April is for the NFL Draft, Damar Hamlin Visits the White House, and Other NFL Bullets

Apr 01, 2023

Happy Saturday, folks. I hope everyone is safe after yesterday’s storms in some Chicagoland and northwest Indiana areas. I want to start today’s bullets with a quick outline of what’s on tap in April. But first, are you coming to hang out with us on Thursday? As a reminder, you can win one of two (2) $100 Fanatics gift cards or free ticket(s) to our upcoming event next Thursday at HVAC Pub in Wrigleyville by clicking here.

Alright, so April is NFL Draft month around here, and that will be the bulk of the content produced at BN NFL through the event at the end of the month. Starting Monday, I will do a running mock draft in which each pick gets its daily post breaking down the fit, the player, and the implications of the selection on other teams. So, for example, Monday’s post will be about the Panthers’ No. 1 pick. Tuesday will be about the Texans’ No. 2 pick, and so on. There will be some days where I double up and drop two picks because I don’t have 32 days to work with. I’ll also curate and comment on mock drafts outside BN weekly, providing some classic BN flavor.

We’ll also have draft profiles throughout the month, and I plan on packing the content this month because we will be heading into a slow period for the NFL when the calendar flips to May. So, stick around. If you’ve got a content suggestion or question, I’m always in the Disqus comments section, or you can email me ([email protected]).

Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the football field less than three months ago. Recently he was at the White House, meeting with President Biden. I’m unsure to what extent Biden is a sports fan, but he asked what we all want to know. Biden asked Hamlin if he was ever going to play football again; “I think so … God willing,” Hamlin told President Biden.

Damar, you've made me – and your country – proud.

Looking forward to watching you lead the way back on the field. pic.twitter.com/ljROej9NBe— President Biden (@POTUS) March 31, 2023

Anthony Richardson was the story at Florida’s Pro Day on Friday, but there was another standout. Gators offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence told reporters in attendance that he is the top offensive lineman in the NFL Draft: “Because I’m the most dominant interior offensive lineman in the draft, and I feel like any team that gets me will get a Day One starter and someone who is ready to play,” Torrence said, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Media. “Somebody who is going to take it like a pro and give it all you got.”

Torrence is projected by most to be taken somewhere in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft. The 2022 All-American recently spent time meeting with the Titans, Rams, Falcons, and Saints.

“I came out here and put on a good show.” 😤 @GatorsFB Guard O’Cyrus Torrence is ready to seize the opportunities ahead. @78_KingBo

📺: 2023 #NFLDraft – April 27-29 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/LwcqaMaJyC— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 31, 2023

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy joined a local radio show in phoenix on Friday to discuss his “robotic arm” and recovery. Purdy joked that the Brace he’s wearing looks robotic, but he delivered optimistic news regarding his recovery:

“The protocol is you start throwing at three months, but it all depends on how your therapy and your range of motion and everything goes up until that point,” Purdy said on the Roc and Manuch with Jimmy B show. “There are definitely some boxes I have to check off first before I get to that point, but that’s the plan as of now.”

Jonathan Toews will make his return to the ice tonight. The Blackhawks’ captain hasn’t played since January 28 Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and “long COVID.”

Jonathan Toews WILL PLAY on Saturday

The Padres are at it again …

The Padres Have Done It Again: Signing Jake Cronenworth to a Seven-Year Extension (UPDATE)

[bet-bonus id=”360657″ ]

written by

Patrick K. Flowers

Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

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