Best of The Herd

It’s a Thursday show with the draft two weeks out, and I’ve got a mock coming later based on what I’m hearing, not what I’d do.

First, the NBA’s tanking problem has turned into an epidemic, and the twist is college hoops helped fuel it by getting older, deeper rosters through NIL while the new CBA pushed teams to prize cheap, early-contract stars.

Owners treat fines like parking tickets, the draft now carries outsized value, and one‑and‑done kids face seasoned college teams in a setup that mirrors Europe’s model of teens battling grown men.

Europe invests in development, so players arrive durable and polished, while too many American kids burn out after endless youth ball; a new wave is coming, but we’ve got to refocus on growth, not just games.

Quick NFL pivot: today’s best head coaches win the room as much as the whiteboard; presence matters when you’re leading a roster full of rich alphas, and that’s why Ben Johnson’s blunt camp standard for Caleb Williams landed.

Here’s the mock headline: if the Jets swing big at two, it flips the board; I’ve got Fernando Mendoza at the top, Arvell Reese as the early jolt, Jeremiah Love as an instant star, Sonny Styles as the cleanest defender, and wideouts like Carnell Tate stepping right into needy rooms.

I can’t smash that board because Sonny Styles is a rare linebacker prospect, freaky size and speed with real football IQ.

Let’s start with Arvell Reese at two; he played all over for Ohio State and flashes big‑time juice off the edge, but he’s only twenty and the Jets would be betting on ceiling.

Reese split snaps on and off the ball in a pro‑style defense, and I see a future edge terror; in most systems, premium rush beats stacked linebacker, though some Fangio‑tree schemes still elevate the inside guys.

At receiver, after Carnell Tate there’s a cluster like McKay Lemon and KC Concepcion; are these guys rising because the league changed?

Modern offenses use motion, tight splits, and role variety, so non‑prototype wideouts can be high‑volume targets; McKay Lemon isn’t a classic boundary X, but in the slot he can catch a ton, much like Drake London racks volume without being a top five talent.

Kenyan Sedeek is a smaller, explosive tight end in a weak TE class, and Rubin Bain’s arm length keeps coming up; do you buy the measurements worry?

Sedeek and Jeremiah Love belong in the same bucket: they’re offensive weapons, not just positions, and drafting playmakers early still makes sense.

With Bain, history says short arms are risky on the edge, but his tape screams power, relentlessness, and production against real tackles; smart people disagree, so teams must decide how much to trust the profile versus the film.

On Sonny Styles, I hear “plug‑and‑play, defined role, big‑game tested,” which fits a toughness reset.

He’s a unicorn athlete who processed faster this year at stacked linebacker, and the league’s valuing that spot a bit more again; top ten feels right.

Ty Simpson doesn’t wow you physically like the superheroes, so what’s the standout trait?

We’ve stopped celebrating quarterbacks who consistently make the right throw on time; Simpson showed advanced pocket play in an NFL‑style system, though he’s light and lacks a long résumé.

Mendoza looked thicker at his pro day and plays like a bigger Matt Ryan with real accuracy and late‑game poise.

Size is a trait and he’s efficient, steady, and scheme‑reliable, which wins snaps even if it doesn’t light up highlight reels.

Mansour Delane didn’t draw flags and feels like a don’t‑test‑him corner even without track speed.

He’s silky smooth, rarely looks stressed, and he tackles with force; after his time, straight‑line speed shouldn’t scare anyone, and he’d be my top corner.

Jeremiah Love might be the biggest gap over the next back; he explodes and catches like Gibbs.

He can line up anywhere and hit the home run from any spot, which is exactly how offenses create explosives.

Sleeper for me is Louisville’s Chris Bell, who dusted Miami on a glance and just ran away.

He’s got that burst, and keep an eye on Ted Hurst from Georgia State, a big frame with legit speed who can climb into day two.

Circling back, the Jets taking Reese would set off a chain that frees Arizona for pass rush, lines up Tennessee with Love to help their young QB, and drops clean fits like Styles and Delane right into culture builds.

Bain would be in the mix if the length checked out, but Tennessee needs juice and an identity, and Love gives them both while easing the load on a young passer.