among the top five or top ten to ever play their respective positions in the NFL. 

When he entered the National Football League in 1998, the talking heads debated incessantly whether or not the first overall pick should be Leaf or Manning. 

Leaf, taken second overall by the San Diego Chargers, finished his NFL career having seen action in just three seasons, two with San Diego, one with Dallas. He won just four games as a starter. When the Chargers cut him in 2001, he learned about it via a newspaper article while on his honeymoon.

He retired from football at age 26 with the following statistics: 

48.4% completion percentage, 14 TD passes, 36 interceptions, 3,666 yards passing and a passer rating of just 50.0. Manning, selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts, holds many NFL records, including touchdown passes (539), AP MVP awards (5), Pro Bowl appearances (14), 4,000-yard passing seasons (14), single-season passing yards (5,477 in 2013), single-season passing touchdowns (55 in 2013), and is second in career passing yards (71,940).

He was number one in that final category until just a few weeks ago, when he was surpassed by Drew Brees.

We make this juxtaposition in the hopes that others will stop doing it in the future and eventually it starts to dissipate. For the past 15-20 years, the quarterback you compare Manning to is not Leaf, but Tom Brady.

Leaf did say in his speech at The Drake how every April, during NFL Draft season, he has to hear the NFL pundits talk about not drafting “the next Ryan Leaf,” though he also said:

“I must have been pretty damn good if I was considered one of the biggest busts of all time.”

The Washington State Cougars legend says that he was known to many people, for a very long time, by the viral video of him that came about before viral videos on the internet were even a thing.

It’s the footage of him blowing up at a reporter in such an extreme manner that he needed to be restrained by teammates.

Throughout his career he had an extremely adversarial relationship with the media, but today he IS IN THE media. (Again funny how the road of life takes you on these unexpected twists and turns).

Ryan Leaf, like the NFL team he’s synonymous with, has now moved to L.A. where he currently hosts “PAC-12 This Morning” on SiriusXM 373, Monday-Friday 7-10 AM PT. He also does television analyst work for PAC-12 Network.

He is, for lack of a better word, very much an individual brand again.

He says during his speeches that there’s a reason he’s still here, because he was after all: “breaking into homes in the state of Montana, where everyone has a gun.” 

He has a job that most readers of this site would consider a dream. He also has an aforementioned child and a wife to be.

The most important thing he has right now is purpose, and that is considerably more meaningful than any football achievement, victory, statistic or record.

NFL Draft Stock Profiles

Devon Witherspoon    Chase & Sydney Brown    Jartavius Martin   Peter Skoronski    C.J. Stroud    Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”

He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Ryan Leaf EXCLUSIVE: Former QB Opens Up About His Addiction and Recovery appeared first on The Sports Bank.

J.J. Watt is the latest example of the synergy between world football and American football. The Houston Texans and Wisconsin Badgers legend, along with his wife, former NWSL star Keila Ohai, have purchased a minority stake in English club Burnley FC. Nicknamed The Clarets, Burnley fell down from the Premier League last season, to the second tier, known as the Championship.

However, led by promising young manager Vincent Kompany, Burnley has already clinched the Championship title, and they’ll be back up in the Premiership next season.

JJ and Kealia Watt explain why they’ve invested in this ‘special Club’ ? pic.twitter.com/h5CMR7zWPH

— Burnley FC ? (@BurnleyOfficial) May 1, 2023

Watt and his wife, a sports power couple in the truest sense, are investing in the club at the perfect time.

“When you invest in a club that’s been around since 1882, you must have great respect for its history and tradition,” the Watts said, jointly, in a statement.

“We understand that not only are we investing in the squad and manager, we’re investing in the town and its people. We take that responsibility very seriously and intend to work hard in earning their trust and support. We believe that Burnley is a special club with incredible supporters and we want to help continue to elevate its global profile on its return to the Premier League.”

Koa just woke up from a nap and is trying to figure out why the whole house smells like steak & ale pie. @BurnleyOfficial #UTC pic.twitter.com/vwuOsiOHX5

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 1, 2023

J.J. Watt is an amazing underdog story. Growing up in a town on the exurbs of Milwaukee, he was a pizza delivery driver before he walked on at the University of Wisconsin.

From there he developed into one of the all-time legends in not just Badgers, but Big Ten history. The 11th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Watt had a phenomenal career in the professional ranks, where he won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award three times.

The 34-year-old brings tremendous sports acumen to his second career, as he transitions to the role of post-NFL star turned business man.

And his wife Keila is a former USWNT member, making her part of the world’s best women’s soccer program.

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome JJ and Kealia into the Clarets family,” reads a statement from Burnley chairman Alan Pace.

“Both JJ and Kealia bring with them an incredible amount of top-level sporting pedigree and success, as well as ideas and connections that will be invaluable in helping us to continue telling the Clarets story to an international audience.”

Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”

He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.

The post NFL Legend J.J. Watt Buys Minority Stake in Burnley FC appeared first on The Sports Bank.

Need a 2024 NFL Mock Draft? Of course you do! There are hundreds of them out there on the internet these days. Sometimes it feels like there are even thousands. However, The Sports Bank remains the only independently owned Mom and Pop shop website that has one for all four of major North American sports.

Here are the links to all our other mocks: NHL  MLB  NBA.

And as always, our list of the 50 worst NFL mock draft cliches, buzz phrases and other assorted word salad can be found here. Not all mocks do player pick descriptions, but we do! The NFL Draft date will be held April 25-27.

This mock is listed on NFL Mock Draft Database, Eat, Drink and Sleep Football, Yahoo! and USA Today Ravens Wire

So without any further ado, the Minnows of the Midway are on the clock.

1. Chicago via CAR, Caleb Williams, QB USC

Justin Fields is now officially gone, and that means Caleb Williams is inevitable. Bears are starting all over, again, because well, they are just a horribly run organization; top to bottom.

Maybe this guy will be the long awaited franchise savior?

2. Washington, Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Commanders need a total rebuild, and that all starts with the quarterback (so the cliche goes).

3. New England, Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

You kids wouldn’t believe or remember this, but back in the ’90s Heisman winners were often not drafted very high. These days, the script has indeed flipped.

4. Arizona, Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Won’t you be my neighbor? No, ok, how about you be my first wideout off the boards? Nabers was more electrifying than both this past season, as he had at least one play of 20+ yards in all 13 games last season.

The Youngsville, LA native ranked second in the nation in receiving yards (1,569) and receiving first downs (69) this past season. He also has the measurables, as he ran a cheetah like 4.35 in the 40, to go along with crazy good 42-inch vertical and 10-foot-9 broad jump at LSU’s Pro Day.

5. LA Chargers, Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The ND-Chargers pipeline has been well documented, overly analyzed and thoroughly studied. We did so at this link.

6. NY Giants, Marvin Harrison, WR, Ohio State

Maybe they fill their QB need via free agency, trade. If so, they need to go best player available.

7. Tennessee, Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

Titans badly need help on the OL, and this is a blue chip prospect.

8. Atlanta, Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

A whole ton of other mocks out there have Dallas Turner going to Atlanta at #8. It makes so much sense on so many levels that we’ll just conform to the trend.

9. Chicago, Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Rome, if you want to…and you should, as he was the main reason the Huskies were the most fun to watch team in college football this season

10. NY Jets, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, PSU

There are potentially three first round draft picks coming out of PSU, in Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Kalen King, CB, and Chop Robinson EDGE.

11. Minnesota, Jared Verse, Edge, FSU

Noles superstar is the main character of the book, chapter and verse, of defensive end prospects in this class.

12. Denver, JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Is he really the goods, and he can win games with his arm? Or was he just a game manager who was gifted an amazing running game and elite defense?

13. Las Vegas, JC Latham, OT, Alabama

So much Bama in your 2024 NFL mock draft; or any year for that matter.

14. New Orleans, Laiatu, Latu, Edge, UCLA

Saints need pash rushing help.

15. Indianapolis, Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Great value pick. First back to back Bulldogs

16. Seattle, Brock Bowers, TE Georgia

It is nice to see a tight end go this high for a change. That doesn’t happen often.

17. Jacksonville, Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

JAX should go best cornerback available.

18. Cincinnati, Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon

Yes, this is a real guy. That is a real name. And he’s a really good prospect too.

19. LA Rams, Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

As you know from the highly suggestive music video that the team made in the 1980s, they need someone to “Ram It Ram It!”

20. Pittsburgh, Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Fills a need and is a huge value here.

21. Miami, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Mizzou

The run on cornerbacks….

22. Philadelphia, Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

..continues. These days the only positions that go in the first round are: passers, pass-blockers, pass rushers, pass protectors and pass defenders. Everyone else has to wait until later rounds.

23. Houston via CLE, Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois

We looked into all that Johnny Newton brings to the table over at this link.

24. Dallas, Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

This would be a steal of a value for the Boys at this point.

25. Green Bay, Cooper DeJean, CB/RS, Iowa

This defensive and special teams player was a huge part of how the Hawkeyes scored points this past season. Yes, you read that right. Brian Ferentz should forever be ashamed.

26. Tampa Bay, Keon Coleman, WR, FSU

Too bad we didn’t get to see what Coleman could do against a College Football Playoff team

27. Arizona via HOU, Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Yes, the same school that produced Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is also giving us Kool-Aid McKinstry. If only they also had Squirrel White, God Shamgod, Exree Hipp, Diamond Stone, Melo Trimble, D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Lourawls Tum Tum Nairn Jr.

28. Buffalo, Brian Thomas, WR, LSU

LSU going from DBU TO WRU

29. Detroit, Chop Robinson, Edge, PSU

There are potentially three first round draft picks coming out of PSU, in Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Kalen King, CB, and Chop Robinson EDGE.

30. Baltimore, Tyler Guyton, OL Oklahoma

If Johnny Newton were to fall all the way down here, he would be perfect for Baltimore, and we looked at why that is over at this link. However, we don’t think he will, and we agree with our USA Today/Ravens Wire colleague that Guyton would be a good fit here. We also agree with his reasoning.

The Ravens might have needs than in the receiving corps, both lines and the secondary, but no selection could provide both drum and symbol crash like nabbing a top tier WR. Deonte Harry was brought in to replace Odell Beckham Jr., but I could easily see the Ravens going wideout here to build on top of that.

31. San Francisco 49ers, Graham Barton, OL, Duke

Versatile o-lineman who could play multiple positions; exactly what the Niners need.

32. Kansas City (Taylor’s Version), Darius Robinson, DL, Mizzou

The post 2024 NFL Mock Draft Update (3-24-24) appeared first on The Sports Bank.