NFL Draft Notes, Knicks and Nuggets Red Flags, Atlanta’s Moment, and Vrabel’s Mess | With Rob Mahoney and Sean Fennessey

Bill Simmons recaps a packed sports night blending the NFL draft's relative quiet with intense NBA playoff action, highlighting key team moves, red flags, and series shifts while touching on a distracting scandal around new Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.

NFL Draft Takeaways

The 2025 draft unfolded as a subdued appetizer to next year's deeper class, with predictable top picks like Vegas taking the top quarterback months in advance. Standouts included the Giants landing elite pass rusher Abdul Carter (many boards' No. 1) at five and an offensive lineman at 10—positioning them as potential "worst-to-first" contenders like this year's Patriots, thanks to an easy schedule and new coach. The Jets netted three first-round starters (pass rusher, tight end, receiver) despite trading away assets, creating an optical illusion of value. Rams grabbed QB Tyler Shough at 13 without trading down, a Sean McVay-style gamble on a prospect with limited starts and late-season struggles who might sit behind Matthew Stafford. Other hits: linebacker Sonny Styles to Washington, safety Tyler Downs to Dallas. Concerns arose with Arizona's No. 3 RB pick (first top-three RB since 2012, facing a tough NFC West behind weak blocking), Ohio State's Tate at No. 4 (second-best receiver there, evoking Marvin Williams-over-Chris-Paul vibes), and injury-prone WR Tyson Bagent to the Saints, a team with spotty medi