 |
 |
|
By Marc Lawrence
 |
Tuesday, April 28 |
SIZE MATTERS
The 2026 NFL Draft snubbed Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia outright.
No surprise there. At 5-10, 207 pounds, with a gritty, lunch-pail style that screams “college hero,” Pavia was always projected as a late Day 3 dart throw at best. Size questions and schematic fit doubts loomed large.
Yet the snub still stung.
Pavia became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch in 2014. Then came the real jaw-dropper: even as the board cleared, he stayed on the shelf. Hours after linebacker Red Murdock was announced as Mr. Irrelevant, multiple quarterbacks had already signed, and the 24-year-old gunslinger was still available.
Finally, Pavia inked a free-agent deal with the Ravens.
For context, the kid is a proven winner. Counting his two JUCO seasons, he’s 47-22 as a starter—including a gritty 10-3 campaign in the SEC at Vanderbilt last fall.
There were concerns about his maturity level, to which Pavia replied, “Coach Lea always pressed that your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed until you’re 25, and I just turned 24. So, I’ve got like 365 days to go.”
Undrafted doesn’t mean unproven. Now Baltimore gets a fighter with something to prove. The NFL’s loss just became the Ravens’ gain. |
ON TODAY'S SCORECARD
Read ‘em and Weep
The NFL's traveling circus: The three-day NFL Draft event to Pittsburgh set an all-tim best for fans in attendance (See STAT OF THE DAY below for more).
The previous record was held by Detroit (700,000 in 2024).
Next up: The highly-anticipated 2027 NFL Draft on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
For what it’s worth, here is how Yahoo Sports graded each team.
NFC East
Giants: A
Commanders: B+
Cowboys: B+
Eagles: B+
NFC North
Bears: B
Vikings: B
Lions: B-
Packers: C+
NFC South
Buccaneers: A
Saints: A-
Panthers: B
Falcons: C+
NFC West
Cardinals: B-
49ers: B-
Seahawks: B-
Rams: D+
AFC East
Patriots: B
Bills: C+
Dolphins: C
Jets: C-
AFC North
Browns: B+
Ravens: B
Steelers: B
Bengals: D
AFC South
Titans: A
Texans: B+
Colts: B
Jaguars: D-
AFC West
Chiefs: B+
Raiders: B
Broncos: C
Chargers: D
We gave the Browns and Giants the top A+ grades, and the Jaguars and Rams the bottom of the barrel D grades.
Order yours today before they are gone!
|
|
GRINDING OUT THE PROFITS
The Mighty ‘U’
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, a complete tram write-up on Notre Dame:
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Miami Hurricanes are tied with Alabama for the most
all-time wins (9) against No. 1 ranked teams.
|
PERCOLATING
Golden Chance on the Line
|
|
Wolves lose two starters: The good news for the Timberwolves is that they're up 3-1 on the Nuggets.
The bad news? Superstar Anthony Edwards will miss multiple weeks (knee) after exiting Game 4, and starting guard Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) is out for the season.
It’s the reason Minnesota is favored only -150 to win the series despite up 3 games to one. |
|
 |
TRENDING TODAY
United We Stand
Here is what’s going on in the UFL (United football League), compliments of USA TODAY:
The Orlando Storm's quest for a perfect season is over after the St. Louis Battlehawks went into Inter&Co Stadium and pulled off an upset.
The Battlehawks – coached by former St. Louis Rams, Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts receiver Ricky Proehl – stormed out to a 25-0 lead, then held on for a 25-17 victory, the team's first on the road this season.
Two teams dropped 40-burgers over the weekend: The DC Defenders defeated the Birmingham Stallions, 45-28, and the Louisville Kings routed the Dallas Renegades, 47-25. With the win, the DC Defenders (4-1) are tied atop the league table with the Orlando Storm.
There are just two more sleeps until the next UFL game: St. Louis Battlehawks at Louisville Kings on Thursday, April 30 (8 p.m. ET on FS1). |
|
STAT OF THE DAY
805,000 |
The three-day NFL Draft event drew a record
805,000 fans to Pittsburgh's North Shore.
|
BREWED AWAKENING
|
|
When Kadyn Proctor (OT, No. 12 overall, Miami Dolphins) was immediately followed by Ty Simpson (QB, No. 13 overall, Los Angeles Rams) it was back-to-back first round Alabama picks for the first time since the 2013 NFL draft.
It also contributed to Alabama's record 18 straight years with first first-rounder, including 10 straight with multiple first-rounders.
Note: The feature above is from the all-new PLAYBOOK DID YOU KNOW column. It’s a short treatise on that will be appearing in my “BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW Substack” column – coming soon. |
QUOTE OF THE DAY |
"Life is too short to read a bad book."
- James Joyce
|
FRESH ESPRESSO
34.2 |
|
In case you missed it, Padres closer Mason Miller earned his MLB-leading 10th save on Saturday in Mexico City against the Diamondbacks, while also extending his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34.2 innings.
Record books: Miller is less than seven innings away from the all-time record for relievers (41 straight scoreless innings), set by Orioles closer Gregg Olson in 1989-90. But he's still a way away from breaking the MLB record (59 innings), set by Dodgers starter Orel Hershiser in 1988. |
ASK MARC
|
|
David K. from Henderson, NV wanted to say - Good morning, Marc... I see that your Buckeyes were well represented in this year's draft (3 of the top 7 picks and 4 in the top 11 overall). That's some pretty impressive stuff... but not the best ever. The 1967 NFL Draft featured #1 and #2 overall from Michigan State. The Spartans laid claim to the #5 and #8 picks, as well.
Marc Says – Thanks, David. Your comment are always illuminating. The issue here is when the Spartans did all the heavy lifting in the 1967 NFL Draft there were only 25 teams participating, and that was a boost as it included 16 NFL teams (the pre-existing 15 plus expansion New Orleans Saints) and 9 AFL teams, for a total of 25 – which meant there was more pickings left on the table than what the 32 NFL tram today offer. |
|
|
| |
|
 |
Privacy Policy
Playbooksports.com will never share or sell your information for any reason.No Spam. No Hassle. Unsubscribe Anytime.
|
Playbook (R) and Marc Lawrence's Preferred Picks (R) are registered trademarks of Preferred Picks Publications Inc. Copyright (c) 2026c) Playbook(R) Enterprises Inc. Contact Support: 1-954-377-8000. All information contained herein is for amusement purposes only. Any contrary of such information is specifically prohibited.
|
|
| About Us |
Contact Us |
Log In |
Member Center |
Create An Account |
Privacy Policy |
Store |
Copyright © 2026 © Playbook® Enterprises Inc. Contact Support: 1-954-377-8000 All Logos © to their respective organizations.
This website does not endorse or encourage illegal gambling.
All information contained herein is for amusement purposes only.
Any contrary of such information is specifically prohibited.
|
|
| |
