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Leagues don't get much deeper than this

The NFL draft is two months away, however, for fans of the Las Vegas Raiders, the drama should be over.

The Raiders, of course, own the No. 1 overall pick in the April 23-25 draft.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, had been the early favorite to be the team’s pick. But that went to the next level after his incredible play in a NCAA playoff win over Oregon. Mendoza was near perfect in the game.

He looks like the clear-cut choice. The Raiders badly need a young quarterback and Mendoza fits the bill perfectly, it seems.

Still, we our our readers. Yes, they agree. In a popular poll, about 90 percent of the poll takers agree that Mendoza is the choice.

So, it’s clear most fans aren’t on the fence about Mendoza. They aren’t eying anyone else. They don’t want the Raiders trade the pick for a load of compensation.

They want Mendoza.

Here are some of your responses:

Lakers reportedly could battle with Knicks, Warriors for $149 million seven-time All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Los Angeles Clippers’ 34-year-old star forward isn’t set to be a free agent until 2027. 

The two-time NBA champion is in the midst of completing the second year of his three-year $149 million contract extension he inked with the Clippers in 2024, meaning a trade must be completed for him to leave Los Angeles this summer. 

However, Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh believes there’s a world in which the Los Angeles Lakers could battle the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks for the two-time NBA Finals MVP’s services this summer.

“Maybe it’s a case where Adam Silver levies some sort of punishment, whether it’s forcing Kawhi Leonard’s contract to be invalidated,” Haberstroh stated last Monday.  And I think that would be one of the things that is on the table, because that is what David Stern did with the Joe Smith cap circumvention with the Minnesota Timberwolves decades ago.”

“The interesting thing on that is it provides a conundrum where I think if Kawhi Leonard is now a free agent, you’re now going to see a frenzy for his services, with the likes of the Lakers, with the likes of the Golden State Warriors, or the New York Knicks."

“They would try to go get Kawhi Leonard at this stage as a free agent. That would create more hysteria and chaos around the league.”

While Haberstroh’s idea is undoubtedly far-fetched, it isn’t completely out of the equation. If it somehow materializes, the Lakers could position themselves to sign the accomplished veteran after striking out on him in 2019 (he entered free agency after winning a title with the Toronto Raptors and eventually joined the Clippers).

Leonard’s two-way dominance when healthy would make him an ideal fit in JJ Redick’s system in Los Angeles. The San Diego State product is contributing 28.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game with the Clippers this season, shooting 49.4% from the field and 38.1% from three-point land in 44 contests. 

If anything, Haberstroh’s report emphasizes the importance of closely monitoring Leonard’s situation in Los Angeles. 

More NBA: Cavaliers acquire 6-foot-3 former Pacers star, two-time All-Star via G-League trade

The Dallas Cowboys chose to place the franchise tag on wide receiver George Pickens last Friday and it was something that just about everybody was expecting.

It happening in an official capacity was noteworthy though and sets up the next part of negotiations between the team and player. Dallas placed the non-exclusive tag on Pickens which means that he is free to negotiate with another team. Should another team offer Pickens a deal then the Cowboys have the right of first refusal, and if they choose to decline it the offering team would owe them a pair of first-round picks.

This whole process allows Pickens to test and gauge the market and provides an important point of protection for the Cowboys. It feels pretty win-win all the way around, but we are curious to hear what the rest of the class thinks.

Are you happy with how this has unfolded? Is there something you wish was different? Why?

Let us know what you think in the comments down below.