Mock Draft Monday 2/9 '26
Summer's Over Interlude
Summer’s Over Interlude
- Super Bowl LX Notes
- NFL Building a Board
- College Hoops
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Drake’s Summer’s Over Interlude featuring Majid Jordan, but let’s get to…
Super Bowl LX Notes Nobody Asked For
Pregame
- I was responsible for the wings. After spending 3 hours trying to navigate Uber Eats’ Super Bowl deals, I landed on 40 wings from Wings To Go in Hoboken. They arrived on time at 5:15 PM. Fowler was responsible for the pizza, which canceled on us last minute. McDonaugh & Glover brought beer. Dougherty just showed up ten minutes before kickoff and didn’t bring anything, bad guy.
- Charlie Puth couldn’t hold the last note of the National Anthem, so he was under the One Minute & Fifty-Six Seconds mark. Tails failed.
1st Quarter
- 1st Drive of the game, Sam Darnold nearly threw two picks, but got the Seahawks in Field Goal range on a nice sideline completion to Cooper Kupp.
- Will Campbell gets bullied, allowing a sack by Derrick Hall. Darnold just misses JSN on a broken play. That would’ve been a walk-in 80+ yard touchdown.
- Brad Pitt's commercial for The Adventures of Cliff Booth was cool. That’s the spin-off sequel to Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.
2nd Quarter
- There have been multiple stretches of commercials in which AI-Ozempic-AI.
- “That’s what my dad would feed me before Little League games…Skittles and Red Bull.” -Doughterty. This was right before Liquid IV did a toilet commercial telling you to look at your pee.
- The 2nd pizza order didn’t get here until the 2 Minute warning. Marist alum, Jason Meyers, drills his 3rd Field Goal to put the Seahawks up 9-0 right before halftime. I wonder if Meyers ever went to Mahoney’s in Poughkeepsie?
Halftime
- Spent most of the halftime eating the cold wings and the pizza in the kitchen. All I could hear from Bad Bunny was him saying “Ay,” which he said 87 times. Everybody is under legal obligation to say that nobody has ever uttered the phrase “Ay” better before, or you’ll be shunned from polite society. Moving performance.
3rd Quarter
- Pats get the ball after half and immediately go 3-N-Out. Campbell keeps getting bullied. Kenneth Walker continues to gash the New England run defense, setting up another Meyers Field Goal.
- Apparently, Ring Doorbell cameras are now all working together around all neighborhoods to help Batman find lost dogs.
4th Quarter
- A lot of talk in the room about how this Super Bowl has stunk. Dolphins and Giants fans are even stating they “hope the Patriots score, just to make it a game.” Budweiser may have saved the Super Bowl with yet another iconic commercial.
- Both QBs finally throw touchdowns on the first two possessions of the 4th Quarter to make it 19-7 Seattle. The Seahawks go 3-N-Out, which for a minute makes it seem like New England is going to come back, but Drake Maye throws an absolute duck of an interception to seal it. Seattle kicks another Field Goal and then Maye throws a Pick-6 to seal it.
- Seahawks win 29-13. Solid Super Bowl, at least the Pats lost. Good for Sam Darnold.
Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
Zakee Wheatley is from Crofton, Maryland. A two-way player at Archbishop Spalding High School, Wheatley played corner and wide receiver. His collegiate career at Penn State began as a cornerback. After gaining limited experience, he redshirted his ‘21 season and switched to safety. Despite being a backup in the ‘22 and ‘23 seasons, Wheatley had his hand in three takeaways with 2 INTs and a forced fumble while chipping in with 51 tackles. He became a starter for the Nittany Lions in ‘24 and was voted an honorable mention in the All-Big Ten. In 16 starts at safety as a junior, Wheatley had 96 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 3 INTs, 4 pass breakups, and a forced fumble. This past season, Wheatley was again named an honorable mention for the Big Ten, finishing with 74 tackles and an interception. While primarily playing free safety back deep, Wheatley allowed just 7 catches for 36 receiving yards while in coverage all season. A standout at the Senior Bowl, the free-ranging safety is expected to run a 4.4 40-time, which could get him into Night 2 of the NFL Draft.
Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame
Eli Raridon is from Des Moines, Iowa. His father, Scott Raridon, blocked for Brady Quinn at Notre Dame in the mid-2000s. Eli Raridon attended Valley High School, where he was a 4-star recruit, catching 53 passes for 627 yards and 10 touchdowns his senior year. Unfortunately, while playing varsity basketball that winter, Raridon tore his ACL. As a freshman at Notre Dame in ‘22, Raridon suffered a second torn ACL to his right knee that lingered into his sophomore year. He was able to get back onto the field for the 2nd half of the ‘23 season, where he caught 5 passes for 51 yards and a score. In ‘24, the 6’7” Tight End saw an increase in snaps as he made 11 catches for 90 yards and scored 2 TDs in 16 games. This past season, Raridon earned a starting role and a further increase in production with 32 catches for 482 yards. A willing blocker with 6’7” height and good hands, Raridon may have some untapped potential if he can stay healthy, as the injuries limited his opportunities at Notre Dame.
Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College
Quintayvious Hutchins is from Beesmer, Alabama. A 3-star recruit from Beesmer City High School, Hutchins redshirted at Boston College in ‘21. His first action came in ‘22 and ‘23, when he played primarily on special teams. It wasn’t until his redshirt junior season in ‘24 that Hutchins earned a starting role for the Eagles. In 13 games and 7 starts in ‘24, Hutchins had 31 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and an interception. This past season at Boston College, the redshirt senior was named a team captain as he recorded 35 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and 2 sacks. While his sack production over the past two seasons doesn’t stand out, Quintayvious Hutchins has had 16 QB Hits and 28 QB Hurries since becoming a starter. Undersized at 229 lbs., Hutchins likely will never be an every-down player, but could be a situational pass rusher with special teams ability. He impressed at the Senior Bowl as a disruptive force and could be a late-round prospect on Day 3.
Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
Gracen Halton is from San Diego, California. He attended St. Augustine High School, where he was a two-way player on the gridiron. His senior season at St. Augustine HS, Halton had 75 tackles, 20 TFLs, and 5.5 sacks on defense while catching 14 passes for 195 yards & 5 scores on offense. With offers from USC and Oregon, the 4-star recruit decided to play for the Oklahoma Sooners. Halton served as a backup defensive lineman during his first two seasons at Oklahoma, finishing with 21 tackles and 4.5 TFLs. He became a starter in his junior season as his production leaped to 30 tackles, 6 TFLs, and 5 sacks. This past season, as a senior, Gracen Halton was named a Sooners’ team captain and was selected to the AP All-SEC 2nd Team. He finished the ‘25 season with 33 tackles, 7 TFLs, 5 sacks, and 22 QB Hurries. At 6’2” and 292 lbs., Halton will be on the lighter side of defensive tackles in the NFL, but this makes him much more athletic for an interior lineman.
Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon
Bryce Boettcher is from Eugene, Oregon. He attended South Eugene High School, where he was a 3-sport athlete playing football, basketball, and baseball. He decided to play for the Ducks, continuing to pursue both a football and baseball career. In four seasons playing outfield at Oregon, Boettcher won a Rawlings Gold Glove while batting .242 with a .362 OBP, 14 homers, and 35 RBIs. After his ‘24 season, Boettcher was selected by the Houston Astros in the 13th Round of the MLB Draft. The Astros still own his MLB rights, but he decided to stay in school for football. While simultaneously playing baseball, Boettcher walked on to the Oregon football team. By ‘24, Boettcher had taken over the starting linebacker role and was awarded the Burlsworth Trophy (most outstanding NCAA football player who began as a walk-on). Over the past two seasons, Boettcher recorded 230 tackles, 14.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, forced 3 fumbles, deflected 10 passes, and caught 2 interceptions. Just a few weeks ago, the multi-sport athlete impressed at the Senior Bowl. Considered an excellent defender in pass coverage and good against the run, Bryce Boettcher will likely focus on making the NFL, becoming the first NFL player also drafted by an NFL team since Kyler Murray in 2018.
Here’s a quick bit about five College Basketball players this season…
Dillon Mitchell, SF, St. John’s
Dillon Mitchell is from Tampa, Florida. He attended Montverde Academy and was a 5-star recruit for the class of 2022. Participating in the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic, Mitchell led Montverde to a GEICO High School National Championship. His collegiate career began at Texas. As a freshman with the Longhorns, Mitchell made 38 starts, averaging 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He served as a role player, helping Texas reach the Elite 8 in the ‘23 NCAA Tournament. His sophomore season saw an increased role as he averaged 9.6 points and 7.5 rebounds at Texas, which reached the 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the 6’8” forward transferred to Cincinnati, averaging 9.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, but the junior missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his career. This past offseason, Dillon Mitchell made his way to the Big Apple to play for Rick Pitino. After a 9-5 shaky start to St. John’s season, with Mitchell mostly coming off the bench, Pitino decided to switch things up. Not only did Pitino insert Mitchell into the starting lineup, but he started running the offense through him as a point forward. Ever since the move, St. John’s has won 9 straight, with Mitchell averaging 10.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. The lefty forward is an excellent slasher with some playmaking passing ability that Pitino is tapping into. For St. John’s to continue their hot streak, expect Mitchell to play a key role in their success.
Eian Elmer, SG, Miami (Ohio)
Eian Elmer is from Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School, where he won a state championship as the team’s captain his senior year. As a freshman at Miami (Ohio) in ‘23-’24, Elmer took over a starting role by the mid-way mark and hasn’t looked back. During his first season with the RedHawks, Elmer averaged 7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while hitting on 40% from 3-point range. This earned him recognition on the MAC All-Freshman Team. Last season as a sophomore, Elmer improved to 11 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game while continuing to hit 40% from deep. Now a junior, Elmer is averaging career-bests at 11.8 points and 6 rebounds per game while shooting 44% from 3-point range. The 6’6” wing has helped the RedHawks get off to a perfect 24-0 start to their season. Between Brant Byers, Peter Suder, and Eian Elmer, they’re a very dangerous mid-major program heading into March because of their skilled offensive games. Any one of Miami’s players can play hero as their depth is their greatest strength. A fun team to watch, this is the first time since 1999 that the program has been ranked in the Top 25, with Eian Elmer’s leadership certainly playing a role.
Seth Trimble, PG, North Carolina
Seth Trimble is from Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. He attended Menomonee Falls High School, averaging 27.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.3 steals as a senior, which earned him the Gatorade Player of the Year for Wisconsin in 2022. A 4-star recruit, Trimble’s start at UNC got off to a slow start. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he came off the Tar Heels’ bench to average just 3.5 points in his first 68 appearances. While he did receive ACC 6th Man of the Year votes in his sophomore season, rather than transferring, Trimble decided to stay at Chapel Hill and finally earned a starting role his junior season. With more playing time, Trimble averaged 11.6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game last season. He was awarded the Marvin Williams Carolina Way Award, given to the player who best exemplifies playing hard, being unselfish, and putting the team first. This season, Trimble’s senior year got off to a rough start when he broke his forearm in November. Missing 9 games, Trimble returned to action by Christmas. The Tar Heels’ leader is averaging a career-best 14.2 points per game since his return. In UNC’s big win over the weekend against Duke, Trimble hit the clutch game-winning 3-pointer to send the student section into a frenzy. Off the court, Trimble owns the local Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop in Chapel Hill, becoming the youngest-ever Ben & Jerry’s franchise owner at the age of 21 by utilizing his NIL earnings.
Zach Cleveland, PF, Liberty
Zach Cleveland is from Normal, Illinois. He comes from a family of hoopers with his mother, Marla, and father, Mark, both playing college basketball. His mom was an All-American in 1985 at Illinois State. Zach Cleveland attended Normal Community High School, where in his senior year he led his basketball team to a 33-2 record. His collegiate career began as a bench player at Liberty. As a freshman in ‘22-’23, Cleveland averaged 3.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. By the end of the season, he earned more playing time in the NIT Tournament, going up against Villanova and Wisconsin. Cleveland returned as a starter in his sophomore season and was honored as a 2nd Team All-CUSA. He averaged 11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Last season, the 6’8” power forward averaged a steady 11 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game as he helped Liberty reach the NCAA Tournament. Now a senior, Liberty has fully embraced Cleveland’s superb passing ability as he plays a point forward role for the Flames. Cleveland is averaging 11 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game on a Liberty team that is off to a 20-3 record. Over the weekend, Zach Cleveland recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in Liberty’s win over Missouri State. If Liberty were to reach the NCAA Tournament as expected, they could be a very dangerous matchup thanks to Zach Cleveland. They surround their big man with plenty of 3-point ability, including their sharpshooter in Brett Decker (51% from deep).
Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas
