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Number of Questions: The exam consists of multiple-choice questions, with a total of approximately 90 questions.
Time Limit: The total time allocated for the exam is 3 hours.
Passing Score: The passing score for the exam varies and is determined by the certifying body or organization offering the exam.
Exam Format: The exam is typically conducted in a proctored environment, either in-person or online.
Course Outline:
1. Finance Theory:
- Time value of money and discounted cash flow analysis
- Risk and return concepts
- Capital budgeting and investment decision-making
- Cost of capital and capital structure theories
2. Financial Instruments:
- Equity instruments (stocks and shares)
- Debt instruments (bonds and fixed income securities)
- Derivatives (options, futures, swaps)
- Alternative investments (private equity, hedge funds, real estate)
3. Financial Markets:
- Types of financial markets (money market, capital market)
- Primary and secondary markets
- Market efficiency and market anomalies
- Market participants and their roles (investors, issuers, intermediaries)
Exam Objectives:
1. Understand the foundational principles and concepts of finance theory.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of different financial instruments and their characteristics.
3. Understand the functioning and structure of financial markets.
4. Apply financial theory and concepts to practical scenarios and decision-making.
Exam Syllabus:
The exam syllabus covers the following topics:
1. Finance Theory
- Time value of money
- Risk and return
- Capital budgeting
- Cost of capital and capital structure
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PRIMA
8006
Exam I: Finance Theory, Financial Instruments, Financial
Markets 2015
http://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/8006 Question: 90
The quote for which of the following methods of physical delivery of a futures contract would be the cheapest?
A. Free on board
B. Free alongside ship
C. In store
D. Cost, insurance and freight Answer: C
Explanation:
In store delivery is for delivery in a standardized location, and the buyer is handed a warrant that allows him to pick
the goods up. This is the cheapest means of physical delivery. The other prices will be higher as they involve more
costs for the seller who has to get the goods on board a ship, or to the docks, or insurance and freight as well. Choice
c is the correct answer. Question: 91
Caps, floors and collars are instruments designed to:
A. Hedge against credit spreads changing
B. Hedge gamma risk in option portfolios
C. Hedge interest rate risks
D. All of the above Answer: C
Explanation:
Interest rate caps are effectively call options on an underlying interest rate that protect the buyer of the cap against a
rise in interest rates over the agreed exercise rate. As with options, the premium on the cap depends upon the volatility
of the underlying rates as one of its variables. A floor is the exact opposite of a cap, ie it is effectively a put option on
an underlying interest rate that protects the buyer of the floor against a fall in interest rates below the agreed exercise
rate.
A cap protects a borrower against a rise in interest rates beyond a point, and a floor protects a lender against a fall in
interest rates below a point.
A collar is a combination of a long cap and a short floor, the idea being that the premium due on the cap is offset
partly by the premium earned on the short floor position. Therefore a collar is less expensive than a cap or a floor.
Caps, floors and collars provide a hedge against interest rate risks, but do not protect against changes in credit spreads
unless the reference rate already includes the spread (eg, by reference to the corporate bond rate), and they certainly do
not have anything to do with gamma risk. Therefore Choice c is the correct answer. Question: 92
Profits and losses on futures contracts are:
A. settled upfront
B. settled upon the expiry of the contract
C. settled by moving collateral
D. settled daily Answer: D
Explanation:
Profits and losses on futures contracts are settled daily. (P&L on forward contracts is often settled upon the expiry of
the contract, and may even be collateralized.) Therefore Choice d is the correct answer. Question: 93
The cheapest to deliver bond for a treasury bond futures contract is the one with the :
A. the lowest yield to maturity adjusted by the conversion factor
B. the lowest coupon
C. the lowest basis when comparing cash price to the futures spot price adjusted by the conversion factor
D. the highest coupon Answer: C
Explanation:
Treasury bond futures do not specify which bond can be used to effect delivery, but allow the seller to pick from a
number of available bonds. As a result, one of these eligible bonds emerges as being the cheapest to deliver, and this
CTD bond is determined by the basis between the cash price of the bond and the futures spot price as adjusted by the
conversion factor for this specific bond. (ie, basis = Cash Price of the Bond Futures Price
x Conversion Factor)
The bond with the lowest basis is generally the CTD therefore Choice c is the correct answer. Question: 94
The value of which of the following options cannot be less than its intrinsic value
A. a Bermudan put
B. a European put
C. an American put
D. a European call Answer: C
Explanation:
Note that intrinsic value of an option is the difference between the value of the underlying and the strike price of the
option.
European options can only be exercised at expiry, and Bermudan options only at certain dates during the life of the
option. Therefore the option may be valued at less than intrinsic value if the earliest possible exercise date is not very
close. An American option however can be exercised at any time prior to expiry, which means that its value can never
fall below its intrinsic value. Because if it did, arbitrageurs would buy the option and immediately exercise it to get a
risk free profit. It does not matter whether the option is a call or a put therefore the correct answer is Choice c. Question: 95
An investor believes that the market is likely to stay where it is.
Which of the following option strategies will help him profit should his view be proven correct (assume all strategies
described below are long only)?
A. Strangle
B. Collar
C. Butterfly spread
D. Straddle Answer: C
Explanation:
Only the butterfly spread has a payoff profile that benefits when prices do not move much. The collar benefits during
declining markets, the straddle and the strangle benefit from sharp movements in the markets. Therefore Choice c is
the correct answer. Question: 96
If the quoted discount rate of a 3 month treasury bill futures contract is 10%, what is the price of a 3-month treasury
bill with a principal at maturity of $100?
A. $90
B. $110.00
C. $102.50
D. $97.50 Answer: D
Explanation:
T-bill futures discount can be converted to a price for the bill using the formula Price = [1 discount * number of
days/360]. In this case, this works out to (1- 10% *90/360) * 100 = $97.50. Choice d is the correct answer. Question: 97
An investor holds $1m in a 10 year bond that has a basis point value (or PV01) of 5 cents. She seeks to hedge it using
a 30 year bond that has a BPV of 8 cents.
How much of the 30 year bond should she buy or sell to hedge against parallel shifts in the yield curve?
A. Sell $1,600,000
B. Sell $625,000
C. Buy $1,000,000
D. Buy $1,600,000 Answer: B
Explanation:
When hedging one fixed income security with another, the question as to how much of the hedge to buy (or sell) (ie
the hedge ratio) for a given primary position is determined by their respective basis point values, which in turn are
determined by their duration. Therefore, when hedging a long maturity bond with a PV01 of $3 with a short maturity
bond that has a PV of $1, we will need to buy 3 times the notional value of the short maturity bond to achieve the same
sensitivity to interest rates as the longer maturity bond. Additionally, we may also expect the interest rates on the
hedge to move differently from the interest rates on the primary instrument being hedged, and this needs to be
accounted for as well as part of the hedge ratio calculation. This is called the yield beta and is calculated as change in
yield for primary position/change in yield for the hedge security.
The hedge ratio is determined both by the yield beta and the BPVs of the two securities. In this case, the yield beta is 1
(as the question speaks of a parallel shift in the yield curve, ie all rates rise or fall together), and the ratio of the BPVs
is 5/8. Therefore she should sell 5/8 x 1,000,000 = $625,000 of the 30 year bond. Choice b is the correct answer. Question: 98
A borrower pays a floating rate on a loan and wishes to convert it to a position where a fixed rate is paid.
Which of the following can be used to accomplish this objective?
I. A short position in a fixed rate bond and a long position in an FRN
II. An long position in an interest rate collar and long an FRN
III. A short position in a fixed rate bond and a short position in an FRN
IV. An interest rate swap where the investor pays the fixed rate
A. None of the above
B. I and IV
C. I, II and IV
D. II and III Answer: C
Explanation:
A short position in a fixed rate bond and a long position in an FRN has the effect of paying fixed and receiving
floating. The floating received offsets the floating payment on the borrowing, leaving the borrower with just a fixed
rate outflow. Therefore the combination identified in statement I can be used to achieve the objective of paying fixed.
A collar is equivalent to a long position in an interest rate cap combined with a short position in an interest rate floor.
This has the effect of setting a range within which the investors borrowing rate will vary. In the case where the cap
and floor rates are the same, the combination of a collar and a long FRN effectively produces an outcome where the
holder of such positions pays a fixed rate. Therefore, an interest rate collar can be used to convert the fixed payment to
a floating rate payment. [Example: Assume current interest rate is 3%, and therefore the borrower has a liability of 3%
on the FRN. Assume that the borrower now buys a collar at the strike rate of 4%. Now the borrower receives 0%
(=Max(3% 4%, 0)) on the cap part of the collar, and pays 1% on the floor part of the collar (=Max(4% 3%, 0)).
The net borrowing cost therefore is 3% paid on the FRN plus 1% paid on the collar, equal to 4%. Now if interest rates
rise to say 6%, the borrower pays 6% on the FRN, and receives 2% from the collar (=Max(6% 4%, 0) Max(4%
6%, 0)), creating a net cost of 6% 2% = 4%.
A collar is often issued with an FRN to convert floating flows to fixed. Therefore combination II is an acceptable
choice.
A short position in a fixed rate bond and a short position in an FRN produces a cash flow that does not produce a net
fixed cash outflow when combined with the borrowing. Therefore statement III is not a valid combination.
An interest rate swap where the investor pays fixed and receives floating, when combined with a floating payment on
an FRN leaves a net fixed payment, Therefore statement IV is a valid way to achieve the borrowers objective. Question: 99
If the implied volatility for a call option is 30%, the implied volatility for the corresponding put option is:
A. -70%
B. 30%
C. -30%
D. 70% Answer: B
Explanation:
Implied volatilities are the same for calls and puts with similar exercise and strike prices. If not, it would offer an
arbitrage opportunity. Therefore Choice b is the correct answer. Question: 100
[According to the PRMIA study guide for Exam 1, Simple Exotics and Convertible Bonds have been excluded from
the syllabus. You may choose to ignore this question. It appears here solely because the Handbook continues to have
these chapters.]
Which of the following best describes a shout option?
A. an option in which the holder of the option has the right to reset the strike price to be at-the-money once during the
life of the option
B. an option which kicks in as a plain vanilla option if the underlying hits an agreed threshold
C. an option in which the buyer of the option has the option to extend the expiry of the option upon the payment of an
extra premium
D. an option whose expiry is automatically extended if it finishes out of the money. Answer: A
Explanation:
Choice c correctly describes a holder extendible option. Choice d describes a writer extendible option. Choice
a describes a shout option. Choice b describes a knock in option. Question: 101
According to the CAPM, the expected return from a risky asset is a function of:
A. how much the risky asset contributes to portfolio risk
B. diversifiable risk that the asset brings
C. the riskiness, ie the volatility of the risky asset alone
D. all of the above Answer: A
Explanation:
According to the CAPM, the expected return from a risky asset is a function of the contribution of the risky asset to
the total risk of the market portfolio. Nothing else matters. All assets are priced according to the risk they bring to the
market portfolio, regardless of their individual level of risk. An asset that is very volatile on its own, but has a negative
correlation to the market may be priced high, ie have low expected return, because of its impact on the risk of the
market portfolio. Therefore Choice a is the correct answer, and the other options are incorrect.
Recall that according to the CAPM = covariancex, y / variancex, where x is the market portfolio and y is the risky
asset.
The beta itself is a function of the covariance of the assets returns with market returns, and therefore only the driver
of expected return for an asset is its beta, which is determined by the assets contribution to portfolio risk. ( =
covariance(x, y) / variance(x), where x is the market portfolio and y is the risky asset. ) Question: 102
A bond with a 5% coupon trades at 95. An increase in interest rates by 10 bps causes its price to decline to $94.50. A
decrease in interest rates by 10 bps causes its price to increase to $95.60. Estimate the modified duration of the bond.
A. 5
B. 5.79
C. 5.5
D. -5 Answer: B
Explanation:
In this case, we can estimate the duration of the bond as follows: we know that a 10 bps increase in rates causes the
price to move to $94.50, and a 10 bps decrease causes the price to increase to $95.60. Thus, over the range of the 20
bps, the average change in price per basis point is ($95.60 $94.50)/20 bps = $1.10/20 = $0.055/basis point, or
$0.055* 100 = $5.5 for 100 basis points (ie 1%). We know that modified duration is equivalent to the percentage
change in the bond price as a result of a 1% change in interest rates. A 1% change in the interest rates leading to a
$5.5 change in a bond priced at $95 equates to $5.5/$95 = 5.79%, in other words the modified duration is roughly
equal to 5.79 years.
In fact if we know the price of a bond at any two different interest rates, we can make an estimate of modified
duration. Modified duration is just the first derivative with respect to price, and given two prices and the associated
yields, we can easily calculate modified duration to be the ratio of the change in price to the change in interest rates. In
this question, we are given both an up move and a down move. Using this estimation, only one data point (ie, either
the up price or the down price) in addition to the starting point ($95) would have been enough to come to a rough
estimate of modified duration. You will notice that the modified duration would be slightly different if we were to use
the high point and the starting point (ie $95.60 and $95), and the starting point and the lower point ($95 and $94.50).
The difference is due to convexity. The decrease in price is lower than the increase in price and this is due to the
convexity of the bond. Question: 103
Which of the following statements are true?
I. The square-root-of-time rule for scaling volatility over time assumes returns on different
days are independent
II. If daily returns are positively correlated, realized volatility will be less than that calculated using the square-root-of
time rule
III. If daily returns are negatively correlated, realized volatility will be less than that calculated using the square-root-
of-time rule
IV. If stock prices are said to follow a random walk, it means daily returns are independent of each other and have an
expected value of zero
A. I, II and IV
B. III and IV
C. I and III
D. All the statements are correct Answer: C
Explanation:
Statement I is correct. If daily returns are not independent, variances cannot simply be added up over the period, and
the square root of time rule is not appropriate to use to scale volatility. Statement II is incorrect. Statement III is
correct. If daily returns are positively correlated, it means that a high return on one day will likely cause a higher return
the next day, and likewise for low or negative returns. Intuitively, it means that a trend will be created and volatility
will be higher than in a case where daily returns were not correlated. Therefore statement II is not correct. By the same
logic, negative correlation between daily returns would mean a higher return on one day would likely be followed by
lower returns the next day, ie a reversion to mean will result causing the volatility to be lower than the case when the
returns are uncorrelated. (The correlation between the daily returns is called the autocorrelation coefficient.)
Statement IV is false because while the random walk of prices does imply independence, it says nothing about the
expected value of returns. It does not imply that the returns will have an expected value of zero (or any other
value).Thus Choice c is the correct answer and the rest are incorrect. Question: 104
The relationship between covariance and correlation for two assets x and y is expressed by which of the following
equations (where covarx,y is the covariance between x and y , x and y are the respective standard deviations and x,y is
the correlation between x and y ):
A)
B)
C)
D)
None of the above
A. Option A
B. Option B
C. Option C
D. Option D Answer: B
Explanation:
Choice b is the correct answer. The other relationships are not correct.
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https://killexams.com/exam_list/PRMIAThe Ultimate Guide to Making and Hunting Mock Scrapes
Mock scrapes (a hunter-made version of a whitetail scrape used to attract deer) have been a part of hunting media and folklore for decades. Generations of deer hunters have given their anecdotes and opinions on hunting over real and fake scrapes. As with most things in hunting, the bulk of deer hunters either love or hate mock scrapes. They are either the saviors of a deer season, or the biggest waste of time. You’ll find few deer hunters in between. For example, Tim Andrus, host of “Rush Outdoors,” doesn’t touch them.
“I don’t mess with mock scrapes,” he says. “I know some guys use them with trail cameras. I try to sneak in and out without deer knowing I’m there.”
Jared Mills, co-host of “Midwest Whitetail,” is on the other end of the mock scrape debate.
“From late summer through the rut, scrapes are the primary focus of my trail camera strategy, which ultimately plays a big role in my hunting strategy,” he says.
Whether you’re for or against mock scrapes, it’s useful to learn a little more about those stinky, muddy, urine-stained pits. Here’s your ultimate guide to mock scrapes.
Understanding Whitetail Scrapes
To understand mock scrapes, you must first realize what real scrapes are. These are communal spots where deer scrape up the ground and rub up against a branch above the scrape. They serve as a means of communication between deer. Most experts believe that general communication between deer is deposited via scent, and deer can identify the unique markers left behind by individuals. Some biologists also think reproductive status is shared as well.
“Scrapes are one of the main ways deer communicate,” said Kip Adams, chief conservation officer for the National Deer Association. “Deer are far more social than most hunters realize, and scrapes serve as a signpost for them to share information.”
While most scrapes serve the same purpose, there are different types. While virtually all scrapes are “community scrapes,” some are larger, located in areas of higher deer density and traffic, and get used by a lot of deer. These are very large, often reaching several feet in diameter. These might remain open most of the year, even during spring and summer.
A classic scrape location. Josh Honeycutt
Then there are other, lesser-used scrapes. Sometimes, these are in areas with less deer movement, and never become what we’d consider “community scrapes.” In other instances, scrapes are made on a whim by a frustrated buck and aren’t really meant to serve as longstanding communication centers. Oftentimes, these do not have a licking branch, which is a vital component of a viable scrape.
Scrapes share other common characteristics, too. The primary component is exposed soil. A lightly used scrape might only be several inches across, but larger ones can grow to several feet. Next, deer must urinate in these for them to be considered a scrape. And, as mentioned, it must have a licking branch approximately 45 to 60 inches above the ground.
Scrape Myths
Just as with any aspect of deer hunting, scrapes aren’t immune to a fat, juicy myth—or three. The biggest of the whitetail lies? Scrape lines. This is the idea that a buck makes a series of scrapes that run in a straight line and those are the scrapes that he visits.
“A big myth is that bucks have a scrape line,” Adams says. “Research shows that’s not true. Bucks (and does) can and will visit multiple scrapes to advertise their presence and collect information on other deer in the area.”
Mills agrees, and says scrapes aren’t really made in lines, but are more dictated by terrain and property layout. “I focus my attention on a single well-used scrape or cluster of scrapes, rather than trying to come up with a connecting line of them,” he says.
“Another common myth is scrapes are great places to hunt over,” Adams says. “Research shows about 84% of scrape use occurs at night, so rather than hunting over them, it’s often better to hunt near them (between the scrape and good cover). However, that still means around 16% of scrape use occurs during daylight, so many bucks have been killed at scrapes.”
So, figure out how to use this data in your own hunting scenario. Don’t expect a ton of daylight buck activity over scrapes but know that they are useful for running trail camera purposes. And know that you definitely can kill mature bucks over a scrape (especially in late October around Halloween).
Making Mock Scrapes
Your goal with making a mock scrape is to convince deer to adopt it and use it as their own. The first step in accomplishing that is placing mocks in natural spots. Position these in high-traffic areas, such as trail intersections, staging areas, pinch points, food source edges, near isolated water sources, and close to bedding areas.
“Bucks love to scrape on field edges or anywhere two or more vegetative cover types meet, so those areas are also great places for mock scrapes (and a trail camera to monitor them),” Adams says.
The second step is finding a good licking branch. These aren’t located just anywhere. It needs to be a lone branch that sticks out and grabs attention. It also needs to be approximately 45 to 60 inches off the ground. Too low or high and it doesn’t serve its purpose. Deer deposit scent on these, and if they must bend down to do so, they won’t use it. The same is true if it’s so high they can’t reach it, although I have watched bucks stand on their hind legs to reach a licking branch.
“You want more than just the bucks to utilize it,” Mills says. “Chest high is a good spot to aim for. However, during the early season, I will hang it closer to waist-high so that when the leaves start to fall and the branches lose some of that weight [and then raise higher in the air], it will end up around chest high.”
Just as with real scrapes, exposed soil is vital. Rake away grass, leaves, and other debris to create an oblong-shaped scrape. I prefer to make these approximately 2.5 feet tall by 2 feet wide. This fresh-smelling dirt grabs a deer’s attention before they ever see the scrape. Making these larger amplifies the smell, so don’t be afraid to get crazy with it. Some real scrapes become truck-hood-sized over time.
The final step is optional, which is depositing scent. Where legal, this can be some variety of buck urine or doe urine. If natural deer urine is banned where you hunt but synthetic scents are legal, consider trying a synthetic buck urine or synthetic doe urine. Also, just urinate in it yourself. (Yes, that works, too.) Or do nothing at all. Merely exposing the soil is sometimes enough to jumpstart fake scrapes.
While it might seem difficult to screw up making a circular spot in the soil with a damp spot in the middle, it’s certainly possible.
“A common mistake people make with mock scrapes is not creating a vertical aspect to the licking branch,” Mills says. “Whether you use a vine, oak branch, cedar branch, rope, etc., it’s important to make sure there is something hanging vertically out away from the trunk of the tree you’re placing the scrape under. That vertical aspect will get way more attention than a branch that is sticking straight out.”
Scrapes are perfect spots for placing trail cameras. Josh Honeycutt
Using Mock Scrapes
Given that a small percentage of scraping occurs during daylight, there’s more to using mock scrapes than simply hunting over them.
“I believe scrapes are the best way to inventory the bucks in your area,” Mills says. “Beyond that, it’s a great way to monitor the activity levels of those bucks, especially during the early season and pre-rut.”
Adams likes these for taking inventory, too, but not so much for hunting over.
“Knowing deer use [scrapes] regularly, we can be successful hunting near [mock scrapes] if we set up between good cover, like a bedding area, and a scrape,” Adams says. “This allows us to cross paths with a buck as he heads to the scrape.”
That said, if you find a good scrape close to known bedding areas, it might be better to hunt the downwind side of the scrape.
“I’ve killed bucks over scrapes. As I mentioned before, especially during the early season and pre-rut, bucks spend a lot of time both day and night working scrapes,” Mills says. “That’s not to say that if you find one it’s automatically a great place to kill a big buck, but don’t avoid these. These are simply another piece of the puzzle when trying to pattern and kill mature bucks.”
Can’t find the perfect spot for your mock scrape? Plant a scrape tree instead and put one under it. Josh Honeycutt
The Best Time to Make Mock Scrapes
So, when is the best time to make mock scrapes? All year long. Deer are constantly communicating in this manner. Scrape use gradually increases through summer, early fall, and peaks just prior to the rut. It drops off during peak rut (when bucks are spending more time tending to does), and then slowly picks back up after the majority of does exit estrus. So, if you plan to make a mock scrape, do it now. Scrape activity should be hot over the next few weeks.
Mon, 23 Oct 2023 17:58:00 -0500Josh Honeycutten-UStext/htmlhttps://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/make-hunt-mock-scrapes-deer/Search warrants show what led to the deaths of two New Philadelphia teenagers
Newswatch 16 obtained search warrants related to the investigation into the homicides of two teenagers in Schuylkill County last week.
NEW PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Seven search warrants now detail new information regarding the investigation into the homicides of 16-year-old Angelito Caraballo and 18-year-old Hunter Mock.
Both were reported missing shortly before two bodies were found in the woods off Ferndale Road last week in New Philadelphia.
According to the search warrants, investigators now believe that Caraballo died from several puncture/laceration-type injuries, and Mock was killed by a gunshot wound to the head.
The search warrants indicate that troopers have identified and interviewed two men who were with Caraballo and Mock the night they were killed.
The area which witnesses refer to as "the Sanchez," an old striping site, is where one of the people questioned by state police say they along with Mock, Caraballo and the other unidentified person went to hang out, and, according to witness statements, "shoot a gun."
The main witness says they "were talking like friends" before the accused shooter pulled a gun and began firing in the direction of Mock and Caraballo.
Each of the two implicates the other in the deaths of the victims.
Following more witness statements police searched phone records, a white Dodge Journey, a home in Port Carbon and requested DNA samples from both people who they say were at the scene of the crime.
During these searches police found an extended magazine for a firearm and a large silver kitchen knife.
Newswatch 16 is not reporting the names of these two individuals at this time. As of Tuesday, neither has been charged in connection with the homicides of Carballo and Mock.
One of the men was arrested last week on unrelated charges and is currently locked up in Schuylkill County.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:09:00 -0500en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/schuylkill-county/new-philadelphia-homicides-cause-of-death-search-warrants-schuylkill-county-hunter-mock-angelito-caraballo/523-a99ac996-e714-4df3-a6b8-b7f804712083Fantasy basketball mock draft: 10-team H2H categories league
Oct 20, 2023, 12:34 AM ET
The ESPN fantasy basketball experts got together for their third and final mock draft of the 2023-24 NBA season, using a 10-team H2H category format.
If you're new to fantasy hoops and looking to try it out for the first time, here is a tutorial of all the basics. From there, it's easy to grab a handful of people, set up a draft and have some fun!
Let this mock draft serve as a learning experience and prime example of where players are being selected. This can help you on your way when it's time to draft for real.
The participants of our 10-team H2H categories mock, in order of draft position, were as follows: Eric Karabell, Matt Williams, James Best, Jim McCormick, Pierre Becquey, Andre Snellings, Eric Moody, Steve Alexander, Joe Kaiser and Tom Carpenter.
Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:35:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.espn.com/fantasy/basketball/story/_/id/38700697/fantasy-basketball-mock-draft-10-team-h2h-categories-league-nba-2023-24Demaris Mock HarpYour browser is not supported | theledger.com
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Thu, 09 Nov 2023 03:37:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.theledger.com/obituaries/plkl06219422024 NFL Mock Draft: Top-10 Surprises Highlight New 1st-Round ForecastNo result found, try new keyword!It's still too early in the process to be terribly shocked at first-round projections, but the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from The Athletic certainly has a few selections that are sure to raise ...Wed, 18 Oct 2023 03:50:00 -0500en-ustext/htmlhttps://www.msn.com/Fantasy basketball draft guide: Rankings, mock drafts, sleepers, projections and analysis
Oct 22, 2023, 01:55 PM ET
Whether you are dipping your toes into fantasy basketball for the first time or are a longtime fantasy hoops veteran, the 2023-24 ESPN Fantasy Basketball draft guide has everything you need to crush your drafts.
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Top 150 H2H points rankings André Snellings ranks his top 150 players for fantasy basketball leagues that use head-to-head points scoring systems.
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Eric Karabell's 'Do Draft' list Which players should you try to land in your fantasy basketball draft? Eric Karabell highlights the ones who should be on your radar.
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Players who can make or break your draft Who are the biggest risk/reward players in fantasy basketball drafts this season? Steve Alexander identifies his top 10.
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Mock draft lobby Take part in some mock drafts to work out the kinks before your real ones. Practice makes perfect.
Average draft position/live draft results Get a leg up on your opponents by knowing where each player is being selected in ESPN drafts so you can get the best value possible.
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Analytics glossary Wondering what things such as eFG%, pace, usage rate and CARMELO mean? Seth Walder explains each notable NBA advanced analytics term so you can make the most of them in fantasy.
Sun, 22 Oct 2023 06:55:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.espn.com/fantasy/basketball/story/_/id/38618773/fantasy-basketball-draft-kit-rankings-mock-drafts-sleepers-projections-analysisEarly 2024 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Each year it seems as though the fantasy baseball season begins earlier and earlier. Most sharp players are already beginning their research for the next year before the current year even comes to a close. As the 2023 MLB postseason rolls on, draft season is already well underway and a consensus average draft position will soon form.
Before that completely takes shape though, we got the Rotoworld baseball crew (and several of our friends in the industry) together to select players in standard snake-style fashion for a 12-team mock draft.
This will give you some insight into our thoughts and how we’re reading the landscape before ADP begins to influence our decisions.
Follow along with our round-by-round analysis and develop some ideas for your own drafts!
For this particular mock draft, we utilized the basic 5x5 scoring that most fantasy managers are accustomed to: AVG, R, HR, RBI, SB on the hitting side, and W, ERA, WHIP, SV, K on the pitching side. And with the following position setup: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 5 OF, UTIL and 9 P.
The participants, in draft order …
1. Eric Cross (RotoBaller, Toolshed podcast)
2. Eric Samulski (Rotoworld)
3. Greg Jewett (Reliever Recon)
4. Nick Mariano (RotoBaller)
5. Scott Pianowski (Yahoo! Sports)
6. Jorge Montanez (Rotoworld)
7. Matthew Pouliot (Rotoworld)
8. Chris Clegg (Dynasty Dugout)
9. Shelly Verougstraete (Rotoworld)
10. George Bissell (Rotoworld)
11. Dave Shovein (Rotoworld)
12. D.J. Short (Rotoworld)
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Round 1
1.01 Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves
1.02 Julio Rodríguez, OF, Mariners
1.03 Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals
1.04 Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees
1.05 Mookie Betts, 2B/OF, Dodgers
1.06 Corbin Carroll, OF, Diamondbacks
1.07 Trea Turner, SS, Phillies
1.08 Kyle Tucker, OF, Astros
1.09 Freddie Freeman, 1B, Dodgers
1.10 Jose Ramírez, 3B, Guardians
1.11 Spencer Strider, SP, Braves
1.12 Gerrit Cole, SP, Yankees
Round Analysis:
And they’re off! It should come as a shock to absolutely no one that Ronald Acuña Jr. sits as the first overall pick here – as he’ll hold that honor in most fantasy drafts throughout the winter and spring. The 25-year-old superstar and likely National League MVP finished as the consensus top overall selection in fantasy drafts last March – then went out and slashed a gargantuan .337/.416/.596 with 41 homers, 149 runs scored, 106 RBI and a jaw-dropping 73 stolen bases. As long as he remains healthy, he should finish among the top overall performers once again in 2024.
Behind Acuña Jr. you start to see the wave of the fresh, young, power/speed superstars in the league – Julio Rodríguez, Bobby Witt Jr. and Corbin Carroll. You should be able to pencil each of them into the first round for the next 5-7 years. Trea Turner was in the conversation for the top overall selection in 2023 fantasy drafts, and though he had a “disappointing season”, he still had 26 homers and 30 steals while eclipsing 100 runs scored – and is lighting the world on fire during the postseason. He’ll be just fine in 2024. Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, Jose Ramírez – and even Freddie Freeman – are pulled from that same power/speed mold that most fantasy managers are looking to build around with their foundation picks. Ramírez (3B) and Freeman (1B) give the added benefit of adding speed from an unconventional position. Betts gaining second base eligibility (as well as shortstop in leagues that only require 10 or 15 games played at the position the previous year to qualify) is a tremendous boon to his fantasy value as well.
The one player who stands out to me as someone who doesn’t quite fit in here is Aaron Judge (sorry Nick). The 31-year-old slugger was a five-category monster and league-winner for many during the 2022 season, and we still saw elite power production and counting stats from him when he was on the field in 2023, but he only swiped three bases in four attempts. In this day and age – with the massive increase in stolen bases league-wide – you can wind up making the draft a whole lot more difficult for yourself by grabbing a hitter in the first round who isn’t going to provide much (if anything) in the category. It can work, and I’m curious to see where the roster construction goes from here, but I think Nick’s going to face an uphill battle in stolen bases for the rest of the draft.
Down at the bottom of the round, we see the first two starting pitchers come off the board in Spencer Strider and Gerrit Cole. When looking at production from starting pitchers, wins can be highly variable from season-to-season and ratios (especially ERA) can fluctuate due to a variety of factors. Strikeouts are usually pretty stable though and are the asset that most fantasy managers are targeting on the pitching side – and these two right-handers have them in spades.
Cole was an absolute workhorse once again in 2023 – leading the American League in ERA (2.63) and WHIP (0.98) while eclipsing the 200-strikeout plateau for his fifth consecutive full season (2020 non-withstanding), though he did see his strikeout rate plummet to 27% after sitting 32.6% or higher in each of his first five seasons since coming to the American League in 2018. Strider meanwhile, paced all of baseball in strikeouts with a whopping 281 – 44 clear of Kevin Gausman who led the American League. His ERA (3.86) was a bit elevated in 2023, but his peripherals (2.93 xFIP, 3.04 xERA, 2.86 SIERA) paint a much rosier picture going forward. Both are great, but the massive strikeout advantage, combined with Cole slipping in that category, is what led me to grab Strider as the first starting pitcher off the board. - Dave Shovein (@daveshovein)
Round 2:
2.13 Fernando Tatis Jr., OF, Padres
2.14 Bryce Harper, 1B, Phillies
2.15 Juan Soto, OF, Padres
2.16 Yordan Alvarez, OF, Astros
2.17 Corbin Burnes, SP, Brewers
2.18 Matt Olson, 1B, Braves
2.19 Shohei Ohtani, UTIL, Angels
2.20 Marcus Semien, 2B, Rangers
2.21 Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox
2.22 Corey Seager, SS, Rangers
2.23 Austin Riley, 3B, Braves
2.24 Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox
Round Analysis:
At a glance, the second round might look pretty straightforward, but there’s a whole lot going on here. Let’s try to unpack it. For starters, Fernando Tatis Jr. is an absolute stud, and proved that by having a terrific five-category campaign even after missing the entire 2022 season and having to serve a 20-game suspension to begin the year. He’s going to wind up as a consensus first round pick, and could even land in the top half of the first round. That’s an excellent pick by D.J., and someone that I hoped to grab on the way back after taking Strider in the first round.
Juan Soto matched his career-high with 12 stolen bases (in 17 attempts) while slugging a career-best 35 home runs during the 2023 campaign. Despite it being his seventh full season in the big leagues, he’s heading into his age-25 season and it’s very possible that we haven’t seen his best work yet. He’ll be a fringe first-rounder in many leagues as well. This is more of the range that I expect Aaron Judge to eventually settle into – the top half of the second round. You’ll see several similar skillsets taken here in Yordan Alvarez, Matt Olson, Corey Seager, Austin Riley and Rafael Devers. Bryce Harper will be a fascinating player to monitor throughout the draft season. He made a Herculean recovery from Tommy John surgery – beating his anticipated return date by nearly a month – as he returned before the All-Star break in 2023. We saw signs of rust through the first few months, but he wound up being a monster down the stretch and overall delivered an outstanding five-category contribution. He gets the added bonus of being eligible at first base heading into 2024, where he makes for an interesting source of speed from an unconventional position.
We see a couple more of that attractive power/speed combo off the board in this round in Luis Robert Jr. and Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani would have been a lock for the first round if he were able to pitch in 2024. Robert Jr. pretty quietly went 38/20 for the White Sox during his age-25 season in 2023 and the sky is the limit for him moving forward. He’s got plenty of speed to burn and if he chooses to run more – or if Pedro Grifol gives him more freedom on the basepaths – we could be looking at a 40/40 type of season in 2024.
Shockingly, Corbin Burnes was the only starting pitcher that went off the board in the second round here. That’s not a knock on Burnes at all, he’s absolutely worthy of the pick, but what we’re seeing in early 2024 drafts is a shift away from starting pitching in the early rounds. Part of that could be a knee-jerk reaction to how many top pitchers underperformed or got hurt during the 2023 season, while part of it could be attributed to how many strong starting pitching options there are in the middle rounds. Ultimately, it’s going to be up to each fantasy manager to find the pockets in the draft that they identify as the best spots to land their top hurlers – but be careful because it’s a minefield out there.
Whether due to injury or performance 10 of the top-20 starting pitchers from 2023 fantasy drafts were considered massive disappointments (Jacob deGrom, Sandy Alcantara, Brandon Woodruff, Cristian Javier, Shane Bieber, Dylan Cease, Julio Urias, Max Fried, Alek Manoah and Yu Darvish), while four others (Aaron Nola, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Shane McClanahan) were fine, but still didn’t return a profit or live up to their lofty expectations (McClanahan would have had it not been for the injury). That leaves just six of the top-20 that even came close to or exceeded their expectations – and we’ve already seen three of those six drafted here in Cole, Strider and Burnes. The other three (Kevin Gausman, Luis Castillo and Zack Wheeler), I’d expect to see shortly. -Dave Shovein (@daveshovein)
Round 3:
3.25 Bo Bichette SS, Blue Jays
3.26 Ozzie Albies 2B, Braves
3.27 Elly De La Cruz 3B/SS, Reds
3.28 Adolis Garcia OF, Rangers
3.29 Pete Alonso 1B, Mets
3.30 Francisco Lindor SS, Mets
3.31 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B, Blue Jays
3.32 Michael Harris II OF, Braves
3.33 Luis Castillo SP, Mariners
3.34 Zack Wheeler SP, Phillies
3.35 Gunnar Henderson 3B/SS, Orioles
3.36 Randy Arozarena OF, Rays
Round Analysis:
Position players continue to dominate the early part of this draft. Through three rounds, only five starting pitchers have been selected, with Luis Castillo (to Shelly Verougstraete) and Zack Wheeler (to George Bissell) going back-to-back here. It’s a trend to keep in mind as you begin to formulate your strategy for 2024 drafts. There’s just not a lot of separation once the top pitchers are off the board.
Eric Cross got the third round started with Bo Bichette, who has evolved into one of the safest batting average plays out there, though his 25-steal season from 2021 is beginning to look like an outlier. It’s notable that Pete Alonso went ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. here, though maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise at this point. While Vlad continues to hit the ball hard, a lot of that contact is coming on the ground and simply isn’t translating to big power numbers. Alonso had a topsy-turvy 2023 season, but there’s no questioning his power upside and there’s likely a batting average rebound on the way.
Perhaps the boldest pick from the third round was Greg Jewett’s selection of Elly De La Cruz ahead of the likes of Francisco Lindor and Gunnar Henderson. De La Cruz set the fantasy world (and StatCast) on fire upon his promotion to the majors this summer, but for all of the exciting moments, pitchers ultimately took advantage of his youthful exuberance. The 21-year-old struck out 33.7 percent of the time and lost playing time down the stretch while hitting .200 over his final 51 games. His profile remains exciting and progress shouldn’t be ruled out as he gains more experience, but De La Cruz figures to be one of the more polarizing players in 2024 drafts.
I closed out the third round with another outfielder in Randy Arozarena, which wasn’t a slam dunk pick on my part. I also considered Mike Trout and Josh Lowe in this spot, but Trout’s recent injury history and Lowe sitting against some lefties nudged me in the direction of Arozarena. While I’m not expecting category dominance here, he’s now gone 20-20 in each of the last three seasons. - D.J. Short (@djshort)
Round 4:
4.37 Manny Machado 3B, Padres
4.38 Royce Lewis 3B, Twins
4.39 Mike Trout OF, Angels
4.40 Jose Altuve 2B, Astros
4.41 Cody Bellinger 1B/OF, Cubs
4.42 Kevin Gausman SP, Blue Jays
4.43 Zac Gallen SP, Diamondbacks
4.44 Logan Webb SP, Giants
4.45 CJ Abrams SS, Nationals
4.46 Nolan Jones OF, Rockies
4.47 Pablo Lopez SP, Twins
4.48 Blake Snell SP, Padres
Round Analysis:
After position players dominated the first three rounds, we started to see starting pitchers come off the board in chunks here, with five of the 12 picks in this round being starters. That means the first ten starting pitchers were off the board by the end of the fourth round and half of them came in the fourth round. We have no idea if that holds true as we get into drafts in the spring, but if it does, it could mean you’ll want to draft near the end of the draft if you want to pick the starter who creates the run or pick near the top draft if you’re OK with taking who falls to you.
Personally, I was OK taking who fell to me because I knew that Pablo Lopez would make it back. I currently have Lopez as my seventh-ranked starter, so I was happy to get him as the ninth starter off the board. At 27-years-old, Lopez has flashed great ability in the past but has battled some injury issues. In 2023, he stayed healthy for the second straight season, throwing 194 innings with a 3.66 ERA (3.37 SIERA), 1.15 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts. That health is one reason I’m in on Lopez for next year, but the main one is his revamped rotation that led to a tremendous 14.5% swinging strike rate. In the offseason, Lopez worked at Driveline and came back with a 1.4 mph bump in four-seam velocity and a new sweeper that had a 2.59 dERA (Defense Independent ERA) and 16.9% SwStr%. He also tweaked his curveball to get more swings-and-misses, so I think the growth there is legit, and there is positive ratio regression suggested by his underlying metrics.
Eric Cross ended the round taking potential NL Cy Young Blake Snell. The left-hander is likely to be an intense talking point all offseason due to his impending free agency and his mercurial metrics. While you love his 2.25 ERA, 15.3% SwStr%, and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings, you don’t love his 13.3% walk rate, 1.19 WHIP, or 4.06 SIERA (3.62 xFIP). You also don’t love that he had a 36.8% bad pitch rating (according to Pitcher List) and has only thrown over 130 innings once since 2019. The talent is certainly there, but will people be willing to pay for a 2023 season where everything clearly went right or will people be scared off by the injury history, inflated WHIP, and more muted underlying metrics? Considering he was taken here as the 10th starter off the board, it might suggest that people are going to be buying in on the talent.
The other interesting names in round four were young “former” prospects Nolan Jones (Jewett) and Royce Lewis (Shovein). While both players remain young, they had seen their fantasy stock dip due to injuries in Lewis’ case and poor production and playing time concerns in Jones’ case. However, both of them flashed in their 2023 playing time, and Jones may have put up the quietest 20/20 season with a near .300 batting average that we’ve seen in recent memory. Both players have legit five-category upside and despite seeming like risks due to the slow starts to their MLB careers, they also pack untapped upside, which is rare for players that have already produced at this level. They also become another two examples of why we shouldn’t write off prospects with a long track record of success just because of a slow start. - Eric Samulski (@SamskiNYC)
Round 5:
5.49 Eury Perez SP, Marlins
5.50 Josh Hader RP, Padres
5.51 Aaron Nola SP, Phillies
5.52 Devin Williams RP, Brewers
5.53 Christian Yelich OF, Brewers
5.54 George Kirby SP, Mariners
5.55 Edwin Díaz RP, Mets
5.56 Freddy Peralta SP, Brewers
5.57 Tyler Glasnow SP, Rays
5.58 Jazz Chisholm OF, Marlins
5.59 Tarik Skubal SP, Tigers
5.60 Emmanuel Clase RP, Guardians
Round Analysis:
Is it fuchsia? Coral? It’s not quite pink, and it’s not really red. Anyway, it’s the color of a pitcher pick on our mock draft board, and it was the dominant color in Round 5. Ten of the 12 picks in that pass came from the mound -- six starters and four closers. And if we attach a late pitcher run from Round 4, and we’re looking at 15 hurlers selected among 19 picks. It’s a long way from the first round, where the first 10 picks were hitters.
The only two pitching holdouts in Round 5 were George Bissell (who took Jazz Chisholm at 5.10) and myself (Christian Yelich, 5.05). I went back-and-forth on Yelich vs. George Kirby for a good 10 minutes; eventually the calm of a leisurely mock turned into the stress of being unable to make a decision, so I clicked on Yelich. It’s funny that Kirby went right after Yelich; nothing kicks in buyer’s remorse like the player you eschew getting snap-picked a moment later.
The popular roster construction through five rounds is three hitters and two pitchers; eight teams opted for that path. Bissell, Greg Jewett, Nick Mariano, and myself are the lone holdouts, the teams that preferred four hitters against a solo pitcher.
The pitcher haul had a little bit of everything. You have young players on the escalator (Eury Perez, Tarik Skubal), a name brand who can’t seem to match his expected stats (Aaron Nola), a perennial risk-reward tease (Tyler Glasnow), and even a closer coming off a lost season (Edwin Diaz). I suspect a popular bullpen build in 2024 will be the Anchor Approach, where you try to land one sure thing and then play the value game otherwise, be it at the draft or while making shrewd free agency bids. - Scott Pianowski (@scott_pianowski)
Round 6:
6.61 Matt McLain SS, Reds
6.62 Alexis Díaz RP, Reds
6.63 Oneil Cruz SS, Pirates
6.64 David Bednar RP, Pirates
6.65 Camilo Doval RP, Giants
6.66 Logan Gilbert SP, Mariners
6.67 Josh Lowe OF, Rays
6.68 Alex Bregman 3B, Astros
6.69 Justin Steele SP, Cubs
6.70 Kodai Senga SP, Mets
6.71 Ha-Seong Kim 2B, Padres
6.72 Framber Valdez SP, Astros
Round Analysis:
While it didn’t match round five’s 10 taken, seven hurlers came off the board in round six, with the first three of those being closers and the last four starters. Camilo Doval seemed like a little bit of a bargain as the No. 7 reliever off the board; he ranked fourth in fantasy value among relievers in 2023, and it doesn’t seem like he’s peaked at age 26.
I grabbed the first of the four starters, making Logan Gilbert the No. 17 SP off the board. His 3.73 ERA in 2023 was higher than his 3.20 mark from 2022, but his strikeout, walk and groundball rates all improved from the year before. The contact that he allows tends to be pretty loud, but Safeco helps there, and he still could take a step forward when it comes to strikeouts.
Apart from Josh Lowe, the bats drafted in round six were all infielders; Matt McLain, Oneil Cruz, Alex Bregman and Ha-Seong Kim. Cruz, who was Elly De La Cruz before Elly De La Cruz, stands out as the upside pick after missing almost all of 2023 with a fractured ankle. He’s a legit 30-30 threat, assuming that everything has healed properly. He probably won’t be as strong as the other categories, but at least that Pirates lineup isn’t quite as desolate as it once was.
Kim will be a bit controversial this year. After totaling 19 homers and 18 steals in 267 games between 2021 and ‘22, he was extremely valuable in totaling 17 homers and 38 steals in 152 games this year. However, his exit velocity numbers were actually worse than in his first two MLB seasons; his 26.2% hard-hit rate placed him 129th of the 133 players to qualify for the batting title. If he keeps running and holds on to a spot in the top third of the Padres lineup, he could provide nice value again. If he isn’t so aggressive on the basepaths and he eventually returns to batting sixth and seventh, he might not be of any use in mixed leagues. - Matthew Pouliot (@matthewpouliot)
Round 7
7.73 Paul Goldschmidt 1B, Cardinals
7.74 Christian Walker 1B, Diamondbacks
7.75 Jhoan Duran RP, Twins
7.76 Nico Hoerner 2B, Cubs
7.77 Lane Thomas OF, Nationals
7.78 Spencer Steer 1B/3B/OF, Reds
7.79 Josh Jung 3B, Rangers
7.80 Adley Rutschman C, Orioles
7.81 Grayson Rodriguez SP, Orioles
7.82 Cole Ragans SP, Royals
7.83 Raisel Iglesias RP, Braves
7.84 Max Fried SP, Braves
Round Analysis:
After teams attacked pitching in rounds four, five, and six, we saw the next run of hitters in round seven. A couple of power-hitting first basemen, Paul Goldschmidt and Christian Walker, got us started with the first two picks. Goldschmidt continues to prove he has plenty left in the tank with another productive season, hitting .268 with 25 homers and 11 steals. While the power total declined from the 35 homers he hit in 2022, he maintained an 11.9 percent barrel rate, in line with the previous season’s 11.5 percent. Walker had an even better 2023, blasting 33 homers with an equal 11 stolen bases and a .258 batting average. Interestingly, both sluggers produced 52 barreled balls in 2023, Walker just had the better fortune there with eight more home runs. It’s hard to go wrong with either. Jhoan Duran followed the first basemen as the seventh closer off the board.
The next four picks bring us four hitters new to the top 100 in fantasy drafts. Hoerner put together his first full season, but failed to reach double-digit home runs. And there isn’t much reason to think there’s more upside there with just a 1.7 percent barrel rate. So, you’d have to keep that in mind when selecting the second baseman. Be prepared to look for power elsewhere. Power was no problem for the next three, with Steer and Jung slugging 23 home runs, and Thomas leading the way with 28. Thomas produced more like a hitter going in the top four rounds, adding 20 steals with 101 runs, 86 RBI, and a .268 batting average. His underlying metrics mostly support the production, with his high strikeout rate (25.8 percent) relative to his low walk rate (5.3%) being the only real flaw. Steer was my pick. He’ll have eligibility at every position but shortstop and catcher. That added versatility and potential to get some steals from the third base position made him an attractive option for me here. Not to mention the excellent hitting environment and lineup in Cincinnati.
We got a couple of Orioles with the next two picks. Adley Rutschman was the first catcher off the board. The 25-year-old should again lead the position in plate appearances while providing outstanding four-category production. And while Rodriguez had a shakey start to the season, he put up an impressive 2.58 ERA over his final 76 2/3 innings in the second half. Another second-half darling, Cole Ragans, produced a 2.64 ERA across 71 2/3 innings following the All-Star break. Finishing out the round were a couple of Braves. Raisel Iglesias was one of the better closers in baseball on one of the best teams. It seems like a solid value here. And while while Max Fried is one of the best bets to give you excellent ratios, a dreaded forearm strain cost him a chunk of the 2023 season, limiting him to 77 2/3 innings. So, there’s some risk there, but the payoff could be incredible. - Jorge Montanez (@rotonino)
Round 8
8.85 Yandy Diaz 1B, Rays
8.86 Spencer Torkelson 1B, Tigers
8.87 Nolan Arenado 3B, Cardinals
8.88 Bryan Reynolds OF, Pirates
8.89 Triston Casas 1B, Red Sox
8.90 Will Smith C, Dodgers
8.91 Paul Sewald RP, Diamondbacks
8.92 Jordan Romano RP, Blue Jays
8.93 Kyle Bradish SP, Orioles
8.94 Jesus Luzardo SP, Marlins
8.95 Walker Buehler SP, Dodgers
8.96 Jordan Walker OF, Cardinals
Round Analysis:
We kicked off the eighth round with four of the first five picks going to corner infielders. My selection was Yandy Díaz after a bit of consideration for Triston Casas, who went four picks later to Chris Clegg. Díaz doesn’t bring the power potential that Casas does, but he’s a .290 career hitter and gets plenty of volume as the Rays’ primary leadoff hitter. He filled a specific need for my roster. Casas and Torkelson is an interesting debate as young power hitters on the rise. Casas’ was definitely better, though (.317, 15 HR, 1.034 OPS), so I’m more optimistic about him going into 2024. Still, I happily welcome some new blood at the first base position.
This might be latest fantasy managers might be able to get Walker Buehler in the next few years. The last time we saw him in a full season in 2021, he posted a career-best 2.47 ERA across 33 starts. The Dodgers opted against Buehler returning this season, but he should be 100 percent for spring training. It would be no surprise if he’s a better fantasy performer than Jesus Luzardo or Kyle Bradish next year. And that’s no slight on those guys.
The hype has cooled a bit on Jordan Walker, but he finished his rookie season on a heater, slashing .339/.392/.545 with five home runs over his final 30 games. He lofted the ball more often as the season moved along, which is hopefully a sign of things to come. And while his stolen base numbers didn’t show it, his sprint speed points to more on that front as well. He doesn’t turn 22 years old until next May. - D.J. Short (@djshort)
Round 9:
9.97 Andres Munoz RP, Mariners
9.98 Nick Castellanos OF, Phillies
9.99 Gleyber Torres 2B, Yankees
9.100 Yoshinobu Yamamoto SP, Japan
9.101 Zach Eflin SP, Rays
9.102 J.T. Realmuto, C Phillies
9.103 Tanner Bibee SP, Guardians
9.104 Xander Bogaerts SS, Padres
9.105 Seiya Suzuki OF, Cubs
9.106 Joe Musgrove SP, Padres
9.107 Bobby Miller SP, Dodgers
9.108 Joe Ryan SP, Twins
Round Analysis:
We have to start with the name that jumps out the most: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who went 100th overall to Nick Mariano. If you’re not yet familiar with Yamamoto’s name, you will be very soon as the 25-year-old from Japan is likely the top starting pitcher on the free agent market and is primed to sign a huge contact to come Stateside. When he was 18-years-old, he pitched to a 2.35 ERA in 57 1/3 innings in the Nippon Professional Baseball league. In seven seasons, he has a 1.72 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in just under 1,000 innings pitched. He made five All-Star teams, threw four no-hitters, won three Japanese Triple Crowns, two Sawamura Awards (NPB’s Cy Young), and two MVPs. He has pinpoint command, an upper 90’s fastball, and a deep arsenal of pitches. However, he has never lived in America before or played in MLB games, so we are speculating on how he adjusts in his first season. He could push to be a top 10-15 starter in baseball or he could be inconsistent like we saw with Kodai Senga. At pick 100, you love that gamble though.
Round nine also continued to show why waiting on starting pitching makes sense. Aside from Yamamoto, there are another four starters picked in round nine who could easily finish the season as top 20 starting pitchers. Zach Eflin is coming off a 16-win season in Tampa Bay where he added a new pitch, tweaked his slider mid-season, and posted a strikeout rate better than 25% and people seem to be writing it off. Joe Ryan was a top 10 starter for the first half of the season until he lost command of his new splitter, but we know he’s right back to Driveline and working on refining his pitches. Bobby Miller was solid in his debut for the Dodgers with a high-90s fastball and a plus curveball. If his slider improves even a small amount, he’s going to be a huge fantasy asset, and Joe Musgrove as long been a fringe top-20 pitcher who we’ve seemingly forgotten about because he was injured much of this year. You’re happy with all of these guys as your SP2 and they went in round nine.
This is also the part of the draft where you start to see outfield depth dry up. I snagged Castellanos here because he and Seiya Suzuki were really the last two players I had valued around this range. In my opinion, the players you’ll all see go after this have some real question marks (and then there’s Evan Carter, who keeps rising up draft boards). Now Castellanos isn’t a stud, but he’s gonna hit around .270 with 25+ home runs in a great park and a great lineup. Sometimes that kind of security is nice to have at this stage in the draft.
Which is also probably how Chris Clegg felt about getting Xander Bogaerts outside of the top 100. We knew the move away from Fenway Park would hurt Bogey’s average and power numbers, and it did, but he’s a 20/20 threat who will still hit around .290. That’s absolutely worthy of going higher in drafts if you want to wait and secure your shortstop spot. - Eric Samulski (@SamskiNYC)
Round 10
10.109 Ketel Marte, 2B Diamondbacks
10.110 Evan Carter, OF, Rangers
10.111 Kyle Schwarber, OF, Phillies
10.112 Dylan Cease, SP White Sox
10.113 Bryson Stott, 2B, Phillies
10.114 Ryan Helsley, RP Cardinals
10.115 Jorge Soler, OF Marlins
10.116 George Springer, OF, Blue Jays
10.117 Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 1B
10.118 Jordan Montgomery, SP Free Agent
10.119 Josh Naylor, 1B Guardians
10.120 William Contreras, C Brewers
Round Analysis:
After the last two rounds, where mostly pitchers were selected, nine fantasy managers added a hitter to their squad. Ketel Marte, the NLCS MVP, had a great bounce back season this year, hitting .276/.358/.485 with 25 homers across 650 plate appearances, which is the most he has had in his major league career. Evan “Full-Count” Carter has been a revelation since he joined the Rangers late in the season, and Bruce Bochy has trusted him enough to bat him third in essential games in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts next season when there is a big book on him.
Jorge Soler, like Ketel Marte, saw a bounce back in his season-long stat line after battling injuries last year. He swatted 36 balls out of the yard, and 16 of them came in the cavernous Marlins home ballpark, which is mighty impressive. Soler, also like Marte, has battled injuries in previous seasons, so fantasy managers should expect both to miss some time next season. CES debuted in July and was slow out of the gate but hit .301/.348/.614 with eight homers after the calendar flipped to September. The Reds’ lineup, and especially their infield, is pretty stacked, and it is still a bit murky who will lose those precious PAs when the season begins.
As I stated before, three pitchers were selected in the tenth round: one reliever and two starters. I took Dylan Cease with pick 112. The right-hander had a dreadful year, posting a 4.58 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and 17% K/BB ratio. It is easy to see why many fantasy managers might be scared off by those stats, but if we dig under the hood a bit, we can see he was quite unlucky. He had a .330 BABIP, which is the highest mark of his career, and pairing that with a 69 percent LOB rate, we can easily see how his WHIP got out of control. The White Sox reliever didn’t do him any favors, either. He left 27 men on base after he left the game, and 11 of those batters came around to score, or 41 percent. Keep in mind that the league average is 32 percent. While I not expecting him to get back to his 2022 version, he should post better ratios next season and is one of a handful of pitchers who I can rely on to get more than 200 punchouts. - Shelly Verougstraete (@ShellyV_643)
Sun, 29 Oct 2023 21:03:00 -0500en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/early-2024-fantasy-baseball-mock-draftBachelor in Paradise’s Tia Booth and Taylor Mock Are Married After Nearly 3 Years of DatingTia Booth and Taylor Mock.Courtesy of Tia Booth/Instagram
Booth, 31, and Mock exchanged vows on Saturday, November 4, per social media footage. Booth’s longtime pal Raven Gates, and her husband, Adam Gottschalk, also attended the special day.
“Sign of a good night,” Booth later wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday, November 5, sharing a snap of her bandaged feet after a night of dancing.
Before appearing on season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise in 2021, the reality star met Mock at a party in Nashville.
Naomi Watts, Chrishell Stause and more celebrities tied the knot in 2023. Watts confirmed that she wed fellow actor Billy Crudup in June. “Hitched! 🕊️🪢♥️,” she captioned an Instagram photo of her and Crudup posing outside of a New York City courthouse. “They wanted to keep it low-key and have this moment to themselves, and […]
“He got the balls one day to try to hit on me and get me to hang out with him, and I was like, ‘Sweetie, I’m going on Bachelor in Paradise. I’ll see you later,’” Booth recalled on the “Click Bait” podcast in October 2021. “Then after I got home, I was like, ‘Damn, this freaking dude has been right here trying this whole time, which is all I asked for on the show.’ So then I gave it a shot and we’ve been good.”
“Not gonna lie — it’s been nice keeping this to myself, but it’s about time y’all know too,” Booth captioned the post at the time.
Courtesy of Zach Long/Instagram
Mock, for his part, posted his own photos of the duo with the caption: “It’s hard to put into words how you truly feel about someone you love. I guess I’ll keep it as simple as I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with you. With that being said, I still had to make fun of you, hope everyone enjoys the last two slides.”
Tia Booth may have not realized it at the time, but she met The One in Taylor Mock before she even returned to Bachelor Nation for a second stint in Paradise. Booth didn’t find love when she competed on The Bachelor for Arie Luyendyk Jr.‘s heart on the 2018 season. She appeared on season 5 […]
Nearly one year later, Mock popped the question to Booth at the Atlanta stop of “Bachelor Live On Stage” in April 2022.
“Never been more shocked or sure in my life. I love you so much Tay, my FIANCÉ!!!” she shared via Instagram along with snaps from the proposal.
Two months later, Booth announced that the couple were expecting their first baby in a sweet social media tribute to her late father.
Courtesy of Taylor Mock/Instagram
“This has undoubtedly been my most challenging season thus far,” Booth wrote alongside a maternity shoot photo via Instagram in June 2022. “I’ve never felt such overwhelming sadness and pure joy at the same time. It’s been difficult to be grateful for the good as if one of the most important people in my life is missing the celebration.”
Meet the newest member of Bachelor Nation! Tia Booth and her fiancé, Taylor Mock, have given fans sweet glimpses of life with their son, Tatum. The ABC alum, who appeared on season 22 of The Bachelor in 2018, announced her pregnancy two months after Mock proposed in April 2022. Booth’s June 2022 pregnancy reveal included […]
Booth continued, “While I wish I could tell my dad all the good news in person, it brings me peace that he knows about it long before I do. Welcoming a new little life while mourning the loss of another proves that high emotions can exist simultaneously, and I have no doubt my dad had a hand in this. Happy heavenly Father’s Day to the first man I ever loved and Happy soon-to-be Father’s Day to my forever.”
“Tatum Booth Mock 12/6/22 6:13 a.m.,” Booth shared via Instagram alongside a sweet sound clip of her seeing her son for the first time. “Best day of our lives.”
Sat, 04 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0500Caitlyn Somersen-UStext/htmlhttps://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/tia-booth-taylor-mock-are-married-after-3-years-together/Trump’s New Claim About Putin Has Critics Rushing To Mock HimNo result found, try new keyword!Former President Donald Trump championed his administration’s approach to Russia before naming one leader as the inspiration behind his stance: Russian President Vladimir Putin. “They say ...Thu, 02 Nov 2023 19:48:00 -0500en-ustext/htmlhttps://www.msn.com/2024 NFL Mock Draft: Jaguars, Saints add defensive playmakers in 'With the First Pick' joint edition
Rick Spielman -- "I'm hanging up the phone every time someone calls me because the obvious pick is Caleb Williams. I know Justin Fields has played well over the last two weeks ... but if I'm sitting in the GM chair with the Chicago Bears, I think that Caleb Williams, after I check all the boxes, is a generational-type quarterback, so you can't pass him up. And then I will be able to trade Justin Fields for, I would believe, at least a second-round pick and maybe more if he continues to play the way he's playing through the rest of the season."
Ryan Wilson -- Wilson is going with the Ohio State standout, and Spielman agrees that should be the pick instead of Chicago looking for a trade partner. "Too unique of a player."
Josh Edwards -- "The only thing that makes this a complicated selection is Russell Wilson's contract. Otherwise, I don't think this is a team that's going to compete in the next couple of years, so you want to restock your pantry and get a quarterback like Drake Maye, who I think is one of the better players in this draft class. If he were in most other draft classes, he would be the top quarterback prospect, in my opinion, based on what he has shown at this point."
Rick Spielman -- Spielman said he would have done everything in his power to trade up and draft Drake Maye knowing the drop-off at quarterback in this draft class and knowing that Kirk Cousins is set to become a free agent next offseason. However, since there are no trades in this mock, Spielman decided between two positions: pass rusher and cornerback. "I went with the best corner on the board in Kool-Aid McKinstry, who fits the scheme, and then I think there's a drop-off after Kool-Aid at the corner position."
Ryan Wilson -- "This is worst-case scenario for them in that they can't get a quarterback. ... We were all surprised last year when the Patriots didn't take a tackle at all. They drafted three interior offensive linemen -- two who had to start as rookies in Week 1 because Cole Strange and [Mike] Onwenu were hurt. ... You don't have any outside help, so I drafted Olu Fashanu here."
Josh Edwards -- Edwards was between Notre Dame OT Joe Alt and Alabama LB Dallas Turner. "I went in the direction of Dallas Turner because they don't really have any game-changing pass-rushers. You've got Jonathan Gannon coming over from a Philadelphia team that was loaded with pass-rushers, so I'm adding a player to the mix that I think can really take over some games."
Rick Spielman -- "I'm going to take Joe Alt because they have struggles along the offensive line. [Andrew] Thomas has been hurt. He is good when he's playing, but he's always injured. And then Evan Neal seems to be a bust right now the way he's been playing, and he has all the fans against him as well. ... So, I have to take what for me is the safest pick in this draft in Joe Alt because of his technique, because of the character, because of the pedigree -- everything says that this guy is going to be a really good pro."
Ryan Wilson -- "I know they drafted Tyree Wilson -- he has not looked to be himself since that foot injury, and maybe he gets there -- but you can't just wait around. ... In the meantime, you have Maxx Crosby and not much else, so I'm taking Jared Verse, the edge rusher out of Florida State, to bookend Maxx Crosby and let them continue to get after it."
Josh Edwards -- "One of the blue-chip players [in this draft] is Brock Bowers, tight end, from Georgia. I know they took Trey McBride a couple of years ago, but he hasn't made any level of an impact in the pass game. I think Brock Bowers is somebody you can split out, like a Kyle Pitts, and use him down the field. That's something they drastically miss with this team right now."
Rick Spielman -- "I am taking, finally, an offensive tackle in JC Latham, the right tackle out of Alabama who's going to solve all of my issues going forward. I wasn't able to address [offensive line] last year, and the biggest concern going into this season was the tackle position. This is a no-brainer for me to take JC here."
Ryan Wilson -- "I'm taking one of my favorite players in this class: Chop Robinson, edge rusher, out of Penn State. Chase Young, his deal is up. Montez Sweat's deal is up. Chase has battled injuries, but he's back now. We'll see how that plays out with those players, but the Commanders get another edge rusher to help that defense in Chop Robinson, who's off to a great start this year."
Josh Edwards -- "Chris Hubbard has played fairly well for them this year, but I don't expect that to be a long-term solution. You've got Peter Skoronski -- he's played well on the inside -- but I think if you're going to move forward with a Will Levis, with a Malik Willis, at the quarterback position, give them a fighting chance with some protection in front of them. Mims has only played three games this year -- he was limited last year playing in the reserve role -- so we haven't seen a large sample size of what he can be. But what I have seen is an incredibly impressive player that I think deserves this level of consideration, so that's the direction I would be going."
Rick Spielman -- "They have a history of taking receivers, so that's another weapon for Joe Burrow. That way, they don't have to pay Tee Higgins because they have his replacement in Nabers, whom I think is a dynamic playmaker and is having an even bigger year than he had last year."
Ryan Wilson -- "The Rams are doing it with some dudes [in the secondary] that maybe aren't household names, so I'm going to help them out and I'm gonna give them cornerback Kalen King out of Penn State. He's had a strong start to his season, played well last year. So, I'm giving them more help on the defensive side of the ball."
Josh Edwards -- "When you look at Green Bay's roster, it's actually pretty well-rounded. They don't have a lot of needs except the offensive line, which we're kind of in no man's land when you're looking for offensive line right now. Quarterback, still very much up in the air, but they've committed to Jordan Love for the foreseeable future. So, I have them taking Kinchens, who comes in and replaces former first-round pick Darnell Savage [Jr.] at safety."
Round 1 - Pick 16
Illinois • Jr • 6'2" / 295 lbs
Rick Spielman -- "When you watch [the Chargers defensive] scheme, they put a lot of stress on these defensive tackles to control the point and to stop the run to help the backend, but it hasn't helped them a whole lot. So, this is a guy that they definitely need to come in and start right away at defensive tackle. For me, he's probably the most well-rounded defensive tackle in this draft knowing how he plays the run, but he can also get some pressure as an in-line defender."
Ryan Wilson -- "I'm going with Emeka Egbuka here, because I feel like he's probably undervalued right here in the middle of the round; he could go higher than that. He hasn't "exploded" this year ... but when you have Marvin Harrison [Jr.] on your team, sometimes you may not get all the throws. But Emeka Egbuka here at 17 to help out C.J. [Stroud] and the offense."
Josh Edwards -- "If you close your eyes and you try to envision a New Orleans Saints pass-rusher, you're thinking powerful, you're thinking long -- you're thinking JT Tuimoloau. That's the player that I'm adding to this defense because of what they have generally coveted in that role."
Rick Spielman -- "He's long, he's athletic. I think if you tapped into his potential, you're going to get a very good football player. They signed Calais Campbell to just a one-year deal, and he's two years away from doing podcasts (laughs). ... And then you've got Bud Dupree, and I know he plays end, but they have some older guys up front. Getting a guy like Maason Smith would be ideal for Atlanta to start securing that defensive line."
Ryan Wilson -- "[Nate Wiggins] still needs to work on tackling people, but in terms of coverage he is long, he is fast, he's pretty good at the catch point. But in terms of run support, that's where he needs to get better, and we'll see if that happens. ... But when the ball's in the air, he goes after it."
Josh Edwards -- "In coverage this year, [Cooper DeJean] has forced 17 incompletions on 32 attempts for 110 yards, according to TruMedia. He's playing well for a team that doesn't exactly have an explosive offensive counterpart. Just a really solid football player that can do a lot of things."
Rick Spielman -- "The only reason I went with [Rome Odunze] was that I know that CeeDee Lamb is coming out of his contract. They'll probably get some kind of extension done. Brandin Cooks, whom they traded for, has a high contract number, and he really hasn't had an impact on that offense yet this year. And then [Michael] Gallup doesn't seem to be the same receiver coming off that [torn] ACL he had a couple years ago. Hopefully he'll kick it into gear because they gave him a five-year long-term extension that they can't get rid of. So I went with another playmaker on offense and went with the receiver from Washington."
Ryan Wilson -- "[David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh] haven't quite clicked yet, and hopefully they get there because physically, there are very few guys that can do what those guys do. They just haven't been able to put it together. So, I went with Laiatu Latu out of UCLA, the edge rusher there. He's having a great season, and questions are going to be injury-related with him, and if he gets green flags medically, then you're moving forward with him. I think he gives the Ravens something they haven't had recently but have historically been very good at in terms of getting guys off the edge. I think he brings a physicality to that defensive line that gives you some Terrell Suggs-type feel."
Josh Edwards -- "Last year, [the Seahawks] found bookend tackles with Charles Cross, Abe Lucas. You've got a really solid unit to build around moving forward. They need some help along the interior, and I think [Zak] Zinter is a player that will help shore that up a little bit. According to TruMedia, he's allowed two hurries and one pressure this year, zero sacks. Just a really big, physical player who should be able to make an impact in the trenches."
Rick Spielman -- "The reason I ended up going with Xavier Worthy was because [George] Pickens is the real deal. [Allen] Robinson is not. He's kind of a one-year stopgap guy. Diontae Johnson is hurt all the time. And [Calvin ] Austin [III] is just a gadget guy. I think they need to get more weapons for [Kenny] Pickett, and this kid fits the bill for me."
Ryan Wilson -- "I think Josh Allen's [contract] is up, and he's certainly been an impact player for them, edge rusher-wise, but I just want to beef up that side of the ball. The offense has been in pretty good shape. Perhaps an offensive lineman here if you have one you like, but I like Bralen Trice, so that's where I went."
Josh Edwards -- "[Kingsley Suamataia] is someone who is going to help upgrade that offensive line. I think they're just trying to get the five best players on the field. Obviously Tristan Wirfs is going to be one of those players. Luke Goedeke has actually fared pretty well at right tackle. So, I'm taking Suamataia here. We're just going to get the best five players on the field."
Rick Spielman -- "I wanted to get another offensive lineman because they have Jonah Jackson up, they have [Halapoulivaati] Vaitai that's also up. So they have two guards up [for contracts]. The reason they're such a good football team right now is because they have one of the best offensive lines, and the way the defensive line is playing with the addition of Aidan Hutchinson. I'm going to go with Graham Barton, offensive tackle who I'm going to move to guard, from Duke. I think he fits what the Detroit Lions look for: solid character, just a good football player. And we need to keep that offensive line strong. We can slide him into guard because he's athletic. He was the kid who stuck out the most in trying to finish blocks all the time. He is a tough hombre, and toughness to me, with passion for the game, fits what Brad Holmes has drafted in Detroit, so that's why I went with Graham."
Ryan Wilson -- "Christian Wilkins is up [for a contract], Raekwon Davis is up, and perhaps they bring those guys back. But in the case that they don't, you have an athletic interior defensive lineman who can help fill that void there, so that's the direction I went at the bottom of the first round. Leonard [Taylor II] may end up going higher than this, we'll find out."
Josh Edwards -- "[Jordan Morgan] has been playing left tackle, but I project him to slide inside. That's where I like him best. When you look at what the Eagles have traditionally gone for in the first round, it's building through the trenches whether that's offensive or defensive line. So you look at a player like Morgan -- obviously fits that criteria, but he gives you that versatility where he has the background of playing on the edge, but he also has the versatility to slide inside, similar to what they did with Tyler Steen last year."
Round 1 - Pick 31
Texas • Jr • 6'4" / 196 lbs
Rick Spielman -- "I just went with [Adonai] Mitchell. And I know people will ask, 'Why are you taking another receiver? I mean you've taken [Rashee] Rice last year in the second, you've taken [Skyy] Moore.' The reason I went with another receiver was because [Marquez] Valdes-Scantling is getting a little long in the tooth. I think he's under contract until 2024, so if they wanted to move on from him, they could do that. And then [Kadarius] Toney, they traded for him, but I don't know if you consider him a No. 1 receiver or is he a bust because of the drops and everything he's going through. You still have Patrick Mahomes. No. 1 would be defensive tackle for me, No. 2 would be tight end for me. Neither of those were there that I felt were worthy of taking here at 31, so what's why I ended up going with the best player on the board, and I went with Mitchell."
Round 1 - Pick 32
Western Kentucky • Jr • 5'11" / 210 lbs
Ryan Wilson -- "I love Malachi [Corley]'s physicality. I like the idea that you can run a slant with him, give him the ball and let him do the rest and take some of the miles off of Deebo [Samuel] if that's what you wanna do."
Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:43:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2024-nfl-mock-draft-jaguars-saints-add-defensive-playmakers-in-with-the-first-pick-joint-edition/