Tinfoil time...
My research has shown that 24/7 settlements means tokenized securities.. aka. Crypto.
Previous sub post confirmed with RH that vendors halted trades. This would likely be a crypto OTC settlement system for institutional companies.
Guess who was RH's top MM before getting heat from SEC and was involved in tokenizing our stocks into FTX and terra during the original event, before they all collapsed? https://www.coindesk.com/business/2023/08/29/robinhood-and-jump-trading-no-longer-have-crypto-partnership-source/
Now RH's top MM is citadel. Per their 606 report.
https://cdn.robinhood.com/assets/robinhood/legal/RHF%20SEC%20Rule%20606%20and%20607%20Disclosure.pdf
Citadel recently started EDXM. A 24/7 "crypto asset" OTC settlement company for institutions. Just like FTX. Tokenized securities are a crypto asset.
This was 5 days ago...
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240507178717/en/EDX-Markets-Launches-Singapore-Based-EDXM-Global
"EDX Markets Launches Singapore-Based EDXM Global EDXM Global platform to provide members with the most competitive and efficient settlement process. GSR and Virtu Financial are among the first adopters of EDXM Global. May 07, 2024 11:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EDXM Global (EDXMG), a fast-growing digital asset company for institutional customers, announced today the launch of its settlement platform. EDXM Global sets a new standard in the digital asset landscape, streamlining OTC transaction settlements with remarkable speed and reliability. Marking a significant milestone, industry giants GSR and Virtu Financial were the first firms to use the new platform for trade settlement.
“We are pleased to support the launch of EDXM Global. Being able to mitigate settlement risks for OTC transactions represents a significant advantage for us and our clients, and we are proud to align with a partner that mirrors our dedication to excellence and innovation.”
Post this The launch of EDXM Global comes after its parent, EDX Markets Holdings LLC (EDX), closed its Series B funding round late last year. Pantera Capital co-led the round with Sequoia Capital, a founding consortium member. Other founding members participating in the Series B include Citadel Securities, Fidelity Digital AssetsSM, and Virtu Financial.
Jamil Nazarali, CEO of EDX, commented, "The launch of EDXM Global is the first step in the international expansion of our digital asset business. We are thrilled to introduce our settlement service, built on cutting-edge technology, rigorous compliance, and an unwavering commitment to customer service. By mitigating counterparty risks, EDXM Global empowers our Members to navigate the complexities of trade settlement while reducing counterparty risks."
Rich Rosenblum, Co-founder and President of GSR, said, "We are pleased to support the launch of EDXM Global. Being able to mitigate settlement risks for OTC transactions represents a significant advantage for us and our clients, and we are proud to align with a partner that mirrors our dedication to excellence and innovation.”
Douglas Cifu, CEO of Virtu Financial, said, “Virtu is excited to support another strategic innovation by the talented team at EDX. EDX continues to lead the way with solutions to efficiently mitigate counterparty risk and streamline settlement processes, further reducing risk and operational barriers to enable greater adoption of digital assets around the globe.”
Series B funding by virtu, Fidelity digital, and Sequoia.
Reports on this sub confirming rh vendors aren't letting orders through. That would be the MMs listed on the 606 report.. Citadel, virtu, ect.
Halted in the states and South Korea.
Sequoia Capital... one of the major creditors of FTX(but they claim they knew nothing about FTX crimes) and funding EDXM... also funding crypto businesses in South Korea.
https://www.sequoiacap.com/scge/
"SCGE’s private portfolio includes emerging leaders in the United States, Brazil, China, India, Israel, Japan, and South Korea. "
Check the charts...
Notice the inverse correlation to all crypto... GME and crypto also stalled and stabilized precisely the same time...
This wreaks of tokenized securities all over again. This time I suspect Citadel's EDXM, possibly Coinbase. Known to have routed RH/Jump trading orders in 21.
SEC vs Coinbase... https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67478179/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-coinbase-inc/?order_by=desc
This was filed 2 days ago...
May 10, 2024
MEMORANDUM OF LAW in Opposition re: 109 MOTION for Leave to Appeal Pursuant to 28 USC 1292(b). Document filed by Securities and Exchange Commission..(Mancuso, Peter) (Entered: 05/10/2024)
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67478179/125/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-coinbase-inc/
Just my two cents.
Edit: RH is claiming Blue Ocean ATS is the responsible AH vendor ...(see comment below to sub link)
Blue Ocean just partnered with MEMX(checks investors).. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blue-ocean-technologies-selects-memx-as-technology-partner-to-power-blue-ocean-ats-302044198.html
MEMX also powers EDXM.
https://www.marketsmedia.com/digital-asset-exchange-edx-markets-launches/
Blue ocean was caught up in the SEC investigation of tZero.. another tokenization platform with a vocal character known here.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191111005659/en/Blue-Ocean-Management-Partners-Assumes-Management-Control-of-Blue-Ocean-Technologies

My wife had an asylum case for 10 years. She had a interview with asylum in December 2021 with her ex husband. Her Ex never informed her of the date and she missed it. She was put in removal procedure. As a USC I married my wife in September 2022. We filed the paperwork in November 2022 for her green card. She has gone to court multiple times to have her EX removed from her proceedings and each time she has written proof that he has been removed and no longer on her case. In December 2023 we heard back from USCIS that we had been approved but she had a new court date in December 2025 with her ex-husband that need to be cleared for before her green card can proceed. We motioned a third time to be removed from the immigration court with proof of over marriage and kids. We heard back yesterday, that our motion was denied, saying good cause has not been established, Respondent doesn't not appear to be prima facie eligible to apply for collateral relief at this time. And it looks like her Dec 2025 has been removed of the docket as well. She has 25 days to appeal this decision. I am not sure what to do and what steps to take next. If she doesn't appeal does she go into deportation? USCIS said our application will be open until December. She has no contact with her ex husband so getting any info from his side is impossible. Any help would be appreciated.

I was recently approved for an appeal to independent status. I am currently a low income student with an EFF of 0 from FAFSA, could anyone offer insight as to what my financial aid package might look like? If anyone is in a similar experience I’d love to hear your experience with financial aid. I know USC has a reputation for being fairly generous to low income students, but have also heard a lot of mixed opinions. TLDR; low income students, what is your aid package like?

Hi guys I got lucky, and was wondering if I could get some feedback or help on deciding where to go to college.
I’m set on one of these two but I can’t make a decision.
USC: Admitted into Marshall (Business). 29k a year. Close to home. I tried to appeal for more aid but got denied. Other years would probably be cheaper.
UC Berkeley: Admitted undeclared. 7k a year. Far from home. Can apply to Haas sophomore year.
I want to major in business. The undeclared for Berkeley kind of messes it up for me.

Is my landlord’s negligence elder abuse ( e a ) ? Can I take landlord to court over any of these issues? In the last 4yrs management has ignored my complaints regarding two lessee’s that occupied the next door apartment. My complaints allege HUD violations- ( see lessee#1 and lessee#2 ).
Background: New Jersey resident. I’m 72 ( M ) tenant in building 10 yrs. Bldg is mixed population, mostly seniors and disabled folks. HUD supplies rental assistance. Lessee#1 : female late 40’s I lived next door to her and bf for 3 1/2 years ( 2020–2023 ). Overall, she resided over 10 yrs as tenant–also boyfriend always lived with her. Tenant had many lease violation, I complained abut quiet enjoyment and noise. In 2021 mgmt issued Notice to Cease. Woman died last year, man was never on lease. After her death man stayed in apt for 3 months ( squatter ). Mgmt finally changed locks and removed him. Online research revealed man had prison record 20 yrs ago. He is registered sex offender ( major HUD violation ). I showed mgmt man’s record-nothing was done.
Lesssee #2: Man moved in 7 months ago, mid 60’s lived in bldg 10-12 yrs. He is alcoholic with mental illness. A month ago he had psychotic rampage…he opened his door and began tossing chairs, lamps, tables, etc into hallway—he said someone was trying to kill him ( NO ). It took 2 police and 3 EMT to escort him to hospital for observation. He is still living next door to me. I have asked mgmt and HUD to relocate him. They have done nothing.
Sorry for long story, almost done.
Addendum: #1. Army Veteran. Served in 1970’s-honorable service. Been diagnosed with PTSD by VA and civilian drs—had two bad stressors on active duty. One stressor was non-combat in-service personal assault in 1973 ( 50 years ago ). Have filed numerous VA claims, BVA ( Board ) has rejected all of them. I have an appeal on remand. I don’t receive an VA disability comp. #2. The Fair Housing Act: 42 USC 3617 points out the interference, intimidation, coercion, and threats are violations. Likewise, New Jersey law NJSA 2C: 24-8 ( elder abuse is a crime). #3 ADA under Americans wit Disabilities Act my physical disability allows for transportation. #4. Legal help. Have contacted everyone. Legal services, HUD, emails to private attorneys/ agencies. Nothing. #5 Voting. Am I voting in 2024 ? Quid Pro Quo! Quid Pro Quo !

Brooke Theiss (Leslie Sumner) is a guest host.
​

• Larry Mollin and his sister had a family dinner together for Rosh Hashanah. They cooked together.
• They wanted to create a sorority president who would welcome others. Someone who would project a good image of the sorority, and make it appealing to join there.
• Larry Mollin got to name the KEG House in “The Little Fish”. Writer Chip Johannsen got to name the “Alpha House” in “Greek To Me”.
• Pete Ferriero and his sister used to watch “Just the 10 of us”. Theiss was on that show.
• She was also on “A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master”. She still does horror conventions because of it.
• Theiss guest starred on Growing Pains.
• There was also a search for twins on Growing Pains. They ended up using the Creel sisters, who are triplets. Monica Creel would also end up on Beverly Hills, 90210 on “The Twins, The Trustee, And The Very Big Trip”, playing Claire and Rory.
• Dianne Young called Theiss for the Beverly Hills, 90210 audition.
• Theiss was excited when they wanted to bring her back for the Rose Bowl plot.
• She was pregnant. They wanted to shoot on her due date. She said she’d be available.
• Her baby ended up coming 2 weeks early, so it worked out. Her 2 week old baby was with her for the wardrobe fitting.
• Mollin: Theiss represented the “sorority girl”, someone who would be the welcoming figure.
• When Rosin went to UC Berkeley, they thought the fraternity system was going out of business, at that time.
• Rosin’s nephews are currently active with their fraternities at UCLA and UC Irvine.
• Rosin notices how only fraternities get kicked out of USC, not sororities.
• During the scene when Sumner introduces herself to Kelly, Brenda, Andrea, and Donna, Rosin notices how Brenda’s arms are folded. He says Brenda really didn’t want to be there. He says perhaps having just come back from the University Of Minnesota, she just wasn’t in the right place to rush for one.
• Both of Theiss’ parents went to UCLA, and a fraternity and sorority.
• Theiss’ future daughter in law went to UC Berkeley. Her son went to UC Santa Cruz. She says those campuses don’t have that greek life.
• Theiss said the female cast members were cliquey, but the boys weren’t.
• Luke Perry went up to her and asked her if she remembered both of them trying out for the same soap opera. She felt so welcomed by the guys. Not so much from the girls.
• Theiss felt that the female actors were guarded.
• She felt a sense of turmoil from them. And felt they were stressed.
• Rosin says that the actors were also going through a change. Instead of filming in Torrance, where the high school was, they were filming in Eagle Rock. So some of their security blanket had been taken away.
• Rosin says there wasn’t an opportunity for Sumner to come back in season 5, because in season 5, they didn’t focus on Greek life so much. They focused on Brandon’s political campaign.
• Sumner didn’t realize there was a switch in KEG presidents.
• Larry Mollin says that the 2nd president didn’t want to play a gay character.

​

• Theiss found out in 2020 that she’s Jewish. She took a DNA test. She’s a German Jew. Her great great grandfather was Jewish. It’s ironic that she played a character that was trying to hide being Jewish, given the realization she found out a few years ago that she was Jewish too.
• Her future daughter in law is Jewish.
• Mollin says that as a guest star, Theiss had to serve the show. She played a character that wasn’t put in the best light.
• Rosin says that Gabrielle Carteris’ least favorite moment was off screen, when the network executives asked Carteris not to wear the Star Of David. She had previously worn it in a high school episode. The network executives asked the producers to ask Carteris to take it off.
• So, this plot was directed right back at the network, and the producers that went along with it.
• Rosin says the network was thinking “you outfoxed us again!” by having this plot.
• Rosin likes how there’s a happy ending, with Sumner revealing she’s the one that’s guilty about being Jewish, and apologizing to Andrea.
• Rosin was asked to do a plot during the high school years, about a teenage escort. He did not want to do that for this show.
• Larry Mollin’s high school girlfriend’s last name was Schulman, which was Leslie’s real last name.
• Theiss had a great time playing with Ian Ziering in the pool, at the frat pool party.
• She was engaged at that time.
• Paul Johannsen (John Sears) and her got along well.
• Johannsen had a convertible. He’d put his great dane in the back.
• She remained friends with him for years afterwards.

​

• The scene where John Sears behaves weird at Thanksgiving, is discussed.
• There’s a line that reveals that the KEG president has changed. They couldn’t get Patrick Fabian, who played the first one, back.
• Theiss worked with Brandon Douglas, who played the 2nd KEG president, on “Just The 10 Of Us”.
• Rosin says A.J. Langer, who played Denise from the Downey House, was available. Langer was supposed to be on “My So Called Life”, but that show was having problems with authority. That show called themselves “The non 90210”, which pissed Rosin and Mollin. So they were glad to take Langer from that show.
• Langer has now married royalty.
• She does get some fans from Beverly Hills, 90210, and some from Nightmare On Elm Street, and Just The 10 Of Us.
• She does conventions too.
• Theiss likes how this show deals with topics that were relevant, like in “Take Back The Night” or being gay in “Blind Spot”.
• Theiss was in the pilot of “American Dreams”.
• She once ran into Virgina Madsen, from “American Dreams”. Madsen told Theiss that she got fired from that show.
• Rosin says sometimes executive producers try to save themselves when told there’s a problem with a show. They’ll say they’ll change some of the cast, just to give an indication that they’re doing something different, to try and appease the higher ups.
• Mollin once had a friend that almost made it to a pilot. The casting director said to Mollin that the friend was “yesterday’s wardrobe”.

​

• Dylan kisses Kelly when she’s wearing cold cream and has a shower cap on.
• Rosin says now, at Wisconsin, you don’t rush in the first semester. You rush in the 2nd, so they let you get used to college first.
• Perry was Theiss’ favorite actor on the set.
• Mollin says Luke Perry would welcome stars by saying “Forget the bitches, I’m here”. Or “how are the bitches treating you?”
• Theiss says he did that, but also did not ostracize himself from the female cast members.
• Theiss says season 6 was easier. She felt part of the extended cast then. However, the other cast members said they dressed her like a 40 year old woman.
• Theiss says she wished she would have had a kiss scene with Luke Perry.
• Theiss’ mom would take her to the Rose Bowl every year. They would start at 6am.
• Theiss auditioned for Hasbro’s Maxie doll, for commercials. 6 months later they asked her for a call back. It ended up just being her in the call back. She had a 5 year contract with Hasbro. She would talk to girls as Maxie. They would put $10,000 wigs on her head.
• She got a lot of PR training on how to circle back to what she wanted to talk to, no matter what an interviewer asked her.
• Her 5 year contract lasted 2 years. Maxie could not compete with Barbie.

Hey everyone, I needed some help! I've been accepted to both USC and UW Madison with pretty large merit scholarships and am unable to decide which one to go to this fall. I've applied as an Electrical Engineering major at both places and am OOS for both as well (citizen living abroad.) I'd really appreciate any input you all have on my dilemma.
USC Pros:

• Presidential and Viterbi scholar (nicer dorms, scholars society, etc.)
• LA location is unmatched for internships and social life (and great weather tbh)
• good opportunities to network because of the strong alumni network (is the trojan network worth it?)
• Viterbi (School of Engineering) is really small and tight-knit which means more chances to connect with professors and more resources per student
• Great clubs for engineering like Formula SAE and the rocket propulsion lab (RPL)
• Better salary outcomes straight out of college
• Better ranked overall

USC Cons:

• Almost $20k a year more (but my parents tell me it's not a factor at all and they can easily cover it)
• Engineering is ranked slightly worse than UW-M

UW Madison Pros:

• Way cheaper, almost free if you don't consider personal expenditure, books etc.
• Better ranked engineering (and bigger program so more resources overall?)
• Great college life socially from what I've heard
• Better reputation in academic circles?

UW Madison Cons:

• Worse salary outcomes out of college
• 46% of engineering grads stay in Wisconsin which isn't something I find appealing
• Not very strong alumni network(?) and worse dorms.
• Ranked slightly worse than USC overall

Thanks for reading this far and any input at all would be amazing!

Hey everyone, I needed some help! I've been accepted to both USC and UW Madison with pretty large merit scholarships and am unable to decide which one to go to this fall. I've applied as an Electrical Engineering major at both places and am OOS for both as well (citizen living abroad.) I'd really appreciate any input you all have on my dilemma.
USC Pros:

• Presidential and Viterbi scholar (nicer dorms, scholars society, etc.)
• LA location is unmatched for internships and social life (and great weather tbh)
• good opportunities to network because of the strong alumni network (is the trojan network worth it?)
• Viterbi (School of Engineering) is really small and tight-knit which means more chances to connect with professors and more resources per student
• Great clubs for engineering like Formula SAE and the rocket propulsion lab (RPL)
• Better salary outcomes straight out of college
• Better ranked overall

USC Cons:

• Almost $20k a year more (but my parents tell me it's not a factor at all and they can easily cover it)
• Engineering is ranked slightly worse than UW-M

UW Madison Pros:

• Way cheaper, almost free if you don't consider personal expenditure, books etc.
• Better ranked engineering (and bigger program so more resources overall?)
• Great college life socially from what I've heard
• Better reputation in academic circles?

UW Madison Cons:

• Worse salary outcomes out of college
• 46% of engineering grads stay in Wisconsin which isn't something I find appealing
• Not very strong alumni network(?) and worse dorms.
• Ranked slightly worse than USC overall

Thanks for reading this far and any input at all would be amazing!

I applied to transfer to USC in February and now I am currently waiting for decisions later this May. However, I noticed that USC accepts some transfers as spring admins to allow more qualified applicants a spot in admissions, and I was wondering how they decide to admit someone as a spring vs a fall admin. If I were a rising junior coming from UT Austin (public four year university), would my likelihood of being accepted as a spring transfer be higher than being a fall transfer? I don't really like the idea of being accepted as a spring transfer, and I know the chances are slim, but has anyone successfully appealed their acceptance as a spring to a fall transfer?

I applied to transfer to USC in February and now I am currently waiting for decisions later this May. However, I noticed that USC accepts some transfers as spring admins to allow more qualified applicants a spot in admissions, and I was wondering how they decide to admit someone as a spring vs a fall admin. If I were a rising junior coming from UT Austin (public four year university), would my likelihood of being accepted as a spring transfer be higher than being a fall transfer? I don't really like the idea of being accepted as a spring transfer, and I know the chances are slim, but has anyone successfully appealed their acceptance as a spring to a fall transfer?

I applied to transfer to USC in February and now I am currently waiting for decisions later this May. However, I noticed that USC accepts some transfers as spring admins to allow more qualified applicants a spot in admissions, and I was wondering how they decide to admit someone as a spring vs a fall admin. If I were a rising junior coming from UT Austin (public four year university), would my likelihood of being accepted as a spring transfer be higher than being a fall transfer? I don't really like the idea of being accepted as a spring transfer, and I know the chances are slim, but has anyone successfully appealed their acceptance as a spring to a fall transfer?

Hello! I am a rising senior and plan to do my college applications this summer. I have no idea where to apply to and I would love to have a good college experience since my high school one was pretty boring. With some of this information, can anyone give recommendations to schools that may be a good fit? First I'll start off by saying I am completely blind but have a lot of ambition. Accessibility is a big thing for me and inclusivity. I would like to have a good social life in college but I don't know how I feel about parties so going to a school where that's a mix but not an over load of parties would be good. I have no idea what I want to do as a career so I may transfer or change majors. I plan on going in as either undecided, psych, or premad major. I would also like to be near a town or city that's generally fun to be in to go exploring, shopping, or out to eat with friends. However, I like the country since it tends to be very calming to me. Horses are another one of my passions and I plan on riding in college. I also intend on majoring + a double minor program in creative writing and music. I'm still thinking about triple minoring but it depends on what I find that I like when it comes closer to that time. I like the idea of large major availability since I mentioned I don't know what I want to do yet. I like schools that off internships or job oppertunities I want to go to a school that is challenging but is able to have a balance with school/life. The people are important to me as well. I have no appeal to go to a college that is known for having a preppy and pretentious attitude especially having a disability. I would like to da lot of activities regarding arts and have a well rounded education which has lead some people to say a liberal arts college may be good for me.
I know there are so many more things I can't think of right now but those are just a few big deciding factors. For context: Some schools I'm considering are University of Michigan, Clemson, USC, Firmun University, Wofford, Ohio State University, University of North Carolina, University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Wisconsin, University of Pennsylvania, Stanferd, Duke, and Slippery Rock University. There are so many others on my list and I am aware that some of these are reach schools but I do have a 4.0 GPA and have taken AP classes so I plan on applying. I appologize if this poast is all over the place! I appreciate any advice given!

I’m a student who is slated to attend to USC in the fall, but, given that I paid no deposit, am still weighing attending UCLA over USC. The financial aid offers each school gave me caused the net cost to be nearly identical, to the point finances don’t really affect my decision.
I was accepted into USC for Legal Studies (an undergraduate program within their law school). I was accepted into UCLA for political science. For either, I would be on the pre-law track.
I am currently paralyzed by indecision. While I would prefer to live in Westwood, I also realize that USC having a smaller undergraduate population (plus a very small major) would be incredibly beneficial thing for networking (smaller class sizes, more personalized services). Furthermore, USC has an accelerated law degree program that would allow me to attend their law school (without needing to take the LSAT, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t anyways). Not to mention, their alumni network is also an appealing factor to me.
However, UCLA has academic programs I am very interested in on top of political science (disability studies, education and information studies) as minor or major candidates that I really want to explore. I know I can still follow the law pathway at UCLA, even if I will get let of a taste for law than at USC. I am not entirely sure how much I want to be a lawyer, and trying the majors I’m interested in at UCLA sound appealing, but changing majors at USC is way easier.
The final thing I’m concerned about, but not entirely sure is true is USC’s reputation for having a large population of “spoiled children”. I worry their campus culture may not be as much to my liking as UCLA’s. It is a small sample size, but I’ve found it easier to connect with people going to UCLA, though I’m not sure how much that matters.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that USC offers me far more personalized attention and support for career development and a good inroad into law school if I choose to take it. UCLA offers a location I prefer (though, admittedly, I think I can get used to living anywhere), a few unique programs I’d like to try, and may potentially be a place I fit in with slightly more, but the class sizes will be larger (and interacting with the school will be more bureaucratic). It also doesn’t shut the door on law school, but it will mean more work in preparing to go there.
If anyone with inside information has input to add to my preconceived notions (ex: what the disability studies classes are like) of either school or honest suggestions, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you! :)

So I'm in Bye Bye Birdie for the first time. There are SO many references that I feel like I had to do research to figure out. I can't believe how much I miss of the references and context. The only place I found these compiled was this text-based personal website last dated 16 years ago, and even then it's only a few (though really key ones!) and some of them don't show up in my 2024 copy - I wonder if they were pared down. Regardless, figured I'd make a context and reference list based on the copy I have!
I can't fit it all in one post, I exceed the text limit, so we'll start with Act 1 with general context stuff and the second post will be Act 2 only :)

Context

How Dated Was the Musical When Released?
Bye Bye Birdie is famously a direct reference to Elvis Presley getting drafted in 1957 and the stir it caused. But note the musical was written and published in 1958, and went on Broadway in 1960. It's like if a musical went on Broadway this year (2024) about a blonde-haired pop star named Tay-lee Quick (instead of Taylor Swift) who performed a world tour, but didn't initially book any dates in Canada, causing a massive outcry, leading to several Canadian officials and the president "Justice Troodoo" to beg her to stop there and... something else silly happens involving her, then she gets punched by a jealous girlfriend, and silliness ensues.
That is how on-the-nose this musical really is. There are many references to what would have been VERY modern events in this musical. For that reason, I'll try to give some equivalences of how the references in the musical would sound if it was written today.
Elvis' Perception in America
This extensive Wikipedia article does a great job of saying in many words that Elvis was insanely influential and deeply controversial. 1956 was a major year of stardom for Elvis -
Phone Calls
Phones are obviously a huge part of this musical! Wanted to combine all the phone references here.
Kim's Phone Number: Kim's number is, according to Rosie in Act 1, Scene 1, "Capitol 7 - 8820". In the 50s, the previous system which used 6-digit phone numbers started to be replaced by one that used an "exchange prefix" and 5 digits after. (Source) (Source) At the time, phone numbers that didn't connect to anyone were given out for shows like I Love Lucy, so that may be what happened here as well, though I don't know.
One Phone Line to Share: Kim's mother asks her to get off the phone early in the play so she can take a phone call. For a long time before cell phones, each home had a "home number" and you couldn't use it at the same time. This is why Kim's mother is asking her to finish up her call so she can call someone and eventually get a phone call as well.
Picking Kim's Number: Rosie uses a rolodex she randomly flips through to pick Kim - which would have been very standard in the 1950s.
The Operator Trying to Get Through: Calls were pushed through using real people, usually women, plugging lines into a "switchboard" to connect them manually. So when Kim's mom says the operator has been trying to get through for nearly three quarters of an hour, she's been trying to not get a busy signal when manually connecting the lines for 45 minutes! That's dedication!
Mr. MacAfee Frustrated with Long Distance Calls: Cost of international calls at this time was per-minute - so calls to New York, Chicago, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hong Kong would have cost a pretty penny - over $100 for the first 3 minutes in a similar estimation! It sounds like Conrad and Albert didn't really offer to cover this cost, so you can see why Mr. MacAfee is so cross.
Getting Pinned/Going Steady
"Going steady" referred to, in short, being exclusive with someone. "As Time reported in 1957, "Boys and girls who go steady dance together exclusively (cutting in is frowned upon), sip their sodas, absorb their double features and spin their platters in each other's company or not at all. Steady-going girls indicate their unavailability in various ways, [like] the old-fashioned fraternity pins." (Source) It's mentioned in other sources that this could also be school pins, or rings. Something to show your commitment. One of the heads of my production described it like a "promise ring". It's definitely a firmer promise and commitment then just going out with someone, but not quite an engagement.
However, why, if this is such a sweet gesture of romantic love and commitment, would everyone be freaking out about it, and Kim's parents potentially not reacting well to "getting pinned" or "going steady"? (Kim has a line where she exclaims to her mother that she thinks her dad took the announcement "awfully well"). Truth be told, going steady in high school was actually highly discouraged by adults and especially church at the time. This article/Reddit thread sheds some light. I'll copy the first comment here by u/Gfrisse1. "It was felt that going steady would encourage the relationship to develop into one of physical intimacy, something parents wished to avoid. On the other hand, dating a wider, more diverse number of individuals would give them the experience of being exposed to a greater number of character and personality types, thereby helping to hone their mate-selection skills for later on. In the meantime, the short-term relationships were not expected to get much beyond the first- or second-date stage of intimacy. (One-night-stands, or casual hook-ups were not as common-place as they are today.)"
Cigarettes/Age
There are many references to smoking, cigarettes, and how old you should be in this play. It's complicated, but just know that in the 1950s, EVERYONE smoked. Everywhere. In the early 1950s, though, the first studies were coming out with the link to lung cancer, and tobacco companies used every trick in the book to try to squash that. It's genuinely fascinating (and terrifying) how much money and strategy was poured into this misinformation campaign. Read about it here. Anyway, what this means is in the late 1950s, it's not like most were giving up smoking, but because tobacco companies had started more explicitly advertising to minors, several states were in debate about the smoking age. It varied from 21 to 16, but just know that Kim was not considered old enough to be doing it. (Source.)) However, MANY minors did. Think of it like underaged drinking today as the best analogy. There's some specific cigarette references that will pop up in specific scenes, but just know that's the standard.
Patriotism
Fresh(ish) off of the victory of World War II, which was filled with MASSIVE pushes for increased American patriotism (to the degree that Disney even got in on it!), love for the USA was very culturally acceptable and a way to show you were a good person! It was easy to rally around (especially if you ignored the growing civil rights movement of Black people trying to achieve equality, which many white people at the time were very happy to do until they could no longer ignore it - obviously, not touched on in this musical, but significant. Several racist references have been either removed or are requested to be removed by current versions.) But that's why we hear so many classic American anthems in this play!

References by Order of Appearance (Act 1)

Almaelou Music Corporation

This is the end of Almaelou Music Corporation!

Almaelou may very well be a parody of Aldon Music, which would fit due to its major success being in the late 50s, and it's influence in music written for teen girls at the time.
Arpege

Rosie: A five-dollar raise in 1954 and a bottle of Arpege last Christmas.

Arpege is a perfume that was released in 1927 and remained the best-selling perfume of well-loved fashion line Levine for decades. (Source) Albert is quoting a commercial tagline tied to the perfume that was very well-known at the time. It continued to be used in commercials for many years. (Commercial example). It was possible to see 1/2 oz bottles at the time (Source), but Albert gave her a laughably small amount at 1/16 of an ounce. You can still buy this perfume today!
A five-dollar raise in 1954. Secretaries in metropolitan areas could earn around $75 a week. (Source) A five-dollar raise bringing that to $80 a week would, ironically, be about a 1/16 increase in earnings. Also, Rosie is pointing out in an earlier line she has put in 90 hour weeks and hasn't gotten a raise in four years.
Modern example:

Rosie: My last raise was four years ago and you got me that jewelry from Kay Jewelers once
Albert: "Every Kiss Begins with Kay", Rosie. Rosie: Not when that "Kay" is a .25 karat discontinued friendship ring!

Music Business Bum Vs. English Teacher
This is related to the prestige of being an English teacher who is helping people learn a scholarly subject vs. the "seedy" music industry.
Ugga Bugga Boo

"When you wrote Conrad's last hit 'Ugga Bugga Boo' then I knew this was it/You were thru with English forever."

Ugga Bugga Boo is a real song released 1947. It's a comedy song, written by voice acting legend and radio host Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and many others) for his comedy radio show. I do wonder if Elvis had a song in this vein, as the Jetsons did a similar parody with an Elvis expy a few years later, but I couldn't find one.
Geoffrey ChauceWilliam Morris

"It was goodbye, Geoffrey ChauceHello, William Morris"

Geoffrey Chaucer is considered one of the greatest English writers, specifically poets, of all time. Born in the 1400s.
As for William Morris, this could be two references, possibly combining.
William Morris Agency was an incredibly famous music talent agency that would have likely been known by some audience members in the 1950s. They've represented tons of major talent. This is what I believe is the most likely reference given the song context.
However William Morris was a man also considered a legendary poet during his life, born in the 1830s. However, he also made wallpapers and textiles. After his passing, he became infinitely more famous in the public eye for his wallpaper designs than he did for his poetry. This is could be a dig at that Alfred could be great in the English world, but like Morris, his legacy will be for something "silly" instead. (Important to note that his works, both art and poetry, had great impact - and this may just be a coincidence reference, I don't know)
Bliss! Kiss! That rhymes! I wonder if anyone's ever used it before?
Many people had and have, this is a joke of him being unaware of current trends. Dean Martin had a #1 song in 1955 with this very rhyme for instance that audiences may have remembered at the time.
Dentifrice

Albert: Oh one last kiss; it gives so much bliss... what is your dentifrice! No, that's too clinical...

Basically, toothpaste. Which is, kind of, related to kissing? It could actually be a paste or powder for cleaning the teeth, though in the 50s it wouldn't have been the default way to refer to what you used it seems from my research, like in this commercial. May be a way to show off that Albert really does have an excellent English teacher level vocabulary!
A modern example may be "do you use fluoride? No, that's too clinical..."
"What's the story? Morning glory?"
This is most likely a reference to the song "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?" by jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald released in 1958, another topical reference. It's very possible Helen, the teen who says this line, would be aware of the song because Ella Fitzgerald in 1956 had released her "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book" album, her attempt to pull in a non-jazz audience. (Source on Ella's Discography)
"What's the tale, nightingale" is most likely an original line to match the "Morning glory" one, same with the hummingbird line.
"Go to a fancy night club and stay out after ten!"
A nightclub was different from what we think of today. Think tables and chairs, late night musical performances (not the NSFW kind), and in some of the most famous like the Copacabana night club, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. And drinking, of course! Source on Nightclub Definition
18 in World War II

Mr. MacAfee: I am not an old man! I was 18 in World War II.

This is one that may get a bit better with time. WWII ended in 1945, but the play is in 1958 at the earliest. It's better to demonstrate with a modern example written for 2024. "I am not an old man! I was 18 when Facebook first launched." Not quite the same impact as WWII, but the timeline is similar. Essentially this is not a flex and just shows he definitely is old to a teenager.
No Smoking 'Till You're 14

Albert: Remember the Conrad Birdie Creed dear. No smoking till you're fourteen.

As mentioned in my blurb above, 14 was too young to smoke. A modern version may say "No drinking 'till you're 16" or something. Similar to the line "and stay out of the bar!" later on.
"Go down to Track 12"

Albert: Why don't you girls go down to Track 12 and I'll talk to her.

This is one of the many train tracks that must have run through this station. This station is located in New York, so it would make sense for there to be at least 12.
Wear your rubbers

"Keep your money in your inside pocket. Wear your rubbers. And eat a hot lunch..."

While "rubber" as slang for a condom definitely did exist in the 1950s, I believe it's far more likely Mae is referring to overshoes due to the context, though to be fair, I can't find a source to this being "official slang" besides casual mention in posts like these. Something tells me Mae is not randomly mentioning condoms lol.
A Plain G.I.

Albert: Proud to be a plain G.I.!

Mentioning this because it's faded away from current use and surged in usage most recently at WWII, this is just referring to being a soldier. (Source) Hence, G.I. Joe, if you're old enough to remember that.
Appealing for the Draft

Albert: And that's why he volunteered for...

Men were drafted to join the US armed forces until 1973. (Source)
Jerries

Albert: "Say Mr. Peterson," he cried eagerly, "Do you suppose I can get assigned to the front-line trenches? That way I'll be sure to get one of those dirty jerries..."

"Jerries" is slang for German soldiers and was most popular during WWII. The joke here is that WWII is over at this point - the enemies Conrad would be facing at this time would be the Vietnamese, not the Germans. When Rosie tries to correct him, he just says "whoever's dirty this time!".
2024 equivalent: "Conrad said 'Is there any way I could be placed on Seal Team 6? That way I'll be sure to get that Osama Bin Laden for sure!'" "Albert!" "...Or whoever the terrorist is this time!"
Rosie + Albert's "Origin Stories" for Conrad
Just a few references from Rosie's and Albert's stories in "Healthy Normal American Boy" that may be interesting.
Old Virginie - This may be known as a historical fact for people in Virginia, but Carry Me Back to Old Virginny was popular enough in the state of Virginia that it was the state song starting in 1940. In 1940, the version that became the state song had "Virginia" instead of "Virginny", but people watching the musical would definitely be familiar with the original version as this play was only 20 years later.
Indo-China - An eastern territory that got independence from France claim in 1954, and comprised Cambodia, Laos, and parts of Vietnam. Audiences would have been very aware of what Indochina was - according to Wikipedia, "The events of [Indochina getting independence in 1954 through the Geneva Convention and the political tensions of that between S/N Vietnam and other countries] marked the beginnings of serious United States involvement in Vietnam and the ensuing Vietnam War." (Source) Remember, that's the current war during the events of the play!
Dirty Hong Kong moon - We had a complicated relationship with Hong Kong in the 1950s-60s. Read more here. Though I'm not sure if this is meant to be a mis-insult like when Albert said "dirty Jerries".
A wire to New York

Another Reporter: I'll make sure we've got a wire to New York.

This is almost certainly setting up a telegraph communication to New York, which was still happening (though declining in popularity) by 1960. (Source)
I mean I really feel that girl

Conrad: When I sing about a tree/I really feel that tree!/When I sing about a girl,/I really feel that girl,/I mean I really feel sincere!

This isn't necessarily specific to the 50s or 60s but I think this joke gets missed because it seems so tame today. A huge part of Elvis' appeal was his explicit sex appeal at the time (in the form of - gasp! - hip thrusts!) so he's slipping in accidentally a reference to "feeling up" a girl%20for%20sexual%20pleasure) here. Yeah, that slang started in the 1930s!
Mr. MacAfee's Speech
Just know that this is a lot of great historical references, nothing specific to 1950 - 60.
Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan was the nationwide sensation that lead The Ed Sullivan Show, a TV program considered one of the most iconic of all time in US television history. You have to understand just how influential and huge the Ed Sullivan Show was at this time. It's genuinely difficult to think of an equivalent in 2024 - today, people get entertainment from tons of sources on the internet, TV, etc. but in 1960 there were THREE television channels. That was it. THREE. To be fair, there were many, many more radio stations that could deliver information and entertainment, but by 1960 it was a TV nation - as the Library of Congress says, "In 1950 only 9 percent of American households had a television set, but by 1960 the figure had reached 90 percent." The Ed Sullivan Show was well watched and well loved by all of the United States. (And Albert saying that they would appear on Sunday at 8:05 was right, as that's when it aired in real life!)
One reason Ed Sullivan is specifically picked is the absolute bombshell of a privilege to be a normal family on this show beamed in practically every household in the United States. But another is Elvis' relationship with the show. When Elvis finally appeared on the show in 1956, it set a record of the most-viewed TV program ever in the US. In fact, it still holds the record TODAY of having the highest share of TV viewers in all of television history in the US. No other TV program has ever had a higher percentage of people tune in vs. other stations. (I mean, that's helped by the fact that there were only 3 choices, but still!) So yeah - this was a cultural phenomenon that was easy to reference in this show!
Margo out of Shangri-La

Mrs. Peterson: She looks like Margo when they took her out of Shangri-La.

Going to take this one right from that personal website I referenced above!

In the 1937 [movie] "Lost Horizon)" [...] a group of travelers are stuck in a utopia called Shangri-La, somewhere in the Himalayas. One of the residents of Shangri-La is Maria, played by Margo), a Mexican dancer and actress. When the travelers finally escape, Maria insists on going with them. But outside the realm of Shangri-La, her youthful beauty can no longer be maintained and she reverts to her true age, causing her to die and her appearance to transform to the hideously withered, wrinkled features of someone who has lived way beyond a normal life span.

You can watch the movie free with ads here, if you're curious! Also, according to the synopsis, Maria never actually escapes Shangri-La. She just dies and "reverts to her true age". AKA looks very very very decrepit. I'm guessing this is more of an easy thing to misremember and better shorthand, though. See the face at 2 hr 3 minutes in abouts!
Suwannee River

Gloria: Mae, can you hum Suwannee River?

While this is a nice convenient copyright-free tune, it would definitely have been publicly known at the time. It had been sung at least partially by Bing Crosby, on the Honeymooners, etc. in recent years before the musical premiered. Unsure if this is what they were going for, but the original lyrics are racist - no wonder it was Mae's "favorite selection".
Ruby Keeler

(Stage direction) Gloria tap dances as Mrs. Peterson hums gaily. Sort of Ruby Keeler-ish steps with a lot of feet-slapping.

Ruby was a well known actress and dancer in the 1920s-30s (and then later after a break). Here's some footage of her dancing! Interestingly, in her early career she was cast in a musical called Bye, Bye, Bonnie. In a newspaper article review, it seems the plot wasn't very similar to Bye Bye Birdie, though it did involve someone going to jail. (Source)
The Touch System

Mrs. Peterson: I'll find you a typewriter (Exits) Albert: [TO GLORIA] Do you use the touch system? Gloria: Whenever possible.

Albert is just referring to the touch system of typing - basically, not looking at the keyboard while you type. Still relevant today, though not with typewriters, which were standard until the 1980s, so that fits here. Of course, Gloria is of course referring to, uh, something a bit more sensual. (Read: She wants to touch him and not like a friend.)
Kodak Ad

Sullivan: So remember: your surest way to the best in color slides is to insist on the new Kodak! And now, the young man you've all been waiting to see.

Just like media today, the Ed Sullivan Show certainly included ads. This included ad deals where Ed himself would promote a product, kind of like YouTubers do with "This video is sponsored by...". And, as you can guess, one of those products was Kodak cameras and camera related products. Kodak was still a huge brand at the time (there were not cell phone cameras as competition, so it was way more likely your home owned a camera or two), Kodak absolutely was sponsoring the Ed Sullivan show and had been for a few years (Source). Here's an example from the time period. What you may miss about this ad in the musical is that it's not actually advertising a camera! Cameras at the time required physical film be loaded into them, and wouldn't you know it, Kodak released a new high-speed color film in 1959! (I think this may be a coincidence, as Kodak had been selling color film for quite a bit before this) Yet another reference that's right on the nose of the current times (of the time)!
Wear it in good health

Albert: Who let that kid in here? Rosie: I did Albert. Albert: Rosie! Rosie: It's a sort of farewell present to you and Miss Rasputin. Wear it in good health.

Not invented in the 50s by any means, but this phrase really isn't used as much today I think. There's not really a deeper meaning here besides sarcasm that I can find - it's just wishing someone well. Obviously, the sarcasm is dripping here lol.
Dinah Shore

STAGE DIRECTION: ...as Mr. MacAfee throws a tremendous Dinah Shore kiss to the audience.

Dinah Shore was an actress and entertainer that had been popular for years at that point. Super interesting career if you want to give it a read. This is referencing her famous "Dinah Shore kiss" that she would give at the end of her show broadcasts and was a huge part of her brand. Here's an example!
Stay tuned for Part 2! :)

My mom committed marriage fraud. She entered the US on a K1 visa in 2010 and married a USC and received a conditional 2 years green card. She failed to remove the condition and was ordered removed. She appealed and USCIS made the decision that the marriage was a fraud because she cannot provide any real evidence of a bona fide marriage. Is there any chance that I can ever petition for her with I-130/I-485. Is there any possible way that she can be is the US legally again?
I entered the US with her on a K2 visa (I was 5) and have DACA right now. Can I do the I-130/I-485 process for myself since my mom committed fraud?

omg what a rollercoaster of a cycle 😭 although i started this process wanting nothing more than to stay in new york, i quietly packed up those dreams after months of silence from CLS and NYU — and tbh i feel like i never gave fordham enough of a chance because i slowly became more realistic about relative outcomes over school locations.
i’ll never forget how it felt to get that CLS A. by that point in early march, i had already soft committed to GULC and dreamed up details about my life in DC for over a month — but it felt like a door i had gently closed on my own had suddenly and forcefully swung back open. after some delirious texts to my family and friends, the calls immediately started pouring in because everyone knew what it meant to me.
it’s a little bittersweet that my #1 choice going into this was NYU — the purple always appealed to me and i knew it was the PI powerhouse in the city, but in all honesty, i also thought it was the more realistic reach of the two NYC T-14s. this morning’s NYU R honestly hurt a little as the final decision of my cycle (and on the heels of a still-fresh USC R lol), but as i said to my friend: this whole process is just an exercise in ego management.
i feel beyond blessed to be going to CLS in the fall with $$ and i’m so happy to continue building my life in this city i never expected to love so much :’) thank you to everyone for all the words of wisdom, shared neuroticism, and funny memes to keep the community afloat throughout this cycle, and congratulations on your own cycles! i’ve withdrawn from all my WLs, but to everyone riding out theirs: best of luck, and i know you’ll end up exactly where you’re meant to be!! 🩵🤍🩵🤍
more specific stats: 3.68 / 171 / nURM / 3yrsWE

Hey all, It’s that time of the year to turn from pre-draft positional rankings to post-draft dynasty rookie rankings! If you’re new to my content, I’ve been posting positional rankings and evals for the past several months and my rankings are scattered between posting on here and on a website I’m a contributor for. However, you can find all my rankings and evals in my draft guide and Positional Rankings below. Also, I included my 2023 post-draft dynasty rookie rankings from last year as well for reference: Draft Guide/Word Document Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z_lZ_eUMcdywnUwiyOejaUnkDlf3gd6R2SiefqEDLnY/edit#heading=h.nd5mdf75x2gn
Excel Sheet/Positional Rankings+Big Board Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wgwX2EgItUZ9Vn-eY1qqIS2Uf4M1H9zkFQsFKqrQdZk/edit#gid=0
2023 Post-Draft Dynasty Rookie Rankings: https://www.reddit.com/DynastyFF/comments/134imoo/backseat_scouts_2023_postdraft_dynasty_rookie/
Now a couple of notes before getting started: - I rank based on how I would have them in my league which is a 1QB PPR league. I don’t do separate rankings for 2QB which I know a lot of people do but I’ve never been in one so I think it would be disingenuous to do that type of ranking since I am guessing at the value of QB without experiencing how others view it firsthand in a draft.

• These rankings will be very different from my prospect rankings as I account for draft capital, team fit, and opportunity.
  
• I like to look at players in the short-term and long-term perspectives as I think that helps people the most as some people may need someone able to contribute now while others are in long rebuilds and are more willing to wait for situations to improve.
  
• This was such a deep offensive draft that I’ll be going through my top 70 players. I have more thorough write ups for the first 24 guys but after that I just stuck to a few bullet points so this wouldn’t take a full week to read through.
  

So, let’s get to it!
Tier 1 (Don’t Overthink it):
1. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State Age: 21 years, 8 months Height: 6’3”; Weight: 209 pounds Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals 4th overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR1 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR1 I was going to keep this as a once sentence section but I’ve seen a few posts wanting to discuss MHJ vs Nabers so I’ll expand my thoughts a bit. First taking a look at the talent, MHJ was most people’s #1 receiver in this class and was many of people’s top receiver prospects in the last decade. He’s a fantastic route runner that can win multiple ways. His only marks that held me back from considering up there as the top prospect in the past decade is potentially lacking elite speed and his technique and consistency when attacking the ball in the air. However, these are both well above average and won’t hinder him.
From a situations standpoint, you can’t really ask for a better one for a top 5 pick. He already has an established, solid QB in Kyler Murray. He has a coaching staff that showed they are capable of running an NFL offense (Sorry Kingsbury). He was always going to be the top receiver for a team but he is walking into a situation where the Cardinals lost their top 2 receivers from a target perspective in Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore and also lost Zach Ertz. They also didn’t add another receiver until round 5. So, the team has 206 vacated targets that can easily have the majority go in his direction. Short-term, I think he can instantly become a WR1 in fantasy and long-term I don’t see much changing. He was the 1.01 basically the moment he entered college and still is today.
2. Malik Nabers, WR, LSU Age: 21 years, 8 months Height: 6’0”; Weight: 200 pounds Drafted by: New York Giants 5th overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR2 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR2 I think a fair number of people are looking at Nabers landing in New York and are overly concerned about it as well. Again, this is why this tier has its name. As a player, Nabers is electric as a route runner and with the ball in his hands. He has everything it takes to be an elite man beater in the NFL and always force himself open. There really aren’t a lot of holes in his game other than not having the size to win fades in the end zone and the fact that he’s likely not going to be a consistent vertical threat. However, he will feast in the NFL and in PPR leagues. I know he isn’t very far into his career, but I can see him being viewed similarly as Garrett Wilson with similar play styles and ability to win you PPR matchups.
Outside of getting top 5 draft capital, his draft spot and situation are nothing to be overly concerned about. The Giants are in the midst of some heavy turnover, losing Saquon Barkley and Darren Waller potentially retiring. When you throw in the loss of role players like Parris Campbell, Matt Breida, and Sterling Shepard, you have at least 204 targets vacated if Waller retires. The reason I say at least is since the Giants basically gave up throwing some games after Daniel Jones got hurt. So, with the uptick in passing and the high number of vacated targets even if Waller plays another year, you have a clear path for Nabers to be a WR1.
Short-term, I could see Nabers being an immediate WR1 in scoring just from a necessity standpoint for the Giants. Long-term, I think he has all the potential to be viewed as a top 5 WR and likely will have this view reflected by the public/KeepTradeCut with the big market bump and extra exposure he’ll get. We can say how the Giants haven’t had a fantasy relevant WR since Odell, but trends/streaks are made to be broken.
3. Rome Odunze, WR, Washington Age: 21 years, 11 months Height: 6’3”; Weight: 212 pounds Drafted by: Chicago Bears 9th overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR3 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR3
Now this is a situation I can understand people being concerned about. Rome Odunze entered the draft as most people’s WR3 at worst and up there with MHJ and Odunze as prospects. He’s a very balanced receiver with great hands, ability to adjust to balls, and very good athleticism. His weaknesses in his release and route running are more of nitpicks and areas holding him back from being a top tier WR in the past decade. Odunze also dominated last year showing he could put up numbers during a game regardless of how much competition he had around him.
While he played with two day 2 receivers, he hasn’t played with as much competition as he will in Chicago. For his rookie year, he’ll be competing to two top tier WRs in DJ Moore and Keenan Allen and will also have ancillary players like Kmet, Everett, and Swift competing for targets. The Bears also don’t have a ton of vacated targets with Darnell Mooney being the only notable departure opening up just 61 targets for Odunze, Allen, Kmet, Everett, and Swift. The Bears might pass more, but regardless of how great Caleb Williams is, it’s always hard on a rookie QB throwing so much and being capable of supporting so many fantasy relevant players.
With it being so recent, this feels like JSN 2, Electric Boogaloo. However, just like JSN, I’m going to trust the talent and my eval. Short-term, I don’t think you will be able to count on him unless he builds chemistry with Williams during rookie minicamp which is very possible and something we saw with Stroud and Dell last year. Long-term, there is a good chance Keenan Allen is gone next year and Odunze has all the skill to overtake DJ Moore as Chicago’s WR1 (and this is coming from a big DJ Moore fan). If you feel you dodged a bullet with JSN last year and the idea of sitting on a talent like this scares you, I’d pass on him. However, I think there is a big drop in talent after Odunze and it would be wise to not pass him up.
Tier 2 (Team Has a Plan for a Heavy Role):
4. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas Age: 21 years, 0 months Height: 5’11”; Weight: 165 pounds Drafted by: Kansas City Chiefs 28th overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR10 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR4
Now that we’re past the big 3, it starts to get interesting. The 4 spot in 1QB is likely going to be up for debate but I feel fairly confident going with Xavier Worthy here. I feel I’ve seen a number of people say that everyone should avoid Chiefs rookie receivers since they are always fool’s gold as if we didn’t just see Rashee Rice finish as the WR21 last year. Worthy’s speed likely is part of people trying to sell him as fool’s gold but his speed is legit and shows in YAC and deep opportunities. He also has more polish to his route running than he is given credit for.
Outside of his size, some of my biggest issues with Worthy are his release, contested catch ability, and production as a vertical threat. Like Rice, I didn’t have Worthy as high in my rankings compared to his draft spot due to these issues. Thankfully, he will have Andy Reid as a coach who is probably the best coach at getting his players free releases and schemed open to limit contested catch situations. Also, Worthy will have Mahomes throwing him deep balls instead of Quinn Ewers and for some reason I have a bit more faith in Mahomes connecting more with Worthy down field. Also, the Chiefs have a fair number of vacated targets with 95 from MVS, McKinnon, and Hardman and potentially more if they move on from Moore or Toney who both had 38 each. Plus we also don’t know about the details about the likely Rice suspension and Kelce isn’t getting any younger. So, there will be a lot of opportunities on day 1.
Short-term, I see Worthy overtaking Toney and Moore in their roles and actually be able to convert on the designed looks Reid tried to scheme up for them. This will give him an easier start as he adjusts to the NFL like they did for Rashee Rice last year. For fantasy, I think his production could be a bit frustrating week-to-week for his rookie year but should have a fair floor for PPR. Long-term, I think he will get more involved in deep opportunities and really become a complete asset for the team and for dynasty/fantasy lineups. I have the philosophy to aim for upside in rookie drafts. When you have the opportunity to get a 1st round receiver paired with the most creative offensive mind in football and the best QB in the NFL, you have to take the chance for the unlimited upside.
5. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU Age: 21 years, 6 months Height: 6’3”; Weight: 209 pounds Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars 23rd overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR6 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR5 Brian Thomas Jr. Was most people’s WR4 in this class with his combination of speed, fluidity as an athlete, and his ball tracking. His limited route running and long-term production held me back from having him higher but I can’t blame anyone for having him higher with his upside and having the fluidity and quickness to develop as a route runner. At worst, he has the makings for a great deep threat or even a YAC player. Best case scenario, he becomes a more developed route runner and can beat defenses underneath and deep.
The Jaguars clearly are betting on his route running and seem like they expect him to fill in for Ridley’s role with his departure to Tennessee. His departure and Jamal Agnew’s open up 157 vacated targets for this season. Gabe Davis definitely complicates the picture a bit but Gabe Davis has never had a 100+ target season despite being the clear WR2 in Buffalo and I don’t expect him to suddenly go past this mark in Jacksonville. Plus, I feel he is more destined to take over Zay Jones' role in the near future. So, there is a clear opportunity for Brian Thomas Jr. to come in and contribute.
Short-term, it might be a bit of rough sledding as the Jaguars adjust to a new group of receivers with Thomas Jr. and Davis and I’d expect Kirk and Engram to dominate targets early on. However, by the end of the season I could see Thomas Jr. start to heat up once he and Trevor Lawrence develop some chemistry. Long-term, the hope as I mentioned is that he becomes a more developed route runner to take his game to another level. Regardless of the outcome, having a decent path to a WR1 spot for a team with a good, young QB is very appealing for a WR with his type of upside.
6. Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia Age: 22 years, 5 months Height: 6’0”; Weight: 186 pounds Drafted by: Los Angeles Chargers 34th overall in the 2nd round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR7 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR6 Ladd McConkey has been seeing his draft stock rise over the past several months and finally paid off with him being taken 34th overall by the Chargers after the Chargers traded up to go grab him. McConkey stood out to evaluators and the Chargers due to his route running, athleticism in YAC situations, and very reliable hands. Outside of his lower weight, he was basically built to be a productive slot receiver in the NFL and showed some potential to survive outside.
He also walks into a nearly perfect situation with a wasteland at receiver with a whopping 370 targets vacated with the departures of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Austin Ekeler, Gerald Everett, Alex Erickson, and Jalen Guyton. The reason I said “nearly perfect,” is because of Jim Harbaugh coming in as the coach and likely having more of an emphasis in the run game. Using Harbaugh’s time with the 49ers as a reference, his offenses never finished higher than 29th in passing attempts and never had more than 30.4 attempts/game in a season (which would have been 26th in the NFL tied with the Giants). Now having Herbert could bump up the passing rate, but I think opportunities will be more limited than the 370 vacated targets suggest.
Short-term, I still think McConkey will get a fair cut of those vacated targets when he comes in as the likely WR2 for the team and likely will finish as the WR1 for the team by the end of the year. Plus, Herbert has shown his willingness and ability to hit underneath and timing patterns in college and in the NFL so I can see him hit the ground running. Long-term, I feel it’s hard to not expect the Chargers to draft a WR next year if Quentin Johnston doesn’t take a step forward and with a new regimen. So, he could have a new challenger for the WR1 spot. However, with the chemistry he’ll likely develop with Herbert, I think he will still remain his favorite target.
7. Jonathon Brooks, Texas Age: 22 years, 5 months Height: 6’0”; Weight: 216 pounds Drafted by: Carolina Panthers 46st overall in the 2nd round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: RB1 Position Dynasty Ranking: RB1 I wasn’t sure where I would end up with the RBs in this weaker class, but we have our first RB in the rankings with Brooks. I’m not sure how other people had it, but I had Brooks at the top of my pre-draft RB rankings and a sizable gap until my RB2. He has great elusiveness, contact balance, vision, and showed near the end of his season that he could take on a heavy receiving role. In a RB class with a lot of prospects with some glaring holes, he seemingly had very few until he tore his ACL.
The landing spot might sound lukewarm and probably will be this year as the team likely takes things slowly and lets him recover from his ACL. However, next year Miles Sanders will almost certainly get cut and Hubbard is a free agent that could play elsewhere. So, there is a clear path to him being an unchallenged back which is a rarity. The Panthers also understand how pitiful their offense was and went hard to overhaul the talent by attacking the o-line in free agency and skill positions in the draft so the offense could spring to life next year. I have even more confidence in the Panthers rebounding with Dave Canales leading the way who has seen success whenever he’s had his hands on the offense.
Short-term, I see them being cautious to not risk re-injury but he could still provide some use his rookie year and could heat up at the end of the year when he is further from the injury. Long-term, there is a very real chance that he could have a Rachaad White-like season where he is the workhorse back both on the ground and in the air. There is always the risk that he could get competition the following year but with the Panthers still lacking a 2nd round pick for 2025 and likely need to focus on retooling their defense next season, I think they will take their priorities elsewhere. So, we have the potential of having a back on a much improved offense, with a poor defense that will require more passing, and having the traits of a workhorse while being paired with a coach that is willing to have a workhorse, and I think we can justify having him this high.
8. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State Age: 20 years, 11 months Height: 6’3”; Weight: 213 pounds Drafted by: Buffalo Bills 33rd overall in the 2nd round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR9 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR7 Keon Coleman was one of the most divisive receivers this draft cycle. Starting out as a clear first round receiver in that next tier after the big three with Brian Thomas Jr. Then he dropped to where a lot of people didn’t consider him worthy of a 2nd round selection. Turns out the NFL, or at least Buffalo, believes in his talent and took him to lead off the 2nd round. Coleman deserves belief in his skills with potentially the best hands in the draft, great jump ball and ball tracking ability, and better athleticism than his 40 time might indicate. I definitely wish he was a more consistent vertical threat but I could see the Bills developing his release to get there.
Like McConkey with the Chargers, Coleman is entering a relatively empty receiver room after 306 targets were vacated between Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Trent Sherfield, Latavius Murray, and Deonte Harty leaving. The Bills did add Curtis Samuel but he has never had more than 105 targets in a season. Even if we adjust for a possible career high and bump that up to 120 targets, that still opens up 186 targets. Now this mark may not be very clearly available with Joe Brady taking over midseason last year and having more focus on the ground game. Since Brady took over, Allen attempted 33 passes/game in the regular season and playoffs which would have equal to 561 attempts in a full season and would have been about 50 attempts lower than their 2022 total had they finish all of their games and would have finished 21st in the NFL this year (right between the Eagles and Raiders). So there won’t be nearly 200 targets available, but plenty to keep a healthy targets/per game mark and a clear role to fit in with the departure of Gabe Davis.
Short-term, I could see Coleman being frustrating to start at the start of the season as he adjusts to NFL coverage and press. However, as the season goes on and he hopefully adjusts and takes advantage of Kincaid, Shakir, Samuel, Cook, and the run game drawing attention underneath, he should start to get some good production down field. Long-term, I think he can develop chemistry with Josh Allen and could become one of their top red zone weapons and really provide some great upside. With Diggs gone, he has a crazy high ceiling as a fantasy player if he manages to somehow earn the #1 receiver role in the offense and that is something worth taking a chance on with a young stud like Allen. Even if his lower ceiling is a Gabe Davis type of producer, that is still very valuable for most teams and worth taking a chance on as a fallback.
9. Brock Bowers, Georgia Age: 21 years, 4 months Height: 6’3”; Weight: 243 pounds Drafted by: Las Vegas 13th overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: TE1 Position Dynasty Ranking: TE1 A lot of people are probably surprised to see me have Brock Bowers this low but it mostly just comes down to how I value tight ends in fantasy. I feel unless you get a guaranteed game breaker like a Kelce, it’s better to focus your assets elsewhere. Plus, tight end production can be difficult to predict and too easy to miss by reaching for the TE1 and having the TE2 or 3 go much later in the draft and produce at a similar or better level (just look at LaPorta last year). That being said, this is just about as high as I can justify having a TE in a rookie draft since I loveee Bowers. I’ve been a huge fan since day one and love his versatility. He has the hands, route running, and movement skills in space of a receiver. He is also a very solid blocker and can be used all over the field. There really isn’t a lot he can’t do and he absolutely deserved his 1st round draft capital and deserves to be taken in the first round of rookie drafts.
I feel I’ve seen a lot of back and forth on his landing spot and I understand the concerns. The Raiders didn’t really do much to address their QB situations and seem content with rolling with Minshew. Also, they just took a tight end pretty early last year by selecting Michael Mayer in the early 2nd and he also has Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers to compete with who are both receivers that should see their games age well. They also don’t have a lot of vacated targets from last year with only 68 between Hunter Renfrow and Austin Hooper. So, it’s not a great situation but not many are for tight ends. Where the positives are is with Luke Getsy’s emphasis on 12 personnel/two tight end formations with the 8th highest rate in the NFL last year using them on nearly a quarter of plays. Also, with Bowers versatility, I can easily see him moving to slot receiver on plays with only Tre Tucker challenging Bowers for slot snaps. So, the opportunity is there if you are willing to target a tight end early.
Short-term, I could see Bowers being viewed as a bit of a disappointment only because of his high outlook entering the draft, needing to compete with Adams, Meyers, and Mayer for targets, and the unideal QB situation. However, long-term I see him as a likely top 5 TE especially when they likely get a QB upgrade next year. As I mentioned, I have Bowers lower just because of my philosophy for tight ends but I can definitely see him being reasonably taken at the 4 spot.
10. Caleb Williams, USC Age: 22 years, 5 months Height: 6’1”; Weight: 215 pounds Drafted by: Chicago Bears 1st overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: QB1 Position Dynasty Ranking: QB1 Similar to Bowers, this is a bit lower for Williams than most people probably will have but I have somewhat of a similar stance in 1QB as TE with teams usually able to have strong QB production even if they don’t have a top 3 guy. Last year, I admittedly was even lower on the QBs in part due to the situations they went into and just with this philosophy. However, Stroud’s rookie season made me reflect on this and adjust my approach. So, we have our first QB and though some people will have Jayden Daniels as their QB1, I’m sticking with Caleb Williams. Williams is a top tier prospect with elite arm talent, great accuracy, and playmaking ability to carry a bad offense around him. He also has more rushing upside than he gets credit for with good speed and really fluid movement in space where he can make defenders miss.
As I mentioned, he can carry a bad offense around him, but as I pointed out in Odunze’s section, he won’t need to. It pains me to say it as a Packers fan, but the Bears did exactly what a franchise should do and built an offense to help a rookie QB succeed. It’s crazy that there is a serious case where Odunze could be his third worst receiver this year as he adjusts to the NFL. He also has a good o-line, solid tight end, and capable running backs. With his passing upside and ability to pick up yards on the ground, it’s hard to not see him hit the ground running and show why he was the #1 overall pick.
Williams was the first QB drafted and though it’s not always the case, he should be the first drafted in dynasty rookie drafts and can succeed whether your league scores passing touchdowns as 4 or 6 points. He has shown that he can be a successful QB for three years since he was a freshman and should continue that success into the NFL. Even if he runs into struggles adjusting, he has the playmakers to help him over the bump.
11. Jayden Daniels, LSU Age: 23 years, 4 months Height: 6’4”; Weight: 210 pounds Drafted by: Washington Commanders 2nd overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: QB3 Position Dynasty Ranking: QB2
Though Caleb Williams is my QB1 for rookie drafts, Jayden Daniels isn’t too far past him. I think it’s pretty easy to see the reasoning for having Daniels as the QB1 with his Heisman season showcasing the hope for the NFL with his passing and elite speed being a nightmare for teams. One of my biggest concerns leading me to not have him higher is him taking so long to break out. He definitely wasn’t terrible his previous years, but he looked nothing like this last year and there is always the fear of regression. There has also been some talk of him taking a bit to read a defense and being surrounded by elite playmakers with fellow first rounders Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. can certainly help cover that up. His recklessness as a runner also makes me worried he could take himself out of games. All of this could be a whole lot of nothing, but part of why I have him a place lower than Williams.
The good thing for Daniels is that he’s going into a situation with some great players as well. He has a great #1 in Terry McLaurin, a very good #2 in Dotson (imo), solid backs in Brian Robinson and Ekeler and more help from the draft and free agency along the line and with Luke McCaffrey and Ben Sinnott. So, he has no shortage of weapons to help him adjust. However, Dotson still needs to prove he is as good as I think he is, Ekeler needs to show he just had bad injury luck last year and isn’t regressing, and McLaurin needs to prove he is a #1 option. That being said, my biggest concern with the landing spot is one, Kliff Kingsbury being the OC and two, the regime likely to change next year. Personally, I’m not impressed with Kingsbury's skills as a coordinator and a lot of the X&O writers/creators I watch seem to all agree that he isn’t the great offensive mind some people claim he is. Now the regime likely changing will take care of that issue (assuming they wouldn’t offer him the head coach spot for some reason), but a new coach may also have less of a positive outlook on Daniels. So a lot of good, but a few unknowns or TBDs.
I wouldn’t blame anyone for having Daniels over Williams for rookie drafts depending on their preference or league format. For me, I want to stick to my eval and expectations of Williams but see a good future for Daniels with this ranking. Short-term, I could see his rushing giving him a high floor with some really big performances if Kingsbury keeps the offense on track. Long-term, I can see Daniels having the upside of a top 10 fantasy QB if he keeps himself healthy and proves he can read defenses.
Tier 3 (Clear Path to Starter Production):
12. Trey Benson, Florida State Age: 21 years, 9 months Height: 6’0”; Weight: 216 pounds Drafted by: Arizona Cardinals 66th overall in the 3rd round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: RB2 Position Dynasty Ranking: RB2 This ranking might surprise people, but this is close to an A+ landing spot for Trey Benson. In my eval of Benson, I highlighted how Benson has nearly all the traits of a top back with great contact balance, good receiving ability, and elite athleticism. What held my grade back on Benson was his vision being all over the place. But you know when vision doesn’t matter as much? When you land on a team that loves to slam gap plays and you just get the opportunity to get to speed quickly and just smash through holes. With the Cardinals having one of the highest rates of gap plays, it will let Benson play to his strengths and look like the top back he’s capable of.
Now I wouldn’t consider an actual A+ landing spot between the third round draft capital and having James Conner ahead of him. That being said, James Conner will be turning 29 this week, is on an expiring contract, and typically misses at least a few games which Benson will likely feast in. I don’t expect him to get in Benson’s way too much, but there is also the risk that Michael Carter steals some third down passing opportunities. So, the first year might be a bit frustrating but I could see him exploding at the end of the season like Ken Walker did when Penny went down. The biggest thing to monitor is that Benson has never had a huge workload in college and it might be related to his major knee injury in his freshman year. So, there could be a risk that teams aren’t confident his knee can handle that much work.
As I mentioned, this is such a great landing spot for Benson and he could potentially drop in drafts due to the number of receivers that were drafted early. Short-term, you likely won’t be able to count on him consistently unless Conner goes down. Long-term though, he could reward you for your patience.
13. Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington Age: 21 years, 0 months Height: 6’1”; Weight: 203 pounds Drafted by: New England Patriots 37th overall in the 2nd round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR18 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR8 Hi, yes, it’s me, the local Ja’Lynn Polk hater now telling you to draft him in rookie drafts. I won’t lie, I definitely have my concerns with Polk but his hands, concentration, and body movement to attack balls is unquestionable. Polk has a lot of fans and clearly the Patriots view him as someone capable of being a top receiver for their young QB.
With 165 targets vacated from last year between Zeke, Devante Parker, and Gesicki and the opportunity to be a #1 option for an offense and for a top prospect, regardless of your feelings on Polk, you have to take a chance on him here. It’s basically a wide open competition to become Drake Maye’s #1 option and Polk will get a head start at rookie minicamp. At this point, the only WRs that give him any challenge at the title of the most talented receivers on the team are Demario Douglas, maybe Kayshon Boutte if he focuses on his game, and fellow draftee Javon Baker. That’s a pretty easy list to beat out. Now the nightmare scenario is that nobody rises up and it’s just an awkward spot where all the receivers rotate having good games and none can be trusted to be regular starters. This is definitely a fair fear but a risk you can take at this stage of the draft for the upside Polk’s talent and situation present.
Short-term, it might be a bit frustrating waiting for him to hopefully seize the #1 role and as Maye adjusts to the NFL. Long-term, if he claims the #1 WR role, he could likely way outperform this draft spot.
14. Troy Franklin, Oregon Age: 21 years, 8 months Height: 6’2”; Weight: 176 pounds Drafted by: Denver Broncos 102nd overall in the 4th round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR5 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR9 Now this might be the first big shocker of these rankings. As you can probably tell from my personal position rankings, I’m a big Troy Franklin fan. I think his route running and athleticism are underappreciated and I think the concerns about his hands are overstated since he had just a 3.2% drop rate and converted on 63.6% of his contested catch opportunities in 2022. I mentioned it in my eval of him, but Rashee Rice has similar inconsistencies in college but showed you can pull it together in the NFL.
Outside of believing in his talent, what makes me have Franklin this high is being able to rekindle that connection with Bo Nix. Timing is probably the biggest part and strength to Nix’s game and is also vital to Sean Payton’s offense. So, I don’t think it can be overstated how important it is to have a receiver on day 1 that you already have great chemistry and timing with. It’s not the same example since they developed their chemistry during rookie minicamp, but Tank Dell’s chemistry with Stroud is what helped him explode onto the scene. I certainly don’t expect a Dell-like season from Franklin, but I could see him being an instant contributor.
There is also an opportunity for him to instantly fill in for Jerry Jeudy after his departure. Tim Patrick returning from injury and Jeudy’s targets being the only notable vacated targets in the offense unfortunately don’t create a lot of opportunities. However, if you believe in the talent, you have to believe they can rise to the occasion. Outside of that role and Patrick, Courtland Sutton is at the point in his contract where he could be cut at any point so he could be in his final year in Denver. Marvin Mims also had a lot of fans but I personally viewed him as primarily a vertical threat and personally view Franklin as a better talent. So, his biggest barriers to a lead role are Sutton (who did have a good year), an inconsistent rookie who struggled to earn playing time, and a receiver who will turn 31 during the season coming off of a torn ACL. With the benefit of having established chemistry with the QB, it’s easy to see him succeeding.
Short-term, I really see a world where he can help a team week 1 or whenever Nix earns the starter role. If Nix struggles, that could definitely make it a bit more difficult to trust Franklin, but I’m a believer in Nix as well and his draft capital shows that the Broncos are too. Long-term, if Nix holds onto the QB spot long-term, it wouldn’t surprise me if he can provide some high-end WR2 seasons and a good floor with the nature of the offense. His draft capital holds me back from having him higher, but I’m optimistic about his outlook.
15. Drake Maye, UNC Age: 21 years, 8 months Height: 6’4”; Weight: 230 pounds Drafted by: New England Patriots 3rd overall in the 1st round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: QB2 Position Dynasty Ranking: QB3 Though Drake Maye had a down year, he showed he had too much upside and past success for the Patriots to pass him at #3 overall. He has a rocket for an arm, fair ability to pick up yards on the ground, and great deep and on the move accuracy. He might have been tied with a number of QBs in grade, but his upside made him the clear QB2 for me.
For fantasy though, Maye is a tier below Williams and Daniels due to not having the great movement skills on the ground (imo). Also, he has a new coaching staff that will need to prove it can handle a QB’s development and a QB that desperately needs to become more consistent. As I mentioned in Polk’s section, his supporting case is a bit of a mess and he won’t have the support that Williams and Daniels have. The upside is undeniable but this isn’t exactly an ideal situation for a QB to go into. However, neither was the Texans last year and just as players rise to the occasion, so can coaches.
Short-term, it could be frustrating as Maye adjusts to the NFL and as he tries to figure out which receivers he can count on. Long-term, he could really deliver some quality seasons and could have a good share of top 10 finishes if the Patriots continue to build around him.
Tier 4 (Clear Role on the Team):
16. Adonai Mitchell, Texas Age: 21 years, 6 months Height: 6’2”; Weight: 205 pounds Drafted by: Indianapolis Colts 52nd overall in the 2nd round Ranking in Personal Position Rankings: WR4 Position Dynasty Ranking: WR10 Adonai Mitchell was all over the place in a lot of people’s pre-draft rankings and I think that will continue into rookie rankings. The talent is undeniable with great route running, release skills, and ball skills to win all over the field. The production wasn’t always there in college and from an analytical standpoint, it is undeniably concerning that it could continue into the NFL.
Even going into day 2 of the draft, I felt pretty good about having Mitchell in my top 10 depending on the landing spot. However, this is pretty unideal. Mitchell will be going into a team that will likely have a focus on the run game. We don’t have a large sample of no full games with Jonathan Taylor as the lead back and Anthony Richardson together, but if we just look at Richardson’s games he was healthy for, he would have finished with 527 passing attempts for the season (which would have finished at #27 in attempts/same as the Broncos and Bears).
On top of that, Richardson is capable of scrambling and taking touchdown opportunities from receivers. Though I have faith in him as a passer, we also just need to see it over a full season as well. On top of all of this, he has to compete with Michael Pittman Jr. who I might be biased on, but I think he’s a great player and will be the team’s #1 receiver while he’s on the team. If we adjust for a year 2 bump/improvement and add 3 attempts per game (which is a pretty high increase even as small as it sounds), that would bring the offense to the middle of the league with teams like Buffalo, Seattle, Indy (with Minshew), Tampa, Miami, and Philly. These teams could clearly support a top option but would intermittently show that they could support a #2 option. Philly is probably the best comparison with a similar offense, a QB that can rush and steal touchdowns, and a clear #2 in Devonta Smith and Smith finished as the WR14 based on points/game in PPR in 2022 and the WR23 in 2023. It’s not a perfect comparison, but it gives an idea of what Mitchell’s ceiling might be if he can’t pass Pittman in targets. Josh Downs may also be a headache for him but Goedtert provides a similar barrier to keep the comparison somewhat similar.
The other issue is that Mitchell will likely take over Alec Pierce’s role and run vertical/clear out routes which is what he did in college. The pro is that he was good at this but the con is that it led to some pretty poor production from a yards per route run perspective. That being said, Richardson can hit vertical routes a lot better than Ewers so maybe it gives some hope. Anyways, it probably is clear I’m going around in circles because that’s what I did when trying to decide on his rank.
Short-term, I would keep a close eye on the situation and types of routes Mitchell is running. If it is just clear outs like in college, he might be in trouble. If he is running more of a variety of routes, then he could provide some good weeks as a rookie depending on Richardson’s development. Long-term, it’s difficult to project and will depend on Richardson’s development. If he develops or overtakes Pittman, he will far exceed this draft spot. However, my belief in Pittman and my expectations for the offense has me a bit nervous that it likely will only work out for actual NFL games and not for fantasy games and matchups.
(As I put in the title of the post, the continuation of the rankings is in my comment below. I struggle with being concise but wanted to give my explanation for the placement of some of the players)

Urgent!!! Hi, if anyone has taken the German placement exam please reach out! I’m facing a weird situation where as a senior I may have to complete a requirement I was previously exempt to in order to graduate. Also if anyone knows how to appeal this, also let me know - I’ve spoken with language@usc and they have been extremely unhelpful. Thanks!

basically the q i asked in the title

"They gaze in awe at [Trump] because to them, he’s superhuman. Half man, half beast." - Fox News’s Jesse Watters, seemingly reciting a love sonnet

King For A...Term?

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Thursday in yet another landmark case, this time involving presidential immunity. Damn, we’re getting pretty tired of these “unprecedented” times!

• Over the course of some two-and-a-half hours of arguments, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority signaled support for giving presidents some level of criminal immunity for certain acts taken while in office. Lawyers for disgraced former president Donald Trump appealed his immunity case all the way to the highest court in the land over claims he cannot be prosecuted for trying to overturn the 2020 election.
  
• Trump has long claimed that the President of the United States has “absolute immunity”—which even some of the Court’s most notorious conservative whack-jobs seemed to rebuff. However, some of those same whack-jobs also indicate a belief that the president needs some immunity from criminal prosecution. At the heart of the discussion was the question of what constitutes an “official act” for which a president cannot be prosecuted. The lawyer representing Trump, D. John Sauer, was truly On One on Thursday, arguing that without total immunity from criminal prosecution “there can be no presidency as we know it.” Because the president simply NEEDS to be able to do crimes!
  
• Under questioning from the Court’s three liberal justices, Sauer stood firm in his batshit argument. Justice Elena Kagan asked if immunity would apply “if the president orders the military to stage a coup.” Sauer replied: “That might well be an official act.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked whether the president “creating a fraudulent slate of electoral candidates” would be “within his right?” Sauer replied: “Absolutely.” What about the president assassinating a political rival he deems corrupt, Sotomayor asked. Again, Sauer said: “That could well be an official act.” Thanks for clearing that up, my guy! We are, in fact, talking about full-blown authoritarianism.
  

The Supreme Court’s ruling may narrow the scope of Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith’s allegations against Trump, but it appears that other parts of his indictment would survive. But even if Trump loses, the decision could further delay Trump’s trial, if the Supreme Court sends the decision back to a lower court for review.

Look No Further Than Crooked Media

If you’ve ever dreamed of following a podcast around like the Grateful Dead, this is your year! Pod Save America has a ton of great shows coming up on their Democracy or Else tour, headed to Brooklyn, Boston, Madison, Phoenix, Philly, and Ann Arbor. They will also be at the LA Times festival of books on April 21st with appearances by Dan Pfeiffer, Tommy Vietor, Jon Favreau, and Hysteria’s own Erin Ryan! To get tickets, head to https://crooked.com/events now.

Under The Radar

Antiwar protests at Columbia University have spurred similar protest encampments at countless more major American universities in the past week. University administrations in cities and towns across the country have directed law enforcement to break up the peaceful protests, with increasingly violent results. Over the past two days, law enforcement in Atlanta deployed tasers and tear gas against student protesters at Emory University, according to the student newspaper and videos taken at the scene. In Boston, MA, police clashed with protesters at Emerson College and arrested more than 100 of them after sweeping an encampment at Boylston Place Alley. Dozens more protesters were arrested at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Southern California on Wednesday night. Even in the face of escalating violence from law enforcement, more solidarity encampments sprung up on Thursday morning at Northwestern University, Cornell, Princeton, Ohio State University, George Washington University, University of Rochester, Indiana University, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, the City College of New York, and more. Student and faculty protesters are demanding both an end to the Israel-Hamas war, and that their universities divest from companies that profit from the war like weapons manufacturers.
USC announced on Thursday that it is canceling its May commencement ceremony in the wake of campus protests that began last week after the school informed Class of 2024 valedictorian Asna Tabassum that she would not be allowed to deliver the traditional speech over what the university called concern for “campus security and safety.” Pro-Israel student groups like USC Trojans for Israel and We Are Tov as well as similar organizations outside the school protested her selection as valedictorian, as they took issue with Tabassum’s Instagram account linking to pro-Palestinian resources. Tabassum—who is a first-generation South Asian Muslim American and wears a hijab—told CNN last week that she had not even begun working on her speech when she found out she would be barred from delivering it. USC Provost Andrew Guzman said that the decision had “nothing to do with freedom of speech,” and that there is “no free-speech entitlement to speak at a commencement.” The issue, he said, is about maintaining “campus security and safety, period.” The administration would not elaborate on specific safety concerns. Despite the university’s decision to cancel commencement, Tabassum will receive her degree in biomedical engineering, with a minor in resistance to genocide.

What Else?

Harvey Weinstein’s landmark 2020 conviction for sexual assault and rape was overturned on Thursday by the New York state court of appeals in a shocking 4-3 decision. The COA said the trial judge made a critical mistake by allowing additional women to testify that Weinstein had assaulted them when their accusations were not part of the trial. Weinstein, who also faces 16 years for a separate conviction, will not be freed immediately.
Israel increased airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight, where over one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
American economic growth fell below the Federal Reserve’s estimates in the first quarter of the year. The economic slowdown was accompanied by increasing inflation, which could pose a thorny dilemma for the Fed.
In spite of that, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen told Reuters on Thursday that the U.S. economy and growth was likely stronger than suggested by that data, and said that the Biden administration was keeping all options open.
Support for sending U.S. aid to Israel has plummeted among swing state voters since the war in Gaza began, according to a new Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll.
The U.S. fertility rate dropped to a record low in 2023, according to new data released on Thursday by the CDC.
Half of Americans, including a staggering 42 percent of Democrats, say they would support mass deportations of undocumented immigrants according to a new Axios survey conducted by The Harris Poll.

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Light At The End Of The Email

The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 on Thursday to reinstate net neutrality rules. The government will reassume regulatory oversight of broadband internet service that was rescinded by the Trump administration.
An Arizona state grand jury on Wednesday indicted Trump aides Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and Boris Epshteyn as well as the “fake electors” who backed Trump in 2020 despite the fact that President Biden won in the state.
The EPA on Thursday imposed what may become the first federal mandate to cut carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Similar emissions rules attempted by previous administrations have always been halted in court, because of the Constitution’s famous clause that freedom is about corporations being allowed to make our air and water toxic.

Enjoy

charlie on Twitter: "my landlord has such a beautiful mind ❤️"