ON TODAY'S SCORECARD
Who Saw This Coming?

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft concluded late last night, and we’ll tear apart what stood out and what didn’t in tomorrow’s Coffee Club.

Until then, here is a look back to 2000 at six selections that no one saw coming...

2000: Brian Urlacher, LB - Chicago Bears

The 2000 NFL Draft included quite a bit of Round 1 talent, including running back Shaun Alexander. However, the first round's lone Hall of Famer, Brian Urlacher, takes the cake. Despite his greatness, Chicago was never able to capture a title with Urlacher in the fold.

2004: Ben Roethlisberger, QB - Pittsburgh Steelers

The 2004 NFL Draft featured the selections of quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, and Eli Manning. However, never forget that the first round also included Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, nose tackle Vince Wilfork, and the late safety Sean Taylor. Selecting Roethlisberger here was no easy feat. He gets the nod for the best in his class because of his greatness, leading the Steelers to two titles in the 2000s.

2007: Calvin Johnson, WR - Detroit Lions

2007 was the year to grab a difference-making player in the first round of the NFL Draft. Offensive tackle Joe Thomas could very well have been the selection here, but Calvin Johnson accomplished feats on the field that we had never seen before at his position. Both players are in the Hall of Fame. In just nine seasons, Johnson amassed 11,619 receiving yards and 83 receiving touchdowns. His gaudy stats were all on terrible teams in Detroit.

2011: J.J. Watt, Edge - Houston Texans

The 2011 NFL Draft was a true era-defining class. Round One itself was full of future Pro Bowlers. Watt's dominance in the 2010s was too difficult to ignore. This was a three-time DPOY, with multiple 20.5-sack seasons. Sadly, injuries plagued Watt over the second half of his career, but he was a true game-breaker in his prime.

2017: Patrick Mahomes, QB - Kansas City Chiefs

The 2017 NFL Draft class was stacked, but Patrick Mahomes takes the cake as not only the best first-rounder but simply the best player in this class. Mahomes is already considered to be the most talented quarterback to ever play. If he adds a little more hardware to his trophy case, he will go down as the GOAT. He’s still not finished.

2020: Justin Jefferson, WR - Minnesota Vikings

While Justin Jefferson's college teammate, quarterback Joe Burrow, could have made this list, Jefferson's start to his career is unlike any we have ever seen at his position. He has already recorded 8,480 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns. What makes Jefferson so special is that he is not a physically imposing wide receiver. He simply has fantastic hands and savvy that make him nearly unstoppable.

Moving forward, the ‘Grinding Out the Profits’ section in the Coffee Club will share exclusive insight into the 2026 College Football season directly from the 2026 Playbook Football Preview Guide magazine. Check out today’s insight:

‘STAT YOU WILL LIKE’:

In ten seasons as a head coach, Jeff Brohm puts opponents to sleep in when they
score 30-plus points in a game,
going 290-4-1 ATS.

**6-0 Thus Far!**

We already knew SGA was valuable. Now he’s certified clutch.

The NBA announced on Tuesday that Gilgeous-Alexander is the winner of the 2025-26 Clutch Player of the Year award.

The honor is the third major individual award for the Oklahoma City guard, who was named league MVP and Finals MVP last season while leading the Thunder to their first NBA championship. 

Gilgeous-Alexander is also a finalist alongside three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama for this season’s MVP.

The award is the newest of the NBA’s seven major end-of-season offerings and comes with the Jerry West Trophy.

Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA with 175 points in clutch situations, which are defined as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points. He did so while playing in just 27 games with clutch situations due in part to Oklahoma’s City’s NBA-best plus-11.1 average point differential.

But when the Thunder needed clutch scoring, Gilgeous-Alexander delivered with more points than anyone else in the league. 

Gilgeous-Alexander is the subject of frequent criticism for his propensity to draw fouls and score at the free-throw line. But his game is much more than that, and he’s delivered repeatedly for the Thunder.