Making our faculty soccer title, playoff and Heisman predictions. Plus, Cardinals’ QB room will get scrambled

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🗽Good morning to everybody however particularly …

THE NEW YORK LIBERTY

For a lot of the season, it has been Aces this and Aces that. The Liberty are right here to remind you it takes two to tango on the prime of the league. New York beat Las Vegas, 94-85, of their remaining regular-season assembly, tying the season sequence 2-2 (not together with New York’s Commissioner’s Cup championship) and shutting the hole for the No. 1 seed.

• Sabrina Ionescu had 25 factors, and Breanna Stewart added 20 factors, 12 rebounds and 7 assists.
• The Liberty at the moment are simply 1½ video games again of the Aces for the No. 1 seed.
• New York has received 10 of its final 11. Las Vegas, however, has misplaced two straight for the primary time this season.

Ionescu and Stewart get the headlines, however a key function participant got here up large once more, notes Jack Maloney.

• Maloney: “Marine Johannes did not change the sport on Monday like she did within the Commissioner’s Cup championship when she got here off the bench to pour in 17 factors, however it was one other stable efficiency from the Frenchwoman. She completed with eight factors and 4 rebounds on 3-of-3 from the sphere, and as soon as once more confirmed the distinction between the 2 groups’ reserve models.”

😄 Honorable mentions

• Group USA crushed Greece, 109-81, on the FIBA World Cup.
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (wrist) will start the season on the lively roster.
• The Browns have a new kicker: Dustin Hopkins.
• The Eagles signed Isaiah Rodgers, who’s suspended indefinitely for playing.
• Might Edwin Díaz (knee) return this season?
• The Crimson Sox known as up Ceddanne Rafaela.

😕 And never such morning for …

COLT McCOY AND THE ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon refused to call his Week 1 beginning quarterback, however we all know two gamers who will not be it. Arizona made two choices — one way more shocking than the opposite — Monday to slender its quarterback choices.

• First, the Cardinals, as anticipated, will not activate Kyler Murray off the bodily unable to carry out listing earlier than in the present day’s 4 p.m. ET deadline for groups to get rosters right down to 53 gamers. Murray can’t play within the Cardinals’ first 4 video games and would not depend towards the 53-man restrict.
• Shortly thereafter, the Cardinals launched veteran sign caller Colt McCoy, a call which will have raised various eyebrows (although Cody Benjamin nailed McCoy as a shock lower candidate). McCoy, 36, performed in 12 video games for Arizona over the previous two seasons as Murray’s backup and began two preseason video games this yr.
• That leaves fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune and Joshua Dobbs — acquired from Cleveland final week — together with David Blough and Jeff Driskel because the remaining quarterbacks. Arizona visits Washington in Week 1.

Nobody is anticipating the Cardinals to be particularly good this season. According to SportsLine, they’re the favourite for worst file within the league. Chopping McCoy is the most recent in a number of preseason strikes that point out they’re completely high quality with that. However that will not make it fulfilling.

You’ll be able to sustain with all roster cuts right here.

😣 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 Knowledgeable picks for school soccer playoff, title, Heisman, extra

We have waited and waited and waited — and watched a tiny bit in Week 0 — and now the school soccer season is right here. As such, our specialists have made their picks for mainly all the things from a nationwide champion to the School Soccer Playoff subject to the Heisman Trophy and extra.

Let’s dig in, beginning with the Heisman. The most well-liked choose garnered 4 votes, together with from Chip Patterson …

• “Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State: Ohio State’s pursuit of a championship will present loads of high-profile alternatives, and in these greatest moments, the Buckeyes shall be sensible to show to the participant who has the most important benefit over the competitors. All of that shapes up for Harrison to emerge from a crowded subject when voters are searching for a non-Caleb Williams possibility for the Heisman.”

We’ll discuss Williams extra in a second, however there is a motive that just one participant, Archie Griffin, received a number of Heismans. Name it stress, name it voter fatigue, name it something you need: Williams has a ton of historical past to beat.

You recognize what additionally has occurred simply as soon as? A 3-peat. But Georgia is seeking to do exactly that and be a part of 1934-36 Minnesota. The Bulldogs obtained essentially the most title votes of any group, and Dennis Dodd has a great function on Kirby Sensible’s group.

🏈 2024 NFL Draft large board: Caleb Williams amongst six QBs in prime 50

It is by no means too early to start out desirous about subsequent yr’s NFL Draft — simply ask the Cardinals (sorry, Cardinals followers) — and with the school soccer season getting totally underway (sorry, Week 0) this weekend, our prime 50 prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft has arrived.

Here is the highest 5:

1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
3. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
4. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
5. Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The offense-heavy prime of the category continues at No. 6 with Georgia tight finish Brock Bowers. Again on the prime, although, Ryan Wilson has excessive reward for Williams.

• Wilson: “It sounds foolish while you say it out loud, however totally anticipate the “Caleb Williams is the following Patrick Mahomes” comparisons. The draft, usually, is stuffed with hyperbole … however, man, this ain’t too far off. Williams is particular, and whereas he is not 6-foot-4, 235 kilos, he is at all times the most effective participant on the sphere.”

If you happen to’ve learn this article for any period of time, you may know I am in lockstep with Ryan on this one. The ridiculous arm expertise, the off-platform throws, the creativity, the poise, the on-the-fly problem-solving … I may go on and on.

However Williams is much from alone in what might be a loaded draft class for quarterbacks. As you may see above, Maye is fourth on the large board, and 4 extra sign callers made the highest 50 …

• Riley Leonard, Duke (twentieth)
• Quinn Ewers, Texas (thirty second)
• Bo Nix, Oregon (thirty seventh)
• J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (thirty ninth)

If you happen to’re a university soccer diehard, you in all probability already know these guys. If NFL is extra your velocity, be sure you watch these guys on Saturdays, since you’ll be watching them on Sundays quickly.

🏀 NBA offseason grades: 4 groups with ‘A’ marks

The NBA is in its true “off” season. The NBA Draft is within the rearview, most free agent signings and trades are executed, the FIBA World Cup is underway, and we’re nonetheless ready for the opposite shoe to drop on the Damian Lillard commerce entrance (if it ever does).

Which means it is time for Colin Ward-Henninger’s offseason grades for all 30 franchises, and whereas 10 groups earned one thing within the “A” vary, solely 4 received an “A” or an “A+.”

• Spurs — A+: “When the most effective NBA prospect since LeBron James walks by means of your doorways, you’ve got received the offseason.”
• Lakers — A: “Getting Austin Reaves for 4 years, $56 million is borderline felony, particularly contemplating a cap area group may have offered him with a $100 million supply sheet.”
• Cavaliers — A: “The Cavs desperately wanted a constant shooter to fill the wing round their younger core, and Max Strus actually matches the invoice. In addition they added much more taking pictures, and a few perspective, with Georges Niang coming over from Philly.”
• Pacers — A: “The Pacers opened the checkbook (Venmo account?) for Bruce Brown, including a secondary playmaker and defensive Swiss Military knife to a group that desperately wanted each.”

In the meantime, due to the Lillard and James Harden dramas, the Path Blazers, Warmth and 76ers earned “incomplete” grades. As everyone knows, although, the NBA typically produces information when it is least anticipated, so perhaps these grades will change quickly.

Colin’s evaluation is great and thorough, and I encourage you to test it out.

📺 What we’re watching Tuesday

🏀 Mercury at Dream, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
🏀 Lynx at Mystics, 7 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 Sky at Sparks, 10:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network