Mock Draft Monday 3/3 '25
Míol Mór Mara
Míol Mór Mara
- NFL Mock Draft 1.3
- College Hoops
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Outsider’s Míol Mór Mara. The Irish post-punk EDM songwriter, Seán Ó Corcoráin, is based in Dublin.
This song was prominently featured in the FIFA 18 soundtrack. Everybody knows that FIFA has some of the most underrated tunes.
From the man himself, Seán Ó Corcoráin told Band Camp….
Míol Mór Mara' means ‘sea whales’; the literal translation from Irish to English is ‘giant beasts of the sea’. The song is about a kid with Down syndrome I worked with. He had a huge influence on my life. The kid pulled me out of a dark place just by spending time with him. The song has biblical references to Jonah and the whale, which is symbolic of diving into the sea of the unknown and becoming something far greater than yourself in a spiritual sense”.
One of my favorite FIFA tunes, on to the sports….
NFL Rounds 1-3 Mock (Version 1.3)
(The 1st & 2nd Round Mock Draft from last week is below.)
- G-Men, Chiefs, and Browns kick off the 3rd Round with skill position guys. Jayden Higgins is a 6’4”, big-bodied WR to pair opposite Malik Nabers. Brashard Smith only has 1 year of experience playing Running Back, as he started his collegiate career as WR & Kick Returner for Miami. Smith would be a versatile weapon for the Kansas City offense, giving them an upgrade as a pass target out of the backfield. Nick Nash is a bit older for an NFL prospect because he began his collegiate career as a backup QB before shifting to pass catcher.
- Then there is a run on 3rd Round WRs…Isaiah Bond feels like the typical speedy WR with drop issues the Raiders always use to draft. Jalen Royals would be a fun 3rd weapon for Bryce Young alongside Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. After the Niners just traded Deebo Samuel, suddenly, a WR who can work the slot has become a need filled by Tez Johnson. Ja’Corey Brooks has high-upside WR2 potential, the perfect complement to CeeDee Lamb. The Patriots find their new slot WR in Coleman Owen, harkening back to their Wes Welker and Julian Edelman days.
- Washington’s offense relied heavily on Zack Ertz. While there may be interest in re-signing, finding Jayden Daniels his long-term security blanket in Gunnar Helm makes sense. The Colts draft Jason Taylor’s son, Mason, after neglecting the TE position in ‘24.
- The offensive linemen are clearly important, and all fit needs based on upcoming free agents on each team. After an excellent season from Josh Jacobs in Green Bay, the Packers decide to let AJ Dillon walk and bring Omarion Hampton in to spell for Jacobs while eventually taking over the long-term duties. The Jaguars, after allowing the most passing yards in the NFL in ‘24, land their 2nd defensive secondary player with Kevin Winston Jr. Travis Hunter and Winston Jr. would be two dynamic playmakers in the Jacksonville secondary.
- Jihaad Campbell had an insane 40-time of 4.52 at the NFL Combine, so he’ll probably land inside the Top 50 players when I do another Mock Draft.
- The New York Jets aren’t re-signing DJ Reed for their #2 CB spot. Maxwell Hairston would fill that role opposite Sauce Gardner. In his 2 seasons as a starter, the Kentucky corner had 6 career interceptions and brought 3 of those back to the crib.
- Savion Williams is a freak WR talent that only flashed as a pass-catching target with YAC ability, but he took over 50 carries out of the backfield in ‘24 for 6.3 yards per carry & 6 TDs. Williams might be a bigger Deebo Samuel type; however, he lacks Samuel’s collegiate production.
- Whether Vikings’ Safety Harrison Smith decides to return in ‘25 or retire, Sebastian Castro could be Minnesota’s next long-term hitman in the defensive backfield. Last of the notable picks is LA going with Dillon Gabriel at the century mark pick. With Stafford back in the fold, Sean McVay may try to develop a long-term backup to take over eventually. Gabriel very much fits the same lefty lane of Tua and Michael Penix Jr so McVay could have some fun reversing his playbook.
Round 1 & 2 (Last 2 Weeks)
Here are this week’s 5 College Basketball player profiles around the country…
Chucky Hepburn, G, Louisville
Chucky Hepburn is from Omaha, Nebraska, where he played high school basketball at Bellevue West. As a 4-star recruit, Hepburn won the ‘20 Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year as the Bellevue Thunderbirds won the state title. Chucky Hepburn’s first college out of high school was Wisconsin, where he enjoyed a nice 3-year career. As a freshman in ‘21-’22, Hepburn became the first true freshman Badger to start in the season opener for Wisconsin since Devin Harris in ‘01. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team while averaging 7.9 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. As a sophomore, Hepburn averaged 12.2 points per game while shooting 41% from 3. One of those 3-pointers was a game-winning buzzer-beater over Purdue, which Hepburn believes is the best athletic moment of his career thus far. Last season as a junior, Chucky Hepburn averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. Hepburn decided to transfer to Louisville this past spring. With the Cardinals, the senior guard averages career highs with 16.3 points, 6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game. Over the weekend, Hepburn went off for a career-high 37 points in Louisville’s win over Pittsburgh. Chucky Hepburn has led the Cardinals to 2nd place in the ACC Standings with just a week of ACC regular season games left to play.
Dain Dainja, C, Memphis
Dain Dainja is from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. His father, Baba Dainja, was a part of the Minnesota Gophers program from 1990 to 1993. At Park Center High School, Dain Dainja was a 4-star prospect and Top-100 recruit of the Class of 2020. His first collegiate stop was at Baylor; however, as a true freshman, he only checked into 3 games, so Dainja decided to transfer to Illinois in ‘22. In his 2 seasons with the Fightin’ Illini, Dainja played in 71 games and made 24 starts as he averaged 7.7 points along with 4.5 rebounds per game. Dain Dainja decided to transfer again, this time to Memphis, this past spring. After cracking the Tigers’ starting lineup in their first 3 games, Dainja was relegated to the team’s 6th Man. Dainja averaged 12 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as the Tigers’ 6th Man before they decided to reinsert him into the Starting Five at the end of January. Since the lineup change, Memphis has gone 9-1 as a team, as Dainja is averaging 17.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game. The 6’9” senior center has elevated his game down the stretch of the regular season, helping Memphis earn a shot at the AAC regular season title.
John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin
John Blackwell is from Bloomsfield Hills, Michigan. His father, Glynn Blackwell, played 4 seasons with Illinois in the late 80s as a shooting guard and averaged 12.1 points as a senior. John Blackwell was an overlooked 3-star combo guard at Brother Rice High School. As a freshman with the Wisconsin Badgers last season, Blackwell played with a chip on his shoulder, which earned him Big Ten All-Freshman status. Blackwell averaged 8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 46% from beyond the arc as he came off the Badgers’ bench. This season, Blackwell earned himself a starting role and has developed into the team’s 2nd leading scorer at 15.2 points per game. Last week in Wisconsin’s win over Washington, John Blackwell recorded his first career double-double as scored 24 points and came down with 10 boards. The sophomore guard gives the Badgers a high-upside scorer next to John Tonje. Together, the Tonje and Blackwell backcourt have helped Wisconsin finish inside the Top 5 of the Big Ten as they wrap up their regular season this weekend.
Devin Haid, F, Central Connecticut
Devin Haid is from Wooster, Ohio. As a senior at Wooster High School in 2017, Devin Haid was an overlooked recruit who averaged 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. With no college offers, Haid played in high-level summer leagues for a couple of years before finally joining Cuyahoga Community College in ‘22. In his lone season with the Triceratops, Haid averaged 20 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He then transferred to Notre Dame College of Ohio, a Division II program. Last season at Notre Dame College, Haid averaged 15.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and about 2 steals per game. After his 2 seasons of college hoops, Devin Haid was finally recruited by a D1 school at Central Connecticut. The junior forward averages 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in his first year of D1. Haid has helped lead the CC Blue Devils to 1st place in the NEC as they’ve won 12 straight conference games.
Jahmai Mashack, G, Tennessee
