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Could Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe go in the first round of the NFL draft?

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Could Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe go in the first round of the NFL draft?

Could there be a stunner brewing at the NFL draft?

It’s widely expected that University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward will be the first overall selection Thursday night by the Tennessee Titans.

But the real mystery lies in what happens next, and whether Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders doesn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called or if he’ll be waiting around for a team to pick him. Either way, he won’t in the green room. The son of Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders declined an invitation to attend the draft, as did Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, whose name has been floating around lately as a potential first-round pick.

Here’s the potential stunner: Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe could blow up mock drafts everywhere and go in the opening round.

Analyst Rick Neuheisel, a former head coach in college and NFL offensive coordinator, believes the ultra-mobile Milroe will be drafted by someone in the first round, potentially the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 or maybe even the Rams at 26 as an eventual replacement for 37-year-old Matthew Stafford.

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“There is going to be an intrigue factor with Jalen Milroe,” Neuheisel said. “He ran 4.4, ran for a bunch of yards and had an unbelievable game against LSU. Single-handedly put Alabama on his shoulders.”

In a 2023 game, Milroe rushed for 155 yards and threw for 219 in a 42-28 victory over Louisiana State.

Meanwhile, Neuheisel thinks there’s a possibility the polarizing Sanders, who skipped throwing drills at the scouting combine, could tumble down the board a bit.

“I think the league thinks he needs to be humbled,” Neuheisel said. “I think they’re sitting there going, ‘I can’t coach him. And if he goes in the second round, maybe he’ll get it.’ ”

As for Dart, who began his college career at USC, Neuheisel wonders about his consistency in pressure situations.

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“I really liked him when he was at USC,” he said. “It bothers me that [Ole Miss] lost to Kentucky [last season] having a chance to go down and win the game — they didn’t get it done.”

Neuheisel also pointed to Mississippi’s 24-17 loss to Florida last season when Dart had a pair of interceptions down the stretch.

Milroe, who is attending the draft, is the latest in a string of recent Alabama quarterbacks highly coveted by NFL teams. Jalen Hurts, coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance for Philadelphia, was drafted by the Eagles in the second round in 2020. That same year, Tua Tagovailoa was picked fifth overall by Miami. In 2021, Mac Jones went 15th to New England.

“I played at Alabama,” said Milroe, who will be attending the draft. “There’s something special about leading that script and understanding the history behind it.”

He does not appear in many mock drafts as a first-round pick.

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“All I want to do is show what right looks like,” he said, “as a player and as a person.”

Neuheisel said Milroe’s ability to make plays with his feet, while remaining a threat to throw, is reminiscent of what Hurts did for the Eagles last season during Philadelphia’s championship run. That quarterback, along with superb running back Saquon Barkley, forced opponents to commit an extra defender to stop the run, therefore making themselves more vulnerable to the pass.

“It doesn’t make total sense for the Steelers given the fact that they let [quarterback] Justin Fields go, and he did that a little bit,” Neuheisel said of the Steelers, who have quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their roster. “But maybe Milroe has a better personality for it.”

He can envision either Cleveland, which has the No. 2 pick, or the New York Giants, who pick third, taking other players with those first selections then trading back into the end of the first round to draft a quarterback.

Milroe believes one of his strengths is he spent his entire college career at Alabama, whereas many top-notch quarterbacks bounce from school to school these days. Ward, for instance, played for three different programs, and Sanders and Dart are at two each.

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But there are two ways of looking at that. Loyalty and continuity are important, yes, but so is the ability to adjust to different offenses, programs and locker rooms.

Joel Klatt, a draft analyst for NFL Network, said it’s important that Milroe showed he could be successful under two different Alabama coaches, Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer.

“To me, I think that the NFL always looks at that in a positive light,” said Klatt, also lead college football analyst for Fox. “Can you master two different systems? Learn two different systems?

“Because if you’re just in one and you’re really good at it, people can look at that and say, `Well, can he do something different?’ Some of these offenses in college can be really quarterback-friendly, and they can build in wins for a quarterback that don’t need to be read post-snap.”

“The NFL likes it when players play in multiple offenses in college.”

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Fellow NFL Network draft analyst Charles Davis said pro teams aren’t worried about a player’s history of transferring as long as that player has “shown an ability to adapt and grow.”

“Cam Ward went three places, thrived at every place he went,” Davis said. “Maturity. Change of location. Get along with new people. Adapt to new situations.”

Davis, who had covered the NFL for CBS but now is shifting to college football, said the value or detriment of switching schools is in the eye of the evaluator.

“I think the older the person evaluating, the more they like a guy who stays in one place,” he said. “That’s how we were raised — the loyalty aspect. Stay at one company, get a gold watch, you know, all those sorts of, ‘Oh, it showed loyalty to the school, the state. I like that.’ ”

College football and the perceptions surrounding it, he said, are in a state of flux.

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“It’s like how long ago people were freaking out about guys opting out of bowl games? Yeah. No one’s worried about it anymore,” Davis said. “It’s just what we have now.”

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‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42

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‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42

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Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.

As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.

Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.

The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.

Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.

JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42

Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.

The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.

Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.

As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.

Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.

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Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.

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Ryan Ward has a solid debut, but bullpen blows it again as Dodgers lose to Rockies

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Ryan Ward has a solid debut, but bullpen blows it again as Dodgers lose to Rockies

What do you know? The once-stampeding Dodgers have been caged by the Colorado Rockies.

With a 9-6 loss Sunday at Coors Field, the two-time defending World Series champions lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Dodgers again couldn’t hold a lead, letting the Rockies tee off for 15 hits.

Nor could the Dodgers keep up offensively at the hitter-friendly park — though they put some pressure on in the ninth inning, when Shohei Ohtani led off with a ground-rule double and the Dodgers scored twice to cut the lead to three runs. Then the new guy, Ryan Ward, made the final out in his big league debut, robbed of a hit and a chance to keep chipping away by a diving Troy Johnston in right field.

Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers. That included closer Edwin Díaz, who came on in the eighth and promptly gave up three singles, a walk and two runs before being pulled with the Dodgers trailing 8-4.

Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki gave up three runs on seven hits in 4-2/3 innings Sunday against the Rockies in Denver.

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(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

He and Blake Treinen combined to face eight batters without getting an out.

“They both weren’t sharp,” said manager Dave Roberts, who had theories but not many answers — though he did have real concern, especially about Díaz, who recently had his right knee checked out by the medical staff.

Roberts said the closer wanted to pitch after nine days off, even though it wasn’t a save situation. But his velocity was slightly down (95.4 mph vs. 95.8) and so, “today was a tough evaluation,” the manager said.

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“It really was,” Roberts said. “Because, you know, I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”

And losing for the second time to the Rockies, who are now 9-13? Being in danger of losing their four-game series, after arriving in Denver without having lost to a National League opponent, against a club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2018?

It’s well below the bar the Dodgers have set, and it added a bitter note to Ward’s otherwise sweet debut.

Ward punched a big league clock for the first time wearing No. 67 and cranked his first hit off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning, lining a changeup to right field for a single that scored Andy Pages, made it 3-0 and got the 20-some members of Ward’s party up, jumping in place, hugging and high-fiving.

“When I was on first base, I got to see them all jumping around up there,” Ward said. “That was a pretty special moment.”

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He also singled in the sixth and swung on the first pitch in his first at-bat, a fly out in the third inning.

The Dodgers gave Sasaki a 2-0 lead in the third. Alex Freeland drove in Hyeseong Kim, and Shohei Ohtani doubled in Freeland — and extended his career-best on-base streak to 51 games, moving past Willie Keeler into third place in Dodgers history.

Sasaki went 4-2/3 innings, threw 78 pitches and gave up three runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking two. His ERA after his fourth start: 6.11, worst in the six-man rotation.

The Dodgers fell behind 6-5 in the seventh when Treinen — who was cleared Friday after he was struck in the head by a batted ball during batting practice — gave up four consecutive hits, including a two-run home run by Mickey Moniak.

The result likely will be a minor detail when Ward tells the story years from now about getting the call after first baseman Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list.

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The Dodgers’ No. 19 prospect and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP spent the last seven years in the minors. Last season, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 122 runs with a .937 on-base-plus-slugging percentage for triple-A Oklahoma City, and he has a 1.020 OPS and four homers this year.

Ward made it a point to improve his chase rate, draw more walks and get on base more frequently, everything the Dodgers asked of him. He also passed the broadest patience test.

“The plate discipline, being a better hitter … he’s done all that,” Roberts said. “He’s improved his defense. But honestly, for me, just not to let his lack of opportunity in the big leagues deter him. That’s easy when you get frustrated and let it affect performance, and he hasn’t done that.”

If anything, Ward said, the waiting made him better.

“I used it to keep going. ‘OK, if I’m not there yet, what do I have to do to get there?’” he said. “‘What part of my game do I need to work on to keep getting better?’

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“I used it as fire to keep working.”

That will be the Dodgers’ assignment too.

In the finale of the four-game series Monday, the Dodgers are expected to start left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) against Colorado left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63).

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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd

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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd

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Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.

While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.

The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”

Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.

WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”

Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.

“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”

Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.

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