by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 1/31/2026 Risers Quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier LSU Photo by Butch Dill/ Associated Press Nussmeier was one of the top QBs of the class heading into the season but has since moved down to about a 2nd round prospect after a mediocre and injured 2025 season. Coming into the Senior Bowl, Nussmeier needed to show veteran-like leadership on the field and all-around leadership on the field and that's exactly what he did. Nussmeier was clearly the best

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen Sportz Nation - 1/30/2026 (All odds are via Caesar's Sportsbook on 1/29) Last week Zak went 5-1 and Matt went 4-2 in picking the winners of UFC 324 with both getting 2 methods right as well. For UFC 325 this week, the boys will predict __ fights in their ongoing series of UFC Predictions ALL YEAR Points To Date: Zak - 7 Matt - 6 Photo by Chris Unger/ Zuffa LLC C Alexander Volkanovski vs #2 Diego Lopes 2 Featherweight Championship (Volkanovski -

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 1/30/2026 Here in New England, we are delighted but not shocked that the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl. We might have a young team led by a new Head Coach and a Quarterback only in his second year, but WE have what THEY don't... Championship DNA. We just win in New England. While everyone else is talking about how we shouldn't be here and every reason we don't deserve this Championship appearance, cough Cam Newton cough cough We've set ou

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 1/29/2026 Team Leaders Passing Sam Darnold 67.7% completion 4,048 pass yards 25 pass TDs 14 INTs Rushing Kenneth Walker 221 carries 1,027 rush yards 4.6 yards per carry 10, 20+ yard rushes 5 rush TDs Receiving Jaxon Smith Njigba 119 receptions 163 targets 1,793 rec yards 4.4 yards after catch average 10 rec TDs Tackling Ernest Jones IV 126 combined tackles 4 tackles for loss 5 interceptions 7 pass deflections 1 Touchdown S

Photo Credit to Ian Maule via Getty Images Justin Gaethje vs Ilia Topuria Lightweight Championship Zak Drapeau I still believe we will see Makhachev vs. Topuria, but now that Gaethje is the interim champ, this fight should probably happen first. This also has Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night written all over it as the probable heaviest and most technical strikers of the division square off. Who knows what Topuria's future holds and how his style, skill, and prowe

by Zak Drapeau 1/26/26 - Sportz Nation Finally the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl and will take on the Seattle Seahawks for the 2025 Championship. Photo by John Locher/ Associated Press Just last night, the Patriots finished a clean sweep of the best defenses in the AFC by defeating the Broncos 10-7 in Denver. With that one out of the way, the Patriots playoff resume now includes the #7 ranked defense of the Chargers, the #3 in Houston and #2 in Denver. With the final ga

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 1/23/2026 - Sportz Nation Photo Graphic by UFC via ufc.com Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett Lightweight Championship (Pimblett -230) This should be an all-out war, even if it's between two fighters who aren't currently deserving of the title shot. Nonetheless, when the Highlight Reel and the Scouser come to blows, one has to assume that the veteran Gaethje should win the chess match when striking. The two have made claims that they plan to keep t

by Zak Drapeau 1/22/2026 - Sportz Nation Photo of Red Sox General Manager Craig Breslow from NESN NBC Interview via MLB.com Slow. One word that sums everything up pretty much. The Red Sox made a stunning move toward the beginning of the 2025 season by trading away Rafael Devers that set them to the rebuild we have seen over the past few months. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Offseason Moves Below are a list of the Red Sox moves this offseason: Signed: Ranger Suarez

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 1/21/2026 Photo by Maddie Meyer/ Getty Images In 2002, the Patriots shocked the world by making a run for the ages in the playoffs and shocked the well-favored Rams to win their franchise's first Super Bowl. 24 years later and they have shocked the world again in the midst of another run for the Super Bowl. At the beginning of the season, Ceasar's Sportsbook had the Patriots Win-Loss Over/Under at 8.5 even though they finished last season at 4-1

by Zak Drapeau 1/11/2026 Sportz Nation Photo by Samantha Madar/ Columbus Dispatch/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images 1. Caleb Downs Safety 1 6'1" 204 lbs. Ohio State Strengths: - Great Special Teams Returner - High Production at both Ohio State and Alabama - Great processing speed when in deep and medium zone coverage. Uses zone IQ and athleticism to constantly threaten passing lanes. - Elite at sniffing out run plays and making plays in backfield. - Versatility. Can be dee

by Zak Drapeau 1/16/2026 - Sportz Nation Photo by Steven Bisig/ Imagn Images Game Preview A rematch from only 2 weeks ago, this game should be one of the closest of the week and the only divisional matchup in the Divisional Round. These NFC West rivals played twice this year and split the series, but when the stakes were at it's highest in a Week 18 game that was for the #1 seed in the NFC and the NFC West title, it was the Seahawks that played stronger on their way to a 13-3

by Zak Drapeau 1/12/2026 Sportz Nation Graphic by Jaren Kawada via Article on clutchpoints.com In the final matchup of Super Wildcard weekend, the 12-5 Houston Texans will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh tonight at 8:15 EST. The Texans are being favored by 3 points in the game with the Over/Under set at 38.5, which is the lowest of any game this weekend. Texans The Texans' identity has been their defense this season under Demeco Ryans which has

by Zak Drapeau 1/12/2026 Sportz Nation Photo by Greg M. Cooper/ Associated Press via Masslive.com Game Summary The Patriots defense played one of their best games all season as New England outclassed the Los Angeles Chargers to a 16-3 home victory. The name of the game for both sides was defense as the Pats themselves wouldn't score a touchdown until the 4th Quarter. The game was a chess match through and through with the real deciding factor being the Patriots' special team

by Zak Drapeau 1/8/2026 Sportz Nation Photo by Grant Halverson/ The Los Angeles Times After a crazy situation that saw the Panthers lose the Wildcard game that win it back just a day later as 3 teams tied for the NFC South crown, the Panthers won it by a series of tiebreakers and earned a Home Playoff game. Coming to Carolina will be the 5th-seeded Rams who were one of the best teams all season but couldn't win the NFC West division even with a 12-5 record. Being one of the b

by Zak Drapeau 1/7/2026 Sportz Nation Note From Author: I will be drafting based on all ORIGINAL Picks. Meaning the Browns are back at number 2 with the trade between the Jaguars and them never occurring. I am also taking in account for future potential and not redrafting SOLELY on 2025 performance, although their 2025 season will be heavily impactful toward this exercise. This is NOT my picks for Rookie of the Year odds nor my opinion of who had the best rookie seasons, rath

by Zak Drapeau 1/7/2026 Sportz Nation Head Coaches Photo by Patrick Smith/ Getty Images John Harbaugh (Ravens) The most shocking firing of the week is for sure Harbaugh. After 18 seasons, 12 playoff appearances, 1 Super Bowl victory and a combined record of 180-113, the Ravens have decided their future is better off in the hands of someone else. Their most recent season being the "final straw" after an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs. I will save most of my thoughts on t

by Zak Drapeau 1/6/2025 Sportz Nation Photo by Adam Hunger/ Getty Images 1. Fernando Mendoza QB 6'5" 225 lbs. Indiana Las Vegas Raiders With Pete Carroll being fired yesterday after one, terrible year on the job, the Raiders will be entering the offseason ready for a fresh start, and with valuable pieces to start with. The bigger question we should be asking is if the Raiders should trade away their pick or take one of the top QBs. I believe they should look for a trade d

by Zak Drapeau and Joseph McLaughlin 1/2/2025 Sportz Nation Steelers at Ravens (Sunday @ 8:20) Photo by Nick Wass/ Associated Press The final regular-season game of the 2025 season on Sunday Night Football will be a win-or-go-home match for the AFC North title between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Two teams that couldn't be more different besides their historical greatness, the Ravens and Steelers, will battle in Baltimore after Pittsburgh won their other matchup of the year in W

by Zak Drapeau 1/31/2025 Sportz Nation Here's a look at my list of my Top 24 Athletes of 2024 , with guys like Shohei Ohtani, Connor McDavid and a slew of Summer Olympians dominating the list. Without an Olympic event this year, this list will be compiled of mostly athletes in the big sporting leagues such as NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, various Soccer leagues and others. In the fourth year of doing this list, I am a bit biased toward the top sports leagues but will always give credi

by Zak Drapeau 12/30/2025 Sportz Nation Graphic by Bryan Logan/ clutchpoints.com/betting/miami-vs-ohio-state-prediction-odds-pick-for-cfp-quarterfinal-at-the-cotton-bowl Buckeyes-Hurricanes Preview The first matchup of Round 2 of these College Football Playoffs will be between the defending National Champion Buckeyes and the Miami Hurricanes at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. After the Hurricanes defeated the 3-seeded Texas A&M Aggies and the Buckeyes received a first-round