The One | Jets-Phins | NFL Draft ‘24 | College Hoops 25 | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
The One by Mary J. Blige featuring Drake was today’s song pick. The other Drake feature in chronological order was Money To Blow (Remix) which just ain’t the Christmas spirit. I could also spin this by saying this is The (last) One of the Mock Draft Mondays this calendar year - no Note on Christmas this Monday and then we’re on to ‘24!
Yonkers’ own, Mary J. Blige, is referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B" as she has won 9 Grammy awards. At this point in her music career, this was her 9th studio album, which warrants her to say she’s the one. As for other songs in her catalog, Mary J. Blige did make 1 song with the rapper, Fabolous, whose song last Monday was Throw It In The Bag….
This sorta stuff doesn’t mean much but a Fabolous lyric was my senior quote in high school and he gave the @You_The_Reader’s Instagram account a story view. Sorry, I know it’s silly but I saw him perform at the Apollo Theater and I think that’s pretty cool!
This song came out in ‘09 so Drake was the much lesser known artist at the time. Mary J. Blige had some nice things to say about him, "I'm actually a fan. Drake is incredible. I met him at Summer Jam, very respectable. That was the first time I met him. Really nice kid. I love the record ['Best I Ever Had']. Every woman in the world should love that record. [He's] very innocent and humble. He's like, 'I'm just doing what I do and happy to be doing it.'“ (Source: SongFacts)
This was when Drake was in his young, up-and-coming, hungry, and Playboy phase. Whether it was a song with another rapper or an R&B female, he knew what angle to go with early on. This tune is probably one of his lesser-known collaborations and it’s with an icon, so it sorta goes to show the depth in his features.
On to the sports…
These numerical rankings are subject to change. After today, we’ve profiled 165 College Football players, which would nearly cover the 5 Rounds of the NFL Draft. I got all 165 players' profiles saved on a draft that I promise I won’t send you (it’s a 184-minute read and still growing), but just for context the Mel Kiper’s of the world cover anywhere from 250 to 300 prospects, so I still got a ways to go. Eventually, the plan is to start making Mock Drafts with NFL teams once the draft order is more finite and I know where the NYJ and NYG are picking.
Kamal Hadden is from River Rouge, Michigan, where he was a highly sought-after 5-star recruit in high school. Right out of high school, Hadden first went to a JUCO school, Independence Community College, where he was one of the top junior college CBs. He originally had plans to play for Auburn, but ended up transferring to Tennesee in June of ‘21. As a redshirt sophomore in ‘21, Kamal Hadden played in 7 games and made 2 starts for the Volunteers. Despite the limited playing time, the 6’1” corner made the most of it with 17 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and an INT. By ‘22, Kamal Hadden earned his way into a starting role for the Volunteers, making 6 starts as he had 30 solo tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, and 2 INTs. This past season as a senior, Hadden once again made plays when he was on the field. He was tied for 3rd in CFB in passes defended with 11 and had 3 interceptions through Week 8 of the season before he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. One of Hadden’s biggest highlight plays of the year was his Pick-6 on Spencer Rattler, but his 90.5 coverage grade by PFF ranked highest among SEC D-Backs this season so he was consistent.
Javon Foster is from Detroit, Michigan, where he was a 2-star prospect according to Rivals.com. As a freshman at Missouri, Foster redshirted while making the First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll. In ‘19, he saw his first glimpse of action while playing in two games. In ‘20, as a redshirt sophomore, Foster was SEC Academic Honor Roll while playing in 9 games and making 2 starts at RT. The following season he flipped sides of the line and was the team’s starting LT for 13 games. It was his breakout season as PFF gave him an All-SEC honorable mention while grading him out as the 3rd best SEC run-blocking tackle. By ‘22, Javon Foster solidified himself with another 13 starts as the blindside at Missouri. This past season as a grad student, Javon Foster was named 3rd Team All-American and 1st Team All-SEC by the AP. Foster, since being moved to LT, has not missed a single game, starting in all 38 straight to finish his collegiate career. His experience as a tackle to go with his run-blocking ability should make him a guy scouts want to draft come next spring.
Kiran Amegadjie is from Hinsdale, Illinois, which is about a half-hour drive west of Chicago. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Economics while mauling guys on the gridiron. The 6’5” & 326 lbs. lineman first got his opportunity to play for Yale in ‘21 when he started every game at RG. He was named an All-Ivy Honorable Mention and earned the Charles Loftus Award which goes to the most valuable freshman on the Yale team. Last year in ‘22, Amegadjie was named 1st Team All-Ivy and made 10 starts at LT. As the blindside of Yale, he played a major role in the Bulldogs leading the Ivy League in rushing and total offense. Scouts are a huge fan of his wingspan as well as his athleticism, and strength as a blocker.
Tate Ratledge is from Rome, Georgia, which is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. He chose to play in his home state of Georgia for the Bulldogs. During his freshman year, he got his first snaps at RG. In ‘21, he earned the starting role at RG, but only was able to play 1 quarter before suffering a lisfranc ligament injury. He was able to redshirt and recover to reclaim his starting job at RG in ‘22, where he made 14 starts. This past season was Ratledge’s best of his career as he was named 2nd Team All-American by the AP while making 12 starts. The fact that Ratledge was able to overcome the injury adversity shows character and I mean c’mon he rocks a mustache & mullet, he’s got grit.
Dominick Puni is from St. Charles, Missouri, and never allowed a sack in his high school career. Before transferring to Kansas in ‘22, Puni played 4 seasons at the University of Central Missouri where he first got experience playing LT at the collegiate level. As soon as he transferred to Kansas, he earned a starting role on their line and was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention as a LG. This season Puni moved over to play LT again where he was a very effective run blocker. At 6’5” and 320 lbs., Puni is anything but puny. He earned himself a Senior Bowl invite and his older brother Derrick has ties with the Dallas Cowboys as he signed with them as an undrafted free agent in ‘18.
Week to Week Notes will steadfastly request the Associated Press start releasing their Top 25 of Men’s College Basketball on Sundays. For now, these rankings are still updated on Mondays after these Notes are posted.
Kevin McCuller Jr. is from San Antonio, Texas. His father, Kevin McCuller Sr., was a linebacker at Texas Tech, who played professionally with the Frankfurt Galaxy, Chicago Enforcers, and even spent time with the Green Bay Packers. Jr. decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and chose to play for Texas Tech out of high school. As a redshirt freshman in ‘19-’20, McCuller started the final 6 games of the season for the Red Raiders as he averaged 6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. His hot streak to end his freshman year carried over to his sophomore season as McCuller averaged 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He followed that year up with another solid 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and led the team in assists with 3.1 as a junior. McCuller then decided to transfer to Kansas. Last year as a senior at Kansas, McCuller made an immediate impact as he was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. McCuller is 6’7” and plays shooting guard so he uses his size well in the rebounding department while also getting into the passing lanes (averaged 2 steals per game). For the 2nd consecutive season as a Jayhawk, McCuller is averaging 7 rebounds per game and is nearly doubling his scoring output with 19.2 points per game. McCuller Jr. is hitting 3-pointers at a 38% rate. When you combine that with his rebounding and defensive ability, he may have a role in the NBA in the future.
RJ Davis (no relation) is from White Plains, New York, and went to Archbishop Stepinac. Back in my high school playing days, Pearl River used to run a play called Stepinac where we would kill time on the clock for a last-possession sort of situation. It was one of my favorite plays, but of course behind, “Pop-Cut on the left baseline.” Sorry for going down memory lane a bit there. RJ Davis’ dad, Robert, played for Dobbs Ferry and is the school's all-time leading scorer. While RJ was in high school, he was named the ‘20 Gatorade High School Player of the Year in New York as well as Mr. Basketball. He was selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic, Iverson Classic, and BallisLife All-American Game while also setting the all-time prep scoring record in Westchester County with 2,446 career points. As a freshman in ‘20-’21, RJ Davis was Academic All-ACC and he averaged 9.4 points per game. In his sophomore season at Carolina, Davis was awarded the Co-Most Improved Player (Danny Green Award) as he averaged 13.5 points and 3.6 assists while leading the team in steals. Last year, the 6’ guard took another step in the right direction as he posted 16.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He shot 88% from the free throw line, which led the ACC, and is the 3rd highest FT % in a season by a Tar Heel. This season, the local legend has improved his game once again as he is now averaging 21.6 points per game while shooting an incredible 94.2% from the free throw line.
PJ Hall is from Spartanburg, South Carolina, which is about an hour north of Clemson. He was the #1 ranked player in South Carolina out of high school and was named the SC Gatorade Player of the Year. His first year at Clemson may have been a bit humbling as he averaged 3.5 points and 2 rebounds while coming off the bench. As a sophomore, Hall worked hard at his game and became the most improved player in the ACC. He made 29 starts in ‘21-’22 as his points and rebounds jumped up to 15.5 and 5.8 per game respectively. Last year despite entering the season on minute restrictions after rehabbing from foot and knee surgeries, Hall was able to maintain his quality play putting up 15.3 points with 5.7 rebounds. He became the 45th Clemson player in school history to reach 1,000+ points and is just the 11th player from South Carolina to do so. Former UNC great, ESPN analyst, and now UNC Head Coach, Hubert Davis said of PJ Hall, “He’s a guy that plays with a lot of emotion. He’s competitive. He’s very physical and plays hard on both ends of the floor on every possession. He’s a guy that can consistently score around the basket, but he can shoot the ball from the outside. On both ends, he’s a player that could be a huge factor.” Displayed in his GIF above, PJ Hall at 6’11” can swat away shots on one end of the floor, then still can drive and find teammates with crafty passes. This season Hall is averaging a career-high 2.5 assists to go along with his 20.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game (all career-highs).
Terrence Shannon Jr. is from Chicago, Illinois, so he’s playing for his home state as a Fighting Illini. Terrence Shannon Sr., his father, played basketball overseas for over 20 years so he’s got it in his blood. Out of high school, Shannon Jr. was a 4-star recruit who chose to play for Texas Tech. As a freshman in ‘19-’20, Shannon Jr. was a part of the Big 12 All-Freshman Team as he started 21 games and averaged 9.8 points with 4.1 rebounds per game. He made some improvements as a sophomore, upping his points per game to 12.9 per game while shooting 36% from beyond the arc. As a junior at Texas Tech, the 6’6” shooting guard was Big 12 All-Tournament Team and 1st-Team Academic All-Big 12 as a sociology major. After a 3 year career at Texas Tech, Shannon Jr. decided to transfer home to Illinois. Last year as a Fighting Illini he was selected 1st-Team All-Big Ten by the conference’s coaches. His 17.2 points per game and 4.6 rebounds were career highs. This season, Shannon Jr. has taken his game to another level as he is now averaging 21.7 points per game, which ranks him in the top 10 in all of Division I College Hoops.
Boo Buie is from Albany, New York. In high school, he averaged an impressive 26.5 points and 6.5 assists per game while being First Team All-State. During his freshman season at Northwestern in ‘19-’20, he got 11 starts and averaged 10.3 points per game. His next season he led Northwestern in 3-pointers made and assists. In his junior year, Buie made 30 starts while averaging 14.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. While his first 3 years at Northwestern were exceptional, last year was his best as he took home All-Big Ten 1st Team. The Bob Cousy Award finalist averaged 17.3 points and 4.5 assists per game, becoming the 1st player in program history to average 17 points and 4.5 assists. As a 5th-year grad student, the kid from Albany is having yet another improved season for the Wildcats. His 18.1 points, 5 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game are all career highs. Hope he keeps it up as he’s led Northwestern to a Top 25 Ranking for just the 7th time in the last 55 years. The Wildcats lost this week to Chicago State, but Buie deserves some recognition.
Notes Nobody Asked For
Jets-Phins (Week 15, ‘23)
- Pregame Meal: Chicken Parm from Rosticeria Da Gigi. Consistently great as always.
- Nate Burleson on CBS during their pregame show said he was in Harlem this weekend and he saw some of the fellas were doing the 🤌 in honor of Tommy DeVito. Very funny moment because the rest of the crew had no idea what to say.
1st Quarter
- The Jets elect to defer and kickoff to Miami. Phins’ WR Jaylen Waddle makes two catches for a 1st Down. A few plays later, Waddle lands hard on his back, must have got the wind knocked out of him as he heads to the sideline.
- New York gets the ball and on the 1st play, Breece Hall gets a positive 7 yards. 2 plays later Mekhi Becton allows a sack as Zach Wilson back peddles 15 yards and then fumbles inside the Jets 5-yard-line.
- The Dolphins go up 7-0. Next possession, Zach Wilson hangs in there to deliver a strike to TE Tyler Conklin for a 1st Down.
- The drive stalls as Tony Romo from the booth tells us the Jets may “fake punt here.” They do and it epically fails.
2nd Quarter
- MIA goes up 10-0 on a FG. Bradley Chubb is destroying the Jets’ O-line as NY has to punt again.
- The Jets start the game with a sack-fumble, fake punt failure, and a punt that gets returned into their territory. Miami has started off their last 3 possessions on the Jets side of the field. As soon as CBS comes back from break they mention this same fact, I’m on the money.
- Q-Ball gets a sack and does the Waddle dance celebration. As they head to the commercial break, CBS is playing Midnight City by M83 on in the background. Great tune!
- The Jets offense goes 3-N-Out. DJ Reed gets beat deep by Jaylen Waddle for a TD. 17-0 MIA.
- NY once again punts. Quincy Williams makes a great read and nearly intercepts Tua. Probably should’ve been picked but the LBer is having an All-Pro season so all good.
- The Dolphins go up 24-0. Zach Wilson is now in the Jets locker room before halftime as Tracy Wolfson reports he is “getting hydrated.” WTF.
3rd Quarter
- Zack Wilson is still in the locker room for hydration. The guys are starting to drop like flies. The team has quit. Why did they bother winning last week?
- Garrett Wilson gets his first target of the game in the 3rd Quarter.
- I have a feeling this Zack Wilson situation will be a circus. If he has a concussion then just say he’s in protocol. Hope he’s okay of course, but no need for the team to be cryptic in this situation.
4th Quarter
- Tony Romo starts the quarter talking about Aaron Rodgers. The two are fairly close and golf together in the offseason. Romo is a great golfer, he consistently wins the Amateur Celebrity Golf Events and plays with pros. Romo thinks Rodgers has 2 to 3 more years left with the Jets.
- 3 years of Rodgers would be amazing. I hope they either draft Marvin Harrison Jr or Brock Bowers. They need a dynamic playmaker opposite of Garrett Wilson. They also, of course, need offensive linemen. I hope they spend the rest of the draft taking O-line.
- As for the game going on, there are 5 minutes left in the 4th Quarter, and the offense hasn’t totaled 100 yards.
- 30-0 ass whooping in Miami.
- My picks today have also been awful. Sophomore Slump is real.
- Back to the drawing board for Week 16…. might need a Fairytale in New York to get me over 50% on the season.
YouTube Rabbithole
Sheamie Charms Patrick Over Lego | Late Late Toy Show