Ohio

As last district remains in academic distress, debate continues on whether Ohio takeovers work

Published

4 weeks ago

February 1, 2026

As last district remains in academic distress, debate continues on whether Ohio takeovers work

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Youngstown City School District, Ohio’s first and last district under state oversight, is seeking an exit ramp to local control.

The past 16 years of state oversight have taken the forms of academic distress commissions, CEOs and academic improvement plans.

While state oversight may have been well-intentioned, the results in Youngstown – and in Lorain and East Cleveland, which also were formerly under academic distress commissions – show that there may be no secret recipe that will turn around a struggling district.

Educators critical of state takeovers said school performance is affected by a host of variables, and what works for one might not work for another. But for almost every case, a specifically tailored plan requires monetary support.

Still others say that East Cleveland’s recent success of getting off academic distress, coupled with rising achievement Youngstown has made in recent years, are evidence that the Academic Distress Plan is working, and that state accountability is necessary.

Youngstown officials have pleaded their case to leave academic distress at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, but officials there say they must follow the law as it’s written.

Now the district is backing bills in the Ohio House and Senate that would dissolve the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission.

“To me, our body of work should stand for itself,” Youngstown Superintendent Jeremy J. Batchelor said. “We should not be the lone district in academic distress. In my opinion, we are no longer the lowest-performing school district in the state of Ohio. There was a time when we were and we are not anymore.”

Currently, Youngstown is trying to emerge from a three-year Academic Improvement Plan. While it’s on the plan, it gets a reprieve from some parts of state control: The locally elected school board takes power back from the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission, and the superintendent does the job of the CEO.

But the initial three years have passed, and Youngstown didn’t hit the necessary benchmarks in the last two of those years. State law allows the district to apply for two additional one-year extensions, and Youngstown has applied for its first extension this year. If it cannot pass the Academic Improvement Plan by the end of the 2026-2027 school year, the law states the academic distress commission and CEO again take over, which was unpopular locally.

In the Lorain City School District, the General Assembly dissolved its Academic Distress Commission in 2023 due to improved performance on the school report card.

East Cleveland met the benchmarks outlined in its Academic Improvement Plan, and announced on Dec. 24 it was no longer under state oversight.

These are some of the proposals education experts suggest for elevating struggling schools.

Proposal: Consult the community, provide resources

Critics of the state takeover in Youngstown point to problems under its oversight.

The Youngstown Academic Distress Commission closed a STEM School specializing in science, technology and math. The number of foreign language courses decreased.

Between 2016 and 2022, when Youngstown City Schools were run by a CEO, there was turnover, with two different people in that position. Changes brought by the CEOs resulted in higher turnover among faculty and staff.

Ohio Education Association President Jeff Wensing said that’s because when the state made changes, or appointed people to make changes, the local voice was lost. The community best understands its challenges. It can help diagnose and fix the problem, he said.

Wensing and state Sen. Nathan Manning, a North Ridgeville Republican instrumental in getting Lorain off academic distress, don’t believe in heavy-handed mandates from above.

“Bring resources and be there to lift up a community and not force things on them,” Manning said.

“Quite honestly, there is really no simple solution,” Wensing said. “There’s no magic wand that can be waved.”

That’s because each community is different.

Although no longer under academic distress, Lorain Superintendent Jeff Graham said that the state could have helped the district with its high rate of chronic absenteeism, which occurs when students miss at least 10% of school.

Some Lorain students missed 40 days in a year. Twenty percent of Lorain families have no vehicle and 25% have one family vehicle. Low attendance hurts achievement, Graham said.

Forty-four percent of the district is of Hispanic heritage. The current immigration environment where people fear they could be stopped by federal authorities based on race, ethnicity or their speaking Spanish is keeping many parents and children away from school, he said.

“Our kids are scared to death,” Graham said.

Wensing suggested that student support outside of academics may help some struggling districts.

Low-income districts have students who arrive at school hungry, which may be exacerbated by the coming reductions in SNAP benefits in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Students may have mental health challenges, or have poor vision and need eyeglasses.

“These are called wraparound services,” Wensing said. “You have to meet the needs of the person first before you can address the academic needs.”

The state never offered Youngstown, East Cleveland or Lorain any extra money for student services when academic distress commissions took over.

Yet Youngstown made gains in the Performance Index, a measure in the state report card that gauges student achievement in grades 3 through high school.

In 2024-2025, Youngstown scored 57.6, the same as East Cleveland. The highest achievable score was 109.8. For comparison, Lorain’s performance index was 53.1, the lowest in the state. Seven other school districts were lower than East Cleveland and Youngstown.

The wealthiest school districts performed best on the school report cards, according to a cleveland.com analysis of incomes and report card scores. The poorest tend to do the worst.

This has long been the case, said Wensing.

“When you look at these standardized test scores, you tell me the scores, you tell me the economic status of that community,” he said.

Proposal: Building-level oversight

In Youngstown, Superintendent Batchelor said that instead of state oversight, he supports a plan in Senate Bill 322, which would dissolve the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission and end the Academic Improvement Plan.

In its place, SB 322 would require student support teams in buildings that received one or two stars on the Ohio School Report Card. The support teams would be made up of the superintendent, school board members, classroom and special education teachers, school improvement specialists, intervention specialists, parents, representatives from DEW, among others.

The team would survey the school community and others such as attendance officers, develop a plan, with the school board’s approval. The school would have to follow the plan until the building gets 3 stars or higher.

SB 322 is sponsored by state Sen. Al Cutrona, a Mahoning County Republican, who said that he doesn’t think the state should take over any district, that education improvement should stay local and that paying high salaries for CEOs is wasteful when the money should have been poured into classrooms.

“I think it’s essential that we stick with local control,” he said. “I think the local people know best how to handle their schools. We’ve seen dramatic improvement in Youngstown. Youngstown City Schools have dramatically improved from the time that I’ve been in the legislature. These last report cards that came out were incredible. I think the schools should be applauded for their efforts, and their progress in the right direction.”

In the House, House Bill 610 would also dissolve the Youngstown Academic Distress Commission and repeal the law that created academic distress commissions and CEOs. It’s sponsored by Democratic Reps. Juanita Brent of Cleveland and Lauren McNally of Youngstown.

Proposal: Stay the course

An example of improvement in Youngstown is the graduation rate.

In the class of 2025, Youngstown’s high school graduation rate was 86.4%. That’s up from 79.4% in the class of 2018.

Batchelor said this was achieved through focusing on post-graduation pathways – encouraging students to choose college, gain a technical skill or join the military – and ensuring they had the right classes for their path, starting in the ninth grade.

Yet this improvement hasn’t been enough under the state takeover. Youngstown has not met the graduation rate benchmark in its Academic Improvement Plan for the four-year graduation rate.

-For the class of 2023, the graduation rate was supposed to be 90%. Youngstown’s rate was 84.3%.

-In 2024, it was supposed to be 91.5%. Youngstown achieved 85.9%.

-Last year, it was supposed to be 93%. Its weighted rate was 86.4%.

These gains show that Youngstown’s Academic Improvement Plan is working, even if the district isn’t hitting the benchmarks, said Aaron Churchill, Ohio research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Churchill disagrees with Youngstown officials’ push to get off academic distress. The district should stay the course and work harder on its Academic Improvement Plan, he said.

“Our students in every part of the state deserve a great education,” he said. “They deserve an education where they can graduate high school proficient in math and reading. And right now that is not happening in some of the districts in our state. I think that additional pressure from the state and oversight from the state can really help make sure students are getting what they deserve.”

The Youngstown Academic Improvement Plan contains 24 benchmarks – the four-year graduation rate and Performance Index are just two of them. The district needs to hit 51% of the benchmarks each year to get out of academic distress.

“The disconnect here is there’s a three-year plan, and every year the benchmarks actually increase,” Batchelor said. “I’m so proud of East Cleveland that they did what they needed to do, but none of us had the same plan. Everybody was able to write their own plan with different benchmarks. And then they had to be approved by the state.”

Youngstown met enough benchmarks in 2022-2023, when hit 16. It did not in 2023-2024, when it met nine. In 2024-2025, it met six.

“I think when 20% to 30% of your students are meeting state reading and math standards, like what’s happening in Youngstown and a couple other districts around the state that have had academic challenges, I think there does need to be some state action in those situations,” Churchill said.

Those are scores the district submitted last school year to the state to update the status of its Academic Improvement Plan.

For example, the benchmark for third grade English on Ohio’s State Tests last year was 46% of the students scoring proficient or above last year. Just 34% were proficient in Youngstown.

For the benchmark for grades 3-5 math scores on the state tests, 33% were supposed to be at least proficient. But just 22.61% were.

“Every student in Youngstown has the ability to meet state standards, math and reading standards,” Churchill said. “We need to make sure that they have the education that helps them get there.”

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Ohio

Auto parts maker to lay off 1,200 in Ohio amid fraud charges. Here’s where

Published

3 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Auto parts maker to lay off 1,200 in Ohio amid fraud charges. Here’s where

First Brands closing corporate office in Cleveland, three other Ohio facilities amid bankruptcy. Its CEO is facing federal fraud charges

Auto parts supplier First Brands is closing four Ohio facilities, including its Cleveland corporate office.
The closures will result in the permanent layoff of more than 1,200 workers by the end of April.
The company’s founder and former CEO and his brother are facing federal charges in an alleged multi-billion dollar fraud scheme.
First Brands, which supplies products like Fram oil filters, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025.

A major auto parts supplier is laying off more than a thousand workers and closing four facilities around Ohio, including its corporate offices in Cleveland.

First Brands, whose founder and former CEO is facing charges in multi-billion dollar fraud scheme, notified the state in late February of its intent to permanently close the facilities by April 30. The layoffs created by these closures are also permanent, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices filed with Ohio Job and Family Services.

The company — which supplies Fram oil filters and Anco wiper blades, among others — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025. In January, First Brands had started winding down some of its operations in North America while seeking a buyer, according to Reuters. However, several potential buyers “have suddenly and unexpectedly withdrawn or narrowed their bids” according to one of the recent WARN notices.

Which facilities are closing? And how many jobs are being lost? Here’s what to know.

First Brands closing four Ohio locations, cutting more than 1,200 jobs

According to WARN notices, First Brands is closing the following facilities:

Corporate Office, 127 Public Square, Suite 5300, Cleveland. In the first round of layoffs here, 146 workers were cut on Feb. 23, according to a WARN notice sent that date. A second notice dated Feb. 27 for this address advises that the facility will close on April 30, and the remaining 110 workers will be laid off.
FRAM facility, 851 Jackson St., Greenville. According to a WARN notice sent Feb. 27, this facility will close April 30 and 302 jobs will be lost.
TMD facility, 1441 N. Maule Road, Tiffin. All 407 employees will be terminated when this facility is permanently closed on April 30, according to a Feb. 27 WARN notice.
TMD facility, 515 E. Gypsy Lane Road, Bowling Green. First Brands will also close this facility on April 30, laying off 302 workers, according to another Feb. 27 WARN notice.

In total, First Brands is laying off 1,267 workers in these four closures.

Indictment alleges Cleveland auto supplier CEO, VP defrauded lenders. Both plead not guilty

First Brands Group founder and former CEO Patrick James and his brother, Edward, a senior vice president, are accused of defrauding lenders out of billions of dollars before the auto parts supplier fell into bankruptcy according to an indictment made public Jan. 29 in Manhattan federal court.

The nine-count indictment includes charges of running a continuing financial crimes enterprise, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. Both pleaded not guilty on Feb. 4, Reuters reports. A trial is set in July. Both could face decades in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors said the defendants “perpetrated a series of fraudulent schemes” against First Brands’ lenders and financing partners, Reuters reported, including allegedly inflating invoices, double- and triple-pledging loan collateral, falsifying financial statements and concealing substantial liabilities.

“It is very much Mr. James’ intent to go into court and proclaim his innocence,” said Scott Hartman, a lawyer for Patrick James, according to Reuters.

Patrick James and Edward James are Malaysian-born U.S. citizens.

Seth DuCharme, a lawyer for Edward James, told Reuters that his client is not going to “run off to Southeast Asia where he allegedly has all this money.”

What is First Brands Group? Company filed for bankruptcy in September

First Brands, founded in 2013, was one of the world’s largest suppliers of auto parts such as brakes, filters and ‍lighting systems, according to Reuters. It had $5 billion in sales last year.

Prosecutors say First Brands borrowed billions to finance its growth. Those loans were secured by inventory and physical assets like plants and equipment. Reuters reports that this left First Brands vulnerable to cash flow issues and dependent on its access to the capital from those loans.

The company filed for bankruptcy in September 2025. Patrick James stepped down as CEO that October, according to Crain’s Detroit Business.

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2026 NFL mock draft 6.0: Ohio State defenders rise after stellar combines; edge rushers dominate first round

Published

15 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

2026 NFL mock draft 6.0: Ohio State defenders rise after stellar combines; edge rushers dominate first round

With the 2026 NFL scouting combine in the books, this year’s NFL Draft class is becoming clearer.

While the quarterbacks and wide receivers got the most attention at the combine, it was a group of defensive prospects that stood out this past week in Indianapolis. Specifically, Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and linebacker Sonny Styles put together a fantastic series of workouts to move into the top three of our latest mock draft. But there were plenty of other defenders who stood out. This mock draft is littered with them in a deep overall class of defensive linemen and defensive backs.

In this mock draft, Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice makes the odd-numbered picks, and Charles McDonald makes the even.

More 2026 NFL mock drafts: 5.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0

1. Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Don’t overthink it. Barring some unforeseen path the Raiders take this offseason, Mendoza looks like the signal-caller of the future in Las Vegas. Mendoza checks a lot of boxes at QB, especially his overall size as Mendoza not only stands 6-foot-5 but weighed in at a strong 236 pounds in Indianapolis. And his sense of timing, ability to throw on the move, and willingness to push the ball are a great match for Klint Kubiak’s offense that constantly asks quarterbacks to work inside and outside of the pocket and into tight spots over the middle of the field. The Raiders’ skill position talent already has strong, young playmakers (maybe one more outside receiver would be nice!) who can help ease Mendoza’s transition to the next level.

2. New York Jets — Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State

Some players who split time between two positions are “tweeners” who don’t really excel at either spot. A very small number of players who play two spots put up elite performances at both. Reese fits into the latter. He’s a true front-seven weapon who should excel wherever his future team puts him. He can cover, play the run and rush the passer, making him a rare and versatile linebacker prospect at the top of the draft. The Jets’ defense was so bad that someone who can plug multiple spots depending on the situation is exactly what they need.

3. Arizona Cardinals — Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Styles’ strong season had him already moving up draft boards, and an even stronger showing in Indianapolis only added rocket fuel to his rise. Styles’ range and smarts as an off-ball linebacker allow him to impact the run and pass, but he also has the length and strength to hold up as an edge rusher for snaps as well. The redbirds could look at offensive line here, too, but Styles’ ability to be a steadying force and impact player, with versatility thrown in, makes sense for any type of defense and franchise. But the Cardinals need stuff to build around. Plus there’s a nice bonus of it being an interesting fit for coordinator Nick Rallis’ knuckleball defense.

4. Tennessee Titans — Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami

Tennessee started rebuilding its defense in Robert Saleh’s image by swapping T’Vondre Sweat for the Jets’ Jermaine Johnson. Now Saleh can continue to build what his best Jets defenses had: premier defensive line depth. Adding Bain, who would be a perfect fit in Saleh’s defense, would give the Titans a heavy-handed player on the edge who has high-end athleticism to negate any arm-length issues his frame should bring up. Jeffery Simmons and Bain would be … a pain.

5. New York Giants — Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami

While there are other offensive tackles who are (spoilers for the next pick!) shooting up draft boards, the Giants go for Mauigoa. He could be the short-term and long-term answer for the Giants at right tackle or right guard. Mauigoa is a clean prospect with good hand usage and a strong build who can help the Giants’ offensive line from dipping after an underrated strong performance in 2025 (especially when Andrew Thomas was on the field). Perhaps he doesn’t have overwhelming athleticism. Still, he’s a player who allows the Giants to always have their best five offensive linemen on the field.

6. Cleveland Browns — Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

This is a big-time jump for Freeling, but he has all the traits NFL teams drool over for offensive tackle prospects in terms of size and athleticism. The Browns, who are facing the potential losses of the vast majority of their offensive line to free agency, will need to completely rebuild that unit — which is a bit overdue, but not to this severity. Freeling gives Cleveland a dart throw to have strong left tackle play if he continues his trend of rapid improvement over the past year.

Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey helped his draft stock with a strong performance at the combine. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

(Lauren Leigh Bacho via Getty Images)

7. Washington Commanders — David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

As tempting as it will be to add an offensive player of some kind here, with tasty options at offensive line, wide receiver, tight end and running back, the Commanders instead add firepower to a defense that has to get faster, younger and just straight up better. Bailey is an explosive pass rusher who is constantly attacking offensive tackles. He will never be a strong run defender, but he has long arms (measured at 33 ¾ inches at the combine) and has improved in that area. Bailey is the exact type of talent injection this defense needs.

8. New Orleans Saints — Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Tyler Shough will be getting a chance to show he can be the long-term quarterback this year, so shoring up the wide receiver room should be a priority. New Orleans is a bit thin in terms of premier skill talent after a few years of erosion, but Shough’s emergence gives them the ability to burn this pick on Tate, who should immediately step in as a legitimate starting option alongside former Buckeye Chris Olave.

9. Kansas City Chiefs — Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

WHHHEEEEE! The Chiefs have a few needs they could address here, but I think an offensive skill player of some sort is the way to go. And why not go with Love, one of the best overall players in this draft and a walking, talking explosive play who could boost a run game that has been hyper-efficient the past few seasons, but has had the same explosiveness as a wet firecracker. Love behind a Chiefs offensive line that could end up being one of the league’s better units and in an Andy Reid screen game has me salivating.

10. Cincinnati Bengals — Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Cincinnati needs defense. Downs is arguably the best player in the draft. Whoever is the top defensive player available here, the Bengals should take him without thinking much about it. Downs’ position is the only reason he’s available here as safeties tend to slide down the board relative to their consensus rankings.

11. Miami Dolphins — Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Zone cornerback, meet zone coverage-calling head coach. Delane gets how to play the cornerback position. He’s smart and has a great feel for playing high-low concepts, with the quickness and burst to make plays on the football. He doesn’t have ideal length or top-end athleticism, but he gives the Dolphins and new head coach Jeff Hafley a young CB with pedigree to build around.

12. Dallas Cowboys — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

Dallas needs to keep plugging away at the holes in its secondary and can get a high-upside prospect in McCoy here to get a corner who can take advantage of Dallas’ defensive line talent. McCoy has excellent ball skills and can be a more steady player than the boom-bust talents that occupied this secondary in the past.

[Watch Yahoo Sports Network]

13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons) — Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

After dipping their toes in the Oregon tight end waters last draft with Terrance Ferguson in the second round and supercharging their multi-tight end looks, the Rams take the plunge with Sadiq. Yes, the Rams could add to their defensive backfield here, among other positions, but Sadiq would further weaponize a Rams offense that asks its skill players to do a bit of everything around the formation. Sadiq would give Sean McVay another field stretcher and yards-after-catch option while still deploying heavy bodies, with some grit as a blocker as a nice bonus. Sadiq would not only help the Rams for 2026, but he also shores up the position long-term for the Rams as they have several pending tight end free agents in 2027.

14. Baltimore Ravens — Vega Ioane, G, Penn State

Baltimore needs to add more high-end offensive line talent and Ioane may wind up being the only first-round caliber player on the interior this year. He perfectly fits the power running that Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry have thrived with and is athletic enough to have versatility for new coordinator Declan Doyle as he begins to install his offense in Baltimore.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Keldric Faulk, DL/Edge, Auburn

Faulk has an ideal build for a classic defensive end and fits the type of defensive ends that Todd Bowles has deployed in the past (Logan Hall, William Gholston). Faulk is young and still developing as a pass rusher, but he can be a needle-moving run defender right out of the gate as he polishes the rest of his game. Faulk’s versatility to move across the defensive line helps him fit in any type of scheme, but is a clean fit in Bowles’ defense. A strong option to help out for 2026, but a swing at something more for the Bucs while picking in the middle of the first.

16. New York Jets (via Colts) — Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Another player for the broken Jets’ defense. Like his older brother A.J., a Pro Bowl cornerback for the Falcons, Avieon didn’t have the most explosive day at the combine (his 34-inch vertical ranked among the bottom third of CBs and his 10-feet, 3-inch broad jump was also in the lower tier in this group) but he still has the profile of a starting outside cornerback in the NFL, which is still an incredibly valuable thing to find. That works here for the Jets.

17. Detroit Lions — Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

While Giovanni Manu is still interesting to me, Lomu gives the Lions their Taylor Decker succession plan (and insurance for the 2026 season). Lomu has to continue to get stronger, but he has light feet, clean hand usage and the overall athleticism to stay on the left side and be a plus-blindside protector. Lomu has just turned 21, so a redshirt year under offensive line coach/run game coordinator Hank Fraley while continuing to add to his frame could make this a perfect player-team fit for a franchise that seems like it’s about to start transitioning to phase 2 of the Dan Campbell tenure.

18. Cleveland Browns (via Vikings) — Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

The Browns jump up here in the draft to grab the falling Fano, giving them two offensive tackles in the first round of this draft. Freeling and Fano could grow into a formidable OT duo for the Browns and when a team has so few offensive linemen under contract with a restrictive salary cap situation, the draft is the best way to go.

19. Carolina Panthers — CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

The Panthers could look to help out their trenches on both sides of the ball here, but they sorely need impact defensive players. Allen can be that solidifying force in the front seven who could help this defense finally step out of the doldrums. Allen’s intelligence, quickness, and overall two-way ability would help the Panthers shore up against the run and pass, while also having some blitzing juice to fit into coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defensive funkiness.

20. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers) — Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

Another dip on defense, this time the Cowboys add to their defensive end rotation with the speedy Howell. He’s similar to some of the players they already have on the roster, but this is a decent enough range and he would benefit from a strong room of defensive tackles.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers — Makai Lemon, WR, USC

I go back and forth with what kind of second wide receiver I would want to see in Pittsburgh in Mike McCarthy’s offense and across from DK Metcalf. While I’m personally higher on Denzel Boston than Lemon, I think Lemon’s quickness and route-running ability from the slot is actually a good fit for what I think McCarthy is going to want in his offense that has typically featured a steady heaping of quick-hitting passing plays. Lemon would also give Pittsburgh more yards-after-catch ability and a different flavor than Metcalf and the Steelers’ jumbo-size tight end room.

22. Los Angeles Chargers — Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

The Chargers go pure value here and take Woods, who was slotted as a top pick prior to the season. Woods has all the upside in the world to be an impact player on the interior and still flashed strong skills in a down year for the entire Clemson program. Woods would be a great young talent for the Chargers to add with the emerging Tuli Tuipulotu on the edge.

23. Philadelphia Eagles — Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

When picking for the Eagles under general manager Howie Roseman, defaulting to a pick in the trenches isn’t the worst bet. And something I agree with! Especially with long-time right-side stalwart Lane Johnson contemplating retirement seemingly on a weekly basis and other question marks potentially emerging along the rest of the Eagles’ line. I’m high on Iheanachor, who is a great athlete in a large frame, and I think he has more polish to his game than the “project” label he gets despite being a latecomer to football. And this might end up as his floor when April comes.

24. Minnesota Vikings (via Browns) — Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

After flipping down with the Browns, the Vikings take a big swing at defensive tackle with Banks. He isn’t a finished product, but he’s a lot more polished than most designated projects and was incredibly disruptive in the three games he played this season. His movement skills and footwork are incredibly rare at 6-foot-6, 330, but he struggles to finish plays off the penetration he creates. Brian Flores would be a great coach to land with in regards to fixing that and the Vikings would have the chance for the elite interior talent this defense has been missing.

25. Chicago Bears — Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

Left tackle is very live here for Chicago, but the Bears must look to add beef to their defensive interior. And what better person to add beef than someone with the last name McDonald. McDonald has good bulk and is a strong run defender who actually racks up tackles rather than just plodding in the middle with his quick feet and ability to consistently shed his block. He is just an average pass rusher, but can help shore up a run defense that was prone to leaks in 2025.

26. Buffalo Bills — Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

The Bills clearly have a big need at wide receiver and can take another swing on a wide receiver early in the draft. Boston had 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns over the past two seasons and profiles as someone who has a chance to be a big-bodied wide receiver who has a bit more skills than players the Bills currently have.

27. San Francisco 49ers — Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

The 49ers’ run game lost some venom last season despite a Herculean effort from Christian McCaffrey. Perhaps this is the season that Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch add some pedigree to their offensive line. The 49ers paid Colton McKivitz and he’s under contract for a couple of more seasons, but Miller projects to be a tier or two better than McKivitz at right tackle. Miller’s agility makes him a good fit for a Shanahan offense. He played only the right side in college, but he has the athleticism and length to give the left side a shot in case the 49ers need a Trent Williams insurance/succession plan, too.

28. Houston Texans — Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

Offensive line help arrives for the Texans, who take one of the biggest players in the draft who has a wide range of potential outcomes. Proctor is talented, but his play was a bit inconsistent this season and he’s a bit of an outlier in weight, at 370 pounds in-season for the Crimson Tide. Still, he’s an immense talent and is worth the swing at this point.

29. Los Angeles Rams — Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

NOW is when the Rams add to their defensive backfield, this time with Cisse, who my friend Derrik Klassen from The Athletic described as “a safety playing the cornerback position.” I think Cisse needs to improve in his game recognition, but he has the feistiness and explosiveness to help out somewhere, whether it’s on the outside or with a move into the slot (the Rams loved their dime personnel packages under d-coordinator Chris Shula). His scrappiness and tackling ability will give him fans.

30. Denver Broncos — Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

Another pass rusher for the Broncos because that’s what we do with teams at the bottom of a mock draft. Mesidor showed he can put heat on the quarterback on the edge and the interior of Miami’s defensive line, registering 12.5 sacks in the Hurricanes’ run to the national championship game. Pro Football Focus gave him a 92.5 pass rush grade, which is third among edge rushers. His PFF run defense score was 88.3, which ranked in the 91st percentile.

31. New England Patriots — KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

The Patriots could go offensive line, but they need to add explosiveness to their pass catcher corps. Hello, KC Concepcion! While DeMario Douglas has been able to contribute big plays from the slot, Concepcion could provide the type of yards after catch and downfield ability that would give Drake Maye an explosive option to work with (along with the improved Kayshon Boutte and explosive, but raw, Kyle Williams).

32. Seattle Seahawks — Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

Seattle may have a bit of a shakeup in its cornerback room this offseason, so adding another cost-controlled, long-term deal in the room might make sense. Hood had a great workout in Indianapolis — Next Gen Stats ranked his athletic score fourth among cornerbacks at the combine — and was a productive player on the ball for the Vols’ pass defense.

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9 people injured, 1 critical, after Cincinnati mass shooting

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

9 people injured, 1 critical, after Cincinnati mass shooting

Nine people were injured after a shooting broke out at Riverfront Live on Cincinnati’s East Side early Sunday.

The shooting was reported about 1 a.m. March 1 at the Kellogg Avenue music venue on the border of East End and Linwood, according to Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie.

Dozens flooded out from inside the venue in a panic as gunshots rang out, according to a neighboring business’ surveillance camera footage obtained by Enquirer media partner Fox 19.

Eight of the people shot were taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center and one person was brought to Good Samaritan Hospital, Hennie said.

One person at UC Medical Center is in critical condition, according to hospital spokeswoman Heather Chura-Smith. Five people are in stable condition and two have been treated and released, she said.

The status of the person at Good Samaritan Hospital is unknown. Hospital staff declined to provide an update on the person’s status.

An event was in progress at the venue, Hennie said, but he did not say what it was. A description on the venue’s website lists it as a “nightlife concert venue.”

Mayor Aftab Pureval called the shooting “unconscionable” in a statement.

This story will be updated.

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