Detroit, MI
MOCK DRAFT WATCH: Defense dominates early predictions for Lions
Josh Edwards, CBS Sports: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (No. 29)
Why: A year ago, Detroit plucked defensive back Brian Branch out of Tuscaloosa. Dan Campbell identifies another Nick Saban protégé in the first round to upgrade the secondary.
Tom Fornelli, CBS Sports: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State (No. 29)
Why: This might not be the ideal fit for Detroit, but whomever the Lions take here, I’d put money on it being a defensive back. As for Tampa, he’s a tall and long corner who is better in zone coverages right now than man. He showed excellent ball skills at Iowa State thanks to his ability to dissect routes quickly.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri (No. 29)
Why: Stifling in man coverage, Rakestraw Jr. is exactly the kind of tenacious yet savvy cornerback that Dan Campbell would appreciate. He could help provide needed stability to a secondary that has been repeatedly reshuffled in recent years and still gave up 411 passing yards per game over the last six games of the season.
Middlehurst-Schwartz’s full mock
Ben Solak, The Ringer: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Why: I’d rather see the Lions spend big money on a free agent, as early-round cornerbacks can bust like crazy, but if they do indeed make the pick, a high-upside player in Nate Wiggins makes sense. Wiggins needs to get bigger in the NFL, but he has length, ball skills, and speed.
Joel Klatt, Fox Sports: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
Why: What a great playoff run it was for the Lions, but it was clear that they needed to help their secondary. Their pass rush is pretty good, but they need to help it out with a better secondary.
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama (No. 29)
Why: The Lions are in dire need of CB help, although they also need to address the edge spot opposite Aidan Hutchinson. McKinstry, Arnold’s running mate at Alabama, was the higher-rated recruit due to his terrific combination of size (6-1, 195), length and athletic balance. A very patient player, McKinstry could help Detroit right away.
Baumgardner’s full mock
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri (No. 29)
Why: The Lions’ big issues with downfield cornerback coverage finally burned them for good against the 49ers in the NFC championship game. Rakestraw, a rising prospect worth watching in the pre-draft process, will be attractive to Aaron Glenn because of aggressive, fearless, and physical man-to-man coverage.
A Detroit woman was arrested in the aftermath of a hit-and-run collision and shooting on Interstate 94, Michigan State Police reported.
Emergency dispatchers were called shortly after midnight Saturday about the altercation. Troopers reported the caller said while they were driving eastbound on I-94, near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a black Jeep sideswiped them and sped off.
The caller then decided to follow the Jeep.
In response, police said, the driver of the Jeep fired several gunshots in the caller’s direction.
None of the gunshots struck the vehicle.
Troopers were able to use license plate reader camera technology to locate the Jeep while it was on the Lodge Freeway, made a traffic stop. The driver and two passengers were taken into custody without incident.
The passengers were released shortly afterwards; troopers believe that the 19-year-old driver was the shooter. She has been lodged pending further review by the prosecutor’s office.
In addition, a firearm was recovered from the vehicle.
The above video originally aired on Aug. 19, 2025.
NBA playoffs best matchups
Breaking down the best first-round NBA playoff matchups.
Who is favored in the NBA playoffs odds for Game 1 between the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic?
Here’s what you need to know about NBA playoff betting odds for the NBA game between the No. 8 seed Magic and No. 1 seed Pistons, which is being played on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
What is the point spread for the Pistons vs Magic game?
What is the moneyline for the Magic vs Pistons game?
What is the over/under (point total) for betting on the first-round NBA playoff matchup?
NBA playoffs odds: Knicks vs Hawks | Cavaliers vs Raptors | Nuggets vs Timberwolves | Lakers vs Rockets | Spurs vs Trail Blazers | Celtics vs 76ers | NBA championship odds | Game odds
Watch Magic at Pistons on Peacock
Magic vs Pistons odds: What is point spread?
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Detroit Pistons are an 8.5-point favorite over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs series.
NBA playoffs Game 1 predictions, picks: Knicks vs Hawks | Cavaliers vs Raptors | Nuggets vs Timberwolves | Lakers vs Rockets | Spurs vs Trail Blazers | Celtics vs 76ers | The Republic’s score projections
Pistons vs Magic odds: What is moneyline?
BetMGM Sportsbook lists Detroit as -375 on the moneyline for the first-round NBA playoff game. It has Orlando at +290.
NBA playoffs series schedules, TV channels: Knicks vs Hawks | Cavaliers vs Raptors | Nuggets vs Timberwolves | Lakers vs Rockets | Spurs vs Trail Blazers | Celtics vs 76ers | Daily schedule | First-round matchups
Magic vs Pistons odds: What is over/under?
The point total for the opening game of the NBA playoffs series between the Pistons and Magic is listed at 218.5 points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
NBA playoffs series picks, predictions: Knicks vs Hawks | Cavaliers vs Raptors | Nuggets vs Timberwolves | Lakers vs Rockets | Spurs vs Trail Blazers | Celtics vs 76ers | The Republic’s predictions | NBA playoff bracket
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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Boston — Not a bad place for big-league debut.
The Tigers on Friday placed Zach McKinstry on the 10-day injured list and called up infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee from Triple-A Toledo. He was in the lineup against the Red Sox, batting eighth at Fenway Park.
“We’re excited for Lee to get his feet wet in the big leagues,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s a good player. We’ve had him in big league camp the last two years. He hits the ball hard and can play good defense. Now he’s getting his first look at one of the cathedrals in our sport for his debut.”
Part of the decision to call up Lee, and not Jace Jung or Trei Cruz, Hinch said, was where the Tigers are in the schedule. Including Friday against Ranger Suarez, the Tigers will be facing six lefties in the next 12 games.
The right-handed hitting Lee slugged .558 with a .969 OPS against lefties last season.
Coming off an oblique injury this spring, which kept him from playing for Chinese Taipei in the WBC, he’s off to a slow start at Toledo (4 for 26).
“He’s been swinging it better than his numbers indicate,” Hinch said. “Results are so finicky this time of year. He’s coming off a good day (Wednesday). He hit a home run. So it’s good timing for that. He’s been hitting it hard and making good decisions on what to swing at.
“And that is key in transitioning from Triple-A to the big leagues.”
McKinstry exited Wednesday night’s game against the Royals ahead of the eighth inning of the Tigers’ 2-1 victory. He fell hard on the hip twice. Once on a head-first slide at the plate and the other after he was tripped up by Royals’ Jac Caglianone.
“He’s pretty beat up,” Hinch said. “We didn’t want to play short-handed but we’re also hoping to get him back quickly.”
McKinstry stayed back in Detroit and is expected to undergo further evaluations.
“He was doing better today than he was yesterday,” Hinch said. “But he clearly needed a break to heal up.”
Lee, 23, was not made available to the media until after the game. He is No. 6 among the Tigers’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and was acquired by the Tigers in an August 2023 trade that sent starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Around the horn
Justin Verlander (hip inflammation) did not make the trip to Boston. “We have to respect the soreness and inflammation that he’s dealing with,” Hinch said. “He’s working out and he’s doing everything. It’s just going a little bit slower. We’re going to respect it and give him the time he needs.”
… Lefty reliever Bailey Horn (elbow), who has had his throwing program paused, received a cortisone shot Thursday.
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
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