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Cannot be combined with any other advertised offer. Contact local dealer for financing details. From top: Colts WR Adonai Mitchell, Eagles DB Cooper DeJean and Steelers LB Payton Wilson. USA TODAY, GETTY JOHNSON ILLUSTRATION NFL 10 Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz USA TODAY his NFL draft probably give rise to the next Brock Purdy or Puka Nacua. Sure, each class is bound to feature some players who outperform their draft slot.
But while any franchise would love to secure some comparable version of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback or the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, the two are extreme outliers in the recent history of mid-to-late-round prospects, most of whom might top out as respectable rotational players. And the depth of talent available in the draft this year was widely questioned, as just 58 early entrants the lowest total since 2011 made the jump from the new college football landscape forev- er shifted by name, image and likeness. Still, there were several players who landed outside the round yet look poised to pro- vide substantial returns on the draft capital their respective teams invested in them. Here are the biggest steals of the 2024 NFL draft: 1. Adonai Mitchell, WR, Indianapolis Colts (second round, No.
52 overall). Leave it to Reggie Wayne, the former Colts standout pass catcher and current wide receiv- ers coach for the team, to sum up the second- round selection of Mitchell: just got bet- ter. a Indeed, using only a second-round se- lection to secure the 6-2, 205-pound re- ceiver with 4.34-second speed in the 40-yard dash could qualify as the best value grab in the draft. Mitch- superlative athleticism an abstract matter, as he routinely translates his quick-twitch move- ments into separation from defen- sive backs, particularly on in-breaking routes. He not only can dust corners on deep targets but also consistently free him- self up in the intermediate area.
On the Colts, that skill set should come in handy right away. Michael Pittman Jr. has the No. 1 job locked down, but room for Mitchell to come in and rise as high as the secondary option by the end of the season. He provides a contrast in style to Pittman, a reliable but somewhat rigid receiver, and Josh Downs, who can continue to op- erate underneath as a slot target.
DRAFT STEALS THAT COULD PROVIDE BEST VALUE See STEALS, Page 3B And now, the question is, will they ever look back? The Los Angeles Dodgers clawed to the top of USA TODAY power rankings, their appearance atop the heap all season. It was well-earned: The Dodgers swept the previous No. 1, the Atlanta Braves, in a raucous three- game series at Dodger Stadium that came on the heels of a 7-2 road trip. While the Dodgers added Shohei Ohtani in the that did little for their pitching paucity to start this season. Well, some questions are get- ting answered: Erstwhile ace Walker Buehler makes his start since 2022 Tommy John surgery on Monday against the Marlins.
Veteran start- er James Paxton shut down the Braves on Sunday. And the MVPs are doing MVP things. Catch if you can. A look at this week's rankings: 1. Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani got Dave Roberts a fast car.
Then, he broke his record. 2. Baltimore Orioles John Means and Kyle Bradish combined to give up one earned run in 11 innings of their season debuts. 3. Atlanta Braves (-2): Power went out just three home runs on 1-5 road trip.
4. Cleveland Guardians Top prospect Chase DeLauter fractures bone in problematic left foot. 5. New York Yankees (-1): Gerrit Cole threw a mound, beginning road to return (in June or July). 6.
Philadelphia Phillies (-): Trea Turner lost for six weeks; they're hop- ing Alec Bohm's hip hiccup just precau- tionary. 7. Chicago Cubs Javier Assad's 1.66 ERA leads the National League. 8. Milwaukee Brewers (-1): Aveng- ing Craig Counsell will have to wait as they lose two at Wrigley.
9. Seattle Mariners They've won four of six vs. Astros, Rangers. 10. Texas Rangers (-): Kirby Yates has pitched 14 scoreless innings, strik- ing out 16.
11. Cincinnati Reds (-3): Fill-in cen- ter Will Benson down to .195 with .670 OPS 12. Kansas City Royals Red Sox John Schreiber dominant (1.10 ERA, 0.98 WHIP) out of the bull- pen. 13. Minnesota Twins A 12- game winning streak brings a corre- sponding bump in the Power Rank- ings.
14. Boston Red Sox (-1): Went 220 at-bats without a home run. Strangely, Ceddane Rafaela started and ended the streak. 15. Toronto Blue Jays (-3): A messy season debut (11 baserunners in four innings) for Alek Manoah, and Gabe Lacques Columnist USA TODAY MLB POWER RANKINGS Dodgers bully their way to No.
1 See LACQUES, Page 2B The roast of Tom Brady happened Sunday night and it was as funny, of- fensive and foul as many of us expect- Roast of Tom was part of the annual is a festival. It aired live on the site and as someone who is a roast geek, it was one of the better ones see. Everyone caught strays. Poor Rob Gronkowski was abso- lutely brutalized. There were a number of former Bra- ed.
It was a roast. This is what happens. They are not for the easily But out of all the moments from the night, from all of the tawdry jokes and one liners, there was one moment that was extremely telling. It said a lot about the relationship between Brady and someone extremely close to: Patri- ots owner Robert Kraft. Greatest Roast of All Time: The Brady roast takeaway: tread on Kraft Mike Freeman Columnist USA TODAY See FREEMAN, Page 2B.
