Mel Kiper Jr. predicts historic draft night for Ohio State football

The last time a college program had four players selected in the top 10 of an NFL Draft was in 1967, when the Michigan State Spartans set a record that has stood for nearly 60 years. It’s a mark that could finally be matched next Thursday night in Pittsburgh at the 2026 NFL Draft. The Ohio State Buckeyes have a real shot to tie that ‘67 Michigan State team with four players of their own going in the top ten.

According to Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent mock draft, in which he said, “To make these predictions, I'm leaning on team needs, evaluations, and what I'm hearing in conversations with execs, coaches, and scouts around the NFL. This isn't what I would do; it's what I believe each team will do once on the clock,” he has four Buckeyes landing in the top ten. Here’s where he has them going.

No. 3 pick, Arizona Cardinals, LB Arvell Reese

What Kiper Jr. says

“New coach Mike LaFleur will want some foundational players on his defense, and Reese has a sky-high ceiling. He has extended experience at off-ball linebacker and off the edge, and Arizona could use him at either spot. His future is probably rushing the passer, though, and he had 6.5 sacks last season. The Cardinals, who were in the bottom five in pressure rate (28.5%) last season, need someone such as Reese opposite Josh Sweat in a division that features quarterbacks Matthew Stafford, Sam Darnold, and Brock Purdy.”

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What we say

Arvell Reese is one of the best athletes in this class, and his ceiling is sky high. Arizona needs difference makers on defense, and Reese can be exactly that. It may take some time to figure out whether his best fit is at linebacker or as a pass rusher, but either way, he has elite potential. He has great size and speed and will only get better with more coaching.

No. 5 pick, New York Giants, S Caleb Downs

What Kiper Jr. says

“If things fall this way, the Giants will have a tough call to make on three Ohio State prospects. I could see Carnell Tate as the team's No. 2 receiver opposite Malik Nabers. I could certainly see Sonny Styles quarterbacking the defense from the middle linebacker spot. But I keep coming back to what Downs could do from the back end of this secondary. Next to Jevon Holland, his incredible instincts would pop in this defense. Downs would be the first safety taken in the top five since Eric Berry went to the Chiefs in 2010, and he'd be worth it.”

What we say

Downs is one of the best secondary players Ohio State has ever had, and the way he was used last season in Matt Patricia’s defense was special. He has an absurd football IQ, always seems to know where to be, and understands what opposing quarterbacks want to do. In John Harbaugh’s new defense, Downs could fill a role similar to what he had in Baltimore with the Swiss Army Knife that is Kyle Hamilton. A safety going top five sounds wild, but Downs is not your average safety and would instantly elevate any defense.

No. 6 pick, projected trade with Browns and Cowboys, Dallas Cowboys, LB Sonny Styles

What Kiper Jr. says

“Dallas wasn't stopping anyone last season. It allowed 6.1 yards per play, second-worst in the NFL. It allowed 30.1 points per game, worst in the NFL. And it was far and away the league's least effective defense by EPA. We've all wondered whether the Cowboys would use both of their first-round picks on defense this month, but this trade up the board might have a greater impact, even if it means sacrificing one of those Day 1 selections. Styles is my No. 4 prospect, and he is explosive (43½-inch vertical jump), rangy (4.46 in the 40-yard dash) and productive (77 tackles last season).”

What we say

Sonny Styles is a freak athlete; let’s call a spade a spade. At 6’5, 244 pounds, he ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash, is physically imposing, and rarely misses tackles. If Dallas wants to fix its defense, adding Styles makes a ton of sense. He plays like a true general, always around the ball and consistently in the right place at the right time.

No. 7 pick, Washington Commanders, WR Carnell Tate

What Kiper Jr. says

“The Commanders need defensive help, and Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. would have to get a look. But they also have their pick of the receiver class. Tate is currently my No. 2 receiver behind Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson, but he's atop a lot of receiver boards around the league and doesn't come with the same injury questions Tyson does.Paired with another Ohio State product in Terry McLaurin, Tate would bring clean route running, reliability, and some big-play ability. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch last season en route to 875 yards and nine trips to the end zone. Considering the Commanders would be relying on Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, and Dyami Brown behind McLaurin, this makes sense.”

What we say

At first glance, Washington adding Tate feels a little surprising, but then you remember Deebo Samuel’s contract was voided, and there is not much proven receiver depth outside of Terry McLaurin. Pairing Tate with McLaurin and having Jayden Daniels throw them the ball would be intriguing. Tate was outstanding for the Buckeyes in 2025, going for nearly 900 yards and nine touchdowns while recording zero drops on 66 targets. He creates separation, has late hands, and uses his length well to beat defenders all over the field.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Mel Kiper Jr. predicts historic draft night for Ohio State football

Taking a slender 2-1 aggregate lead home to Germany last week, Bayern Munich now face Real Madrid in the second-leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final which starts at 21:00 CET this evening at the Allianz Arena.

With around an hour to go before kickoff, the confirmed Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid lineups have been announced and you can find the official starting XIs below.

Confirmed Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid lineups:

Bayern Munich starting XI (4-2-3-1): Neuer – Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanišić – Kimmich, Pavlović – Olise, Gnabry, Díaz – Kane

Real Madrid starting XI (4-4-2): Lunin – Trent, Militão, Rüdiger, Mendy – Brahim, Valverde, Bellingham, Güler – Vinicius Jr, Mbappé

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly being lined up for a sensational return to English football, according to a new report.

The Unspecial One

Mourinho is currently in charge of Portuguese giants SL Benfica, having taken the reins from compatriot Bruno Lage in September.

However, the return to the Estádio da Luz has not proven successful for the ‘Special One’, with the Eagles currently ten points adrift in the Liga Portugal title race and having already suffered early exits from both the Taça de Portugal and the Champions League.

The exit to Real Madrid in Europe was also marred by controversy after Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni was banned by UEFA for racial abuse towards Vinicius Junior, with Mourinho also drawing criticism for his response to the incident.

While Mourinho’s stock in his native country remains high, there is a sense he may not remain at Benfica beyond the current campaign. Interestingly, Ruben Amorim – who was handed his marching orders by INEOS in January – is a name strongly linked with the Lisbon club, having enjoyed unprecedented success with local rivals Sporting CP prior to joining United.

But if the 63-year-old manager does become available this summer, Newcastle United are already being touted as an option for him to return to the Premier League as the Magpies contend with Eddie Howe’s potential exit.

Trouble on Tyneside

Newcastle United are enduring a difficult season after early exits from the cups and a dismal campaign in the Premier League. They are currently 14th in the table, with zero hope of securing European football next year.

Furthermore, there are financial difficulties on Tyneside as the club’s Saudi ownership continues to govern with an indifference that contrasts with the fervour of the early period of their tenure at the helm.

There are growing concerns Newcastle United will be forced to sell some of their best players, already having lost Alexander Isak and Elliot Anderson in recent years, to help balance the books. Lewis Hall, Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon are all being chased by other top clubs hoping to take advantage of this situation, including the Red Devils.

This has led to reports suggesting Howe may follow his prized assets through the door at St James’ Park. “Sources now indicate that as he weighs up his own future, it cannot be ruled out that he could choose to step away from the St James’ Park hotseat by resigning,” TEAMtalk reveals.

“Newcastle are understood to be preparing for a significant squad reshaping this summer, with the possibility that key players may need to be sold in order to rebalance finances and evolve the team. While the club would want Howe to oversee that process, there is growing awareness internally that he could opt to take a break from management, as he did following his departure from Bournemouth in 2020.”

Ben Jacobs (talkSPORT) corroborates this uncertainty, claiming the Saudi owners are “attracted to the idea of appointing a big-name in the event Howe departs” – which has led to Mourinho’s name being floated.

The Portuguese treble winner is understood to retain “admirers among the Newcastle hierarchy”, despite having burned bridges at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in his last three jobs in England.

Final Thoughts

If Howe were to depart Newcastle, and the ‘Special One’ arrive in his place, it would certainly make for blockbuster viewing in the brief time that the ill-suited marriage in the north east lasted. And if it helped escalate the exit of the Magpies’ best players to escape his reign of terror, that would just be the cherry on top of a delicious cake for United fans.

Featured image Ahmad Mora via Getty Images

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The 2026 NFL Draft is less than 10 days away as the New England Patriots continue the process of finishing their board. Things will look quite different for the team this draft picking 31st overall after back-to-back years selecting in the top-five. With the team stating their need for an edge rusher — especially one with speed — it’s expected the Patriots add one early-on.

So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of the prospects that might make sense for the Patriots at the position.

Patriots’ current edge situation

The Patriots struck quick in free agency to sign Dre’Mont Jones to a three-year deal. Jones is expected to start opposite of Harold Landry III, but the veteran’s ability after an injury plagued season is TBD as he continues his rehab process.

New England saw K’Lavon Chaisson and Anfernee Jennings depart which will elevate second-year players Elijah Ponder and Bradyn Swinson as top secondary options on the depth chart. Another free agency signing, Jesse Luketa, rounds out the group.

Patriots NFL Draft fits along the edge

Akheem Mesidor (Miami): Entering the NFL with a ton of college production (35.5 sacks), Mesidor plays with a burning hot motor and has experience rushing from the edge and along the interior. He has a deep bag of pass rush moves, but recently turned 25 years old and has an extensive injury history which may force him to slide out of the first round. | Consensus ranking: 21

T.J. Parker (Clemson): A two-and-a-half year starter and early declare, Parker’s production dipped this season on a bad Clemson team after a dominant 2024 season. He has good size and length along the edge that helps in the run game, but is stiff withan average athletic profile as he tends to win more with power and a long-arm over speed. If teams believe more in the ‘24 film, Parker could be a strong value later in the first-round. | Consensus ranking: 28

Cashius Howell (Texas A&M): A pure speed rusher with an explosive first step and elite bend, Howell is coming off a career-year with 14 TFL and 11.5 sacks. Howell has an extremely similar profile to Harold Landry but did measure in with 30 1/4” arms that is shortest at the position dating back to the 1990s. His wingspan was then 2nd-lowest. | Consensus ranking: 33

Zion Young (Missouri): Young is another bigger edge rusher who plays with a strong motor and is firm against the run. That comes with a lack of burst and pass rush plan that does not fit the speed profile New England is looking for, but the team held him for a visit. Young, who was a team captain last season, also has an extensive list off of the field issues. | Consensus ranking: 37

Malachi Lawrence (UCF): A riser throughout the draft process, Lawrence now has a chance to hear his name called in the first-round after a dominant Combine performance at 6-foot-4, 253 pounds. His play at UCF backs that up as he’s explosive off the line and pairs the athleticism with strong length and powerful, fast hands plus a variety of pass rush moves. He has been an inconsistent run defender but has the makings to develop into a three-down player. | Consensus ranking: 43

R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma): If New England is purely looking for speed, look no further than Thomas. While he had an underwhelming Combine, Thomas showed a lethal first step and plenty of bend to duck around the outside of tackles for the Sooners. At 241 pounds with 6th percentile weight and 4th percentile arms, however, he likely will be limited to passing downs. The Patriots held him on a visit. | Consensus ranking: 47

Gabe Jacas (Illinois): The Patriots defense pride themselves on violence and that’s what Jacas brings to the field. Jacas’ wrestling background is seen with his hand usage while his pass rush plan is built off of his strength at 260 pounds. He had an impressive testing performance at his Pro Day but didn’t always seem to play with that first-step explosiveness on film. | Consensus ranking: 50

Derrick Moore (Michigan): At 6-foot-4, 255 pounds, Moore looks to go through offensive tackles with a nasty bull rush and speed-to-power conversion. His motor and ability to win with speed-to-power should catch the Patriots’ eye, but Moore did not do any athletic testing as he looks to be an overall average athlete. | Consensus ranking: 52

Romello Height (Texas Tech): With speed in mind, Height would be a welcomed addition to the group as he posted the 3rd fastest average time to pressure (2.9s) in the FBS last season. That speed-rush ability will get him on the field, but his 239-pound frame may restrict his every down usage. He also recently turn 25 years old and had four stops (!) in college. New England held him for a visit. | Consensus ranking: 76

Keyron Crawford (Auburn): A personal Day 2 favorite, Crawford was late to football as a basketball player growing up. Despite that, Auburn asked a lot of him as an edge rusher and overhang defender due to his athletic ability and intelligence. As a rusher, he’s an explosive player with active hands and a hot motor which helps him survive in the run game. His best football should be ahead of him and New England held him for a visit this past week. | Consensus ranking: 91

In addition to those players, Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham is another explosive rusher with off-ball linebacker versatility. Other options include: Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State), Max Llewellyn (Iowa), and George Gumbs Jr. (Florida), who the team held for a visit.

– Draymond said that you can play off of Steph better than he can. What do you think of that? Gary Payton II: “I don’t know about that. They had a decade and some change with each other. I just try to get as much info and intel as I can from both of them to make it easier for the both of them. So I definitely took some things from Draymond with Steph. And I definitely took some things from Steph for Draymond. So to just play off of those guys, they make it very easy on the court on both ends. So as much as I can feed and grab intel from them, it makes my life easier.”

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