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Men's No. 1 seeds with easiest, toughest draw in NCAA Tournament
The madness is ready to begin following Sunday's release of the men's NCAA Tournament bracket.
Now that teams have been seeded and matchups are in place, which of the four No. 1 seeds has the easiest path to the Final Four and which one has the toughest draw of the four teams?
Easiest draw: Duke
With nine Quad 1 wins and a dominant run through ACC play, Duke (31-3) enters the Big Dance as the second overall No. 1 seed, only behind Auburn. While nothing is ever guaranteed in the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils have arguably the easiest draw of any of the No. 1 seeds.
The top three seeds below Duke in the East region are Alabama (two), Wisconsin (three) and Arizona (four). Alabama has the best NET ranking (six) with 11 Quad 1 wins while Arizona (12) has 10 and Wisconsin (15) has eight.
The Crimson Tide enter with three losses in their last five games and a struggling defense, compared to Duke's seventh-best defense (61.9 PPG). A second round game against Mississippi State or Baylor, who each have a NET ranking of 30th or worse, would present a favorable matchup to the Blue Devils as well, given their inconsistent stretches throughout the season.
Whether Cooper Flagg is 100% or not, this is a favorable draw for a Duke team seeking its first National Championship since 2019.
Toughest draw: Auburn
Talk about a difficult road to the Final Four for the top overall seed. The SEC regular-season champions — losers of three of its last four — are not going to have an easy route in the South region.
The remaining top four seeds in the region are Michigan State with a NET ranking of 11, Iowa State (nine) and Texas A&M (18). The three of them combined have 30 Quad 1 wins and would give the Tigers a run for their money.
A second round matchup with ACC Tournament runner-up Louisville or Big East Tournament runner-up Creighton presents a challenge, as does a potential Sweet 16 meeting with Big Ten Tournament-champion Michigan.
If Auburn is going to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2019, it is going to have to earn it.
More must-reads:
- Winners, losers from men's NCAA Selection Sunday
- Duke star expected to return for NCAA Tournament despite injury
- The 'SEC mens basketball Player of the Year since 2000-01' quiz
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Browns HC confirms Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders whispers
A previous report suggested that the Cleveland Browns want to start 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel at quarterback for this coming Saturday's preseason game at the Philadelphia Eagles over 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders as long as Gabriel is healthy enough to play at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. While speaking with reporters ahead of Wednesday's joint practice involving the clubs, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Gabriel began the day on track to start Saturday's contest. "The plan was always to give both of those guys a start in the preseason, so we’ll see how it shakes out," Stefanski explained, as shared by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Neither Gabriel nor backup Kenny Pickett played in Cleveland's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday as they continued to recover from lingering hamstring injuries. Sanders received the bulk of the meaningful reps in that game and completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-10 win over Carolina. While Gabriel is doing 11-on-11 work during joint practices this week, Pickett remained relegated to 7-on-7 drills as of Wednesday. That said, FanDuel Sportsbook continued to list 40-year-old Joe Flacco as the betting favorite at -310 odds to be the Browns' starting quarterback for their Week 1 game against the Cincinnati Bengals as of Wednesday. Pickett was at +360 odds, followed by Sanders at +1060. Gabriel was a +1800 underdog to get the nod for the Cincinnati matchup at that time. Gabriel began Wednesday as the Browns' unofficial QB3 ahead of Sanders. Meanwhile, Sanders did not get any reps in the opening few periods of the Browns' joint practice with the Eagles on Wednesday morning after suffering an oblique injury. Earlier in the month, the former Colorado star missed some practice time due to arm soreness. Per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Stefanski added that he wants "to get through" Thursday before he finalizes his plans for the Philadelphia game. Unless Gabriel experiences a setback ahead of the weekend, it seems he will receive an opportunity to silence critics while serving as Cleveland's temporary QB1 against the Eagles.
Commanders have major hang-up preventing them from paying Terry McLaurin what he's due
It’s been two weeks since Washington Commanders star wide receiver Terry McLaurin publicly revealed his trade request, and a resolution doesn’t appear to be in sight. Thanks to ESPN’s John Keim, we’re starting to get more insight into how the Commanders are approaching negotiations…and how they run counter to their star wide receiver’s financial desires. As we’ve assumed all along, the Commanders are wary of giving McLaurin a lucrative contract that would extend well into the player’s 30s. As Keim notes, the Commanders “rely heavily on analytics,” and those numbers aren’t particularly kind to receivers on the wrong side of 30. They may be onto something. Per ESPN Research, over the past five years, only three receivers 31 years or older have played at least 10 games and averaged 70-plus receiving yards per game (that number jumps to six players if you adjust for 60-plus receiving yards). Further, the team can simply point to the NFL landscape, as other teams are also clearly wary of paying aging wideouts. Among the 24 active wide receivers who are attached to the most guaranteed money, only Tyreek Hill was older than 30 when the deal was signed. McLaurin has continually pointed to his lack of mileage despite his age; he barely played during his first two years at Ohio State, meaning he may not have the same wear and tear as similar players his age. McLaurin is also naturally pointing to the stat sheet, as the receiver has continually produced despite uncertain QB play, uncertain ownership and a handful of different coaching staffs. Per Keim, the Commanders don’t want to pay McLaurin based on his past performance, with the front office preferring to shape any future contracts based on his projections for age-31-plus seasons. The organization also doesn’t want to set a new precedent by paying McLaurin, as it could convince future veterans to push for lucrative deals in their 30s. While McLaurin has taken the drastic measure of requesting a trade out of Washington, the organization is still convinced they have leverage in this showdown. After all, the player is still under contract for the 2025 campaign, meaning McLaurin will have to forfeit game checks if he sits out games. The team could even choose to slap him with the franchise tag next offseason (which could come in north of $30M), meaning they’re in full control of the player’s fate moving forward. The team is also skeptical that another suitor is going to willingly pay McLaurin the type of money he’s seeking. Per Keim, there are doubts around the league about whether another team would be willing to meet the receiver’s demands. Even if a clear suitor does emerge, Keim makes it clear that Washington’s front office won’t give the star away without receiving a haul. We heard recently that McLaurin wasn’t necessarily seeking a deal that matched fellow 2019 draftee D.K. Metcalf‘s deal with the Steelers. However, Keim says Metcalf’s contract has generally served as a guide for McLaurin, but it’s uncertain whether the Commanders wideout is looking to match the AAV ($33M) or total guarantees ($60M). Ultimately, one source believes the Commanders may agree to pay McLaurin a contract that will pay $28M per year. Of course, it’s uncertain if the player would even accept that offer. If that hypothetical maximum offer doesn’t end in a signing, a divorce may be the logical next step.
Phillies superstar may be building Hall of Fame case
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is in the midst of another impressive season. Schwarber entered Wednesday having posted a .249/.373/.578 batting line in his 528 plate appearances this season, hitting 42 homers while driving in a National League-leading 97 runs. The Phillies slugger was named to his third All-Star Game this season and, according to NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, he should be the NL MVP. Schwarber has been one of baseball's premier power hitters since establishing himself in the majors in 2017. He's in his eighth season of hitting 30 or more homers and has reached the 40-homer plateau three times in his four seasons in Philadelphia. The 32-year-old Schwarber may find himself in elite company when his career comes to an end. He has already hit 326 homers in his career, potentially giving him a chance to reach the 500-home run plateau. If Schwarber does hit 500-plus homers, the narrative around his career may change. There have only been 28 players in MLB history to reach that plateau, 19 of whom are in the Hall of Fame. Two players — Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera — are not yet eligible and are expected to be enshrined on the first ballot. The seven players who have not been inducted into the Hall of Fame have been linked to PED use, torpedoing their candidacy. At the same time, his entire candidacy may be based on his home run total. Schwarber has a lifetime .232/.346/.499 batting line over 5,188 plate appearances; although batting average no longer carries much weight for the voters, he would have the lowest batting average of any non-pitcher in the Hall. His 20.7 fWAR has been dragged down by his defense and is unlikely to make him a favorite among the younger voters who put more emphasis on such metrics. Schwarber is marching toward the 500-home run plateau. If he does reach that mark, he could be a polarizing Hall of Fame candidate.
Green Bay Packers 4th Round Rookie Heralded As Steal Of The Draft
The Green Bay Packers’ front office has made a habit of unearthing underappreciated talent in the NFL Draft, and rookie Barryn Sorrell might be their latest gem. A fourth-round pick out of Texas, Sorrell has turned heads in training camp and delivered a standout performance in the Packers’ preseason opener against the New York Jets. It’s early, but the buzz is building—Sorrell could be the steal of the entire 2025 NFL Draft. Here’s a closer look at Sorrell’s impressive week, why coaches are raving about him, and what his role on the team could look like as the season unfolds. Green Bay Packers Barryn Sorrell: Preseason Debut Though the Green Bay Packers fell short against the Jets in their preseason opener, Sorrell’s debut was nothing short of promising. Lining up on the defensive edge, the rookie flashed the explosiveness and technique that made him a standout for the Texas Longhorns in college. Pro Football Focus gave Sorrell a team-best pass rush grade of 87.9 for the game, showcasing his ability to generate pressure. While Green Bay didn’t record a sack as a team, Sorrell came close on multiple occasions, recording two quarterback hits and two pressures. On one notable snap, he effortlessly tossed Jets tackle Max Mitchell aside before delivering a clean shot on quarterback Brady Cook, demonstrating a pass rush technique well beyond his years. “He looked sharp out there—really sharp,” Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said after the game. “For a young guy stepping into this environment, his ability to impact the game with consistent pressure is what we want to see moving forward.” The Work Ethic That Sets Him Apart What has impressed coaches just as much as Sorrell’s on-field performance is his relentless effort and commitment to improvement. Practice reports continually highlight his hustle during drills and scrimmages. From chasing down plays to perfecting minor details in his technique, Sorrell has demonstrated the kind of mindset that coaches love to see in young players. “He’s got a motor that doesn’t stop,” linebackers coach Sean Duggan said. “When you see a guy like Barryn putting in that level of effort, it elevates the whole group. That’s been his reputation since he arrived in Green Bay.” That reputation has driven Sorrell to stand out during training camp and preseason, setting him apart despite a crowded defensive rotation. Why Sorrell Is Being Dubbed a Steal Draft analysts have been quick to call Sorrell one of the smartest picks of the 2025 Draft, though hindsight reveals just how much of a sleeper he was going in. Coming out of Texas, Sorrell had been productive at the collegiate level, showcasing a knack for disrupting plays in the backfield. However, concerns about his relatively modest size (6-foot-4, 255 pounds) for an every-down edge rusher caused him to slide to the fourth round. It’s now becoming clear that those concerns were overstated. General manager Brian Gutekunst, who has built a reputation for finding value in the mid-to-late rounds, once again seems to have struck gold. Sorrell’s early success highlights why many now believe that he should have gone much earlier in the draft. “There’s zero reason he should’ve fallen that far,” said one AFC scout. “The Packers got a guy with Day 2 talent in the fourth round, and it won’t take long before he proves it.” Eyes on the Future The Packers’ philosophy of building through the draft has rarely been more evident than in their approach to Barryn Sorrell. With veteran leadership guiding him and coaches invested in his development, the rookie appears to be in a near-perfect situation to succeed. For a team looking to solidify its defensive identity, finding a player like Sorrell is invaluable. His work ethic, playmaking ability, and high football IQ give him every chance of being a long-term cornerstone for Green Bay’s pass rush. Final Thoughts It’s far too early for definitive conclusions, but Barryn Sorrell’s introduction to the NFL has Green Bay Packers fans excited. His performance in camp and the preseason has already exceeded expectations, offering a tantalizing glimpse of what could be an immensely bright future. If his current trajectory holds, Sorrell won’t just be a steal of the draft—he’ll be a key piece in the Packers’ ongoing pursuit of greatness.
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