Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

PGA Tour stars started strong at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, the fifth Signature Event of the season.

There may have been a major championship last week, but the PGA Tour stars at RBC Heritage started this event with a bang.

Ludvig Åberg, Collin Morikawa, Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay and many others went low in Hilton Head Thursday.

But it is J.T. Poston who shot the low round of the day with an 8-under 63. Morikawa posted a 6-under 65 and is tied for second. Six guys shot 5-under 66, including Åberg.

Rory McIlory is right there also after firing off a 4-under 67 along with six other guys. This Pete Dye course was rewarding to the biggest names in golf all day long.

The top of the leaderboard is stacked after the first 18 holes. Fifty-six players shot even par or better.

There were 267 birdies made during Thursday’s round.

Poston led the field with nine of them. He also leads in strokes gained total, averaging 6.36.

“I chipped and putted it really well,” Poston said. “I felt like it was one of those days where if I could give myself a look, and I felt pretty confident in being able to make those putts, whether it was a close one or a 20-, 25-footer.”

Morikawa redeemed himself from his meltdown at Augusta National. The world saw him shoot 2-over and settle for a T3 Sunday. However, he made seven birdies and one bogey at Hilton Head to start strong.

“When you find this little rhythm, and you find this kind of — just pathway to play golf, it’s very simple,” Morikawa said. “Sometimes when you’re playing bad, you look back and you wonder why it can’t be that simple. It’s a nice little groove to be in, and hopefully, we can keep this going throughout the rest of this week.”

Åberg, meanwhile, brought his momentum from Augusta National with him South Carolina. He recorded an eagle at the par-5 5th after hitting a perfect shot with his 2-iron off the tee.

The former Texas Tech Red Raider refused to let his error on Masters Sunday follow him to Hilton Head.

It was a fresh start for the young Swedish phenom, who was nearly perfect off the tee. He hit 13-of-14 fairways and led the field in strokes gained off the tee, picking up two shots on the field.

“I think tee to green was really good,” Åberg said. “It makes it a lot easier if you’re good off the tee here at this golf course because you avoid the trees and all the angles. Did that very well today. You can be a little bit more aggressive into the greens, but still can’t really force anything. Felt like we did that very well today, and hopefully, we’ll be able to keep that up the rest of the week.”

The reigning RSM Classic winner played alongside McIlroy, who is four shots off the lead.

McIlroy started his day with a birdie and made an eagle on the 5th. He coughed up a shot on 12 but redeemed himself, making back-to-back birdies to close his round.

“I made two good swings at the last to put it in there close, and nice to finish with a three,” McIlroy said. “Managed my game quite well during the middle when I didn’t have it. Feel like I’ve got a good chance to get myself right in the tournament tomorrow morning. I could have made a couple more bogeys around the turn, and I didn’t.”

Players better take advantage of conditions on Friday because there is a higher chance of rain for the weekend, which lowers the scoring opportunities.

For now, some of the best players in the world are in contention, making the RBC Heritage a must-watch tournament.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Korda went out late during the first round of the Chevron Championship and did not disappoint, catching fire down the stretch.

Nelly Korda is attempting to make history this week at the LPGA’s first major of the year, the Chevron Championship in Texas.

Korda entered this week having won four consecutive starts. She captured the LPGA Drive On Championship in epic fashion back in January. She then took some time off before returning at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship in mid-March.

She won that event as well. Korda followed that up with a win at the inaugural Ford Championship before dominating the T-Mobile Match Play in successive weeks.

Only Annika Sorenstam has ever won five straight on the LPGA Tour, having done so twice during her illustrious career.

Thursday started slow for the World No. 1. She bogeyed the par-4 10th (her first hole) before three straight pars. From there though, she kicked it into gear.

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Nelly Korda during first round of Chevron Championship

She picked up birdies on 14 and 17 to go out in 35 strokes.

After coughing up a shot on the par-4 2nd, Korda caught fire.

The hottest player on the planet, yes I am including Scottie Scheffler, then recorded four birdies over her final six holes to card a 4-under 68. She nearly eagled the par-5 8th (her 17th), with her putt coming up inches short.

Nevertheless, she sits tied for second, two shots back of fellow American Lauren Coughlin.

On a day where many of the LPGA stars struggled, including Lexi Thompson, Rose Zhang, Jin Young Ko and Megan Khang, Korda once again thrived.

She will have an early tee time Friday and look to set the bar heading into the weekend with an eye on history.

Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.

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Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

Before her tee time on Thursday, LPGA super star Lilia Vu withdrew from the Chevron Championship due to injury.

World No. 2 golfer Lilia Vu will not defend her title at the Chevron Championship.

Ahead of her tee time on Thursday, the LPGA superstar withdrew due to a back flare-up during warmups.

She explained her decision to pull out of the tournament on Instagram.

“I have been dealing with a back injury for a while now. Some days are better than others, and today was, unfortunately, not a good day,” she wrote. “During my normal warmup routine, I had severe discomfort in my back and I felt that I could not compete up to my standards and made the decision to withdraw from the tournament ahead of my tee time.”

This season has not gone well for Vu.

She has one top-10 finish, a T7 at the Honda LPGA Thailand. After that event, Vu withdrew from back-to-back events. At the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, she finished T37, and in her last start, the Ford Championship, she finished tied for 21st.

This back injury is not new. She had a scare last year and took a month off to heal. Vu explained she manages the injury, but there are still times when it flares up. It caused problems at the Blue Bay LPGA event in China earlier this year.

Ahead of the Chevron Championship, Vu felt “95% there.”

“It’s been a rough couple months battling with my injury,” she said. “It’s been a little scary. I’ve definitely cried a lot on the range sometimes because my back just couldn’t hold up. If I can stay healthy this week, I think I’ll be able to do what I need to do.”

The 26-year-old burst onto the scene last year, winning two majors. Vu also won the Rolex Player of the Year award, making her the first American to earn the honor since Stacy Lewis in 2014.

This withdrawal marks the third time she has pulled out of an event, as the former UCLA Bruin fights to get healthy.

Vu was supposed to play alongside Minjee Lee and Nelly Korda on Thursday, at 2:10 p.m. ET.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Spencer Rattler doesn’t have be a superhero to be a solid NFL QB.

We’ve talked ad nauseam about the top four QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft. With only a week until the draft, it’s time to focus on some of the other guys at the position outside of the biggest names.

Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. have been considered in the next tier after Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy. Don’t end the group there. There’s another player who can crash the party, and that’s South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler.

Rattler has been through a whirlwind of a college career, starting as the next great Oklahoma QB, before getting usurped by Williams and transferring to South Carolina. Despite not having the best playcalling or protection around him, Rattler still showed growth over his two seasons in Columbia and could see his name get called on the second day of the NFL Draft.

Here’s what him intriguing at the next level.

Spencer Rattler has pro playmaking ability

The first thing that stands out about Rattler is his quick, whip-like release. He’s got enough arm strength packed into a compact, 6’0 frame that allows him to test opponents downfield. Because of South Carolina’s lackluster offensive line, the Gamecocks used Rattler on a lot of rollouts, sprint-outs and getting him out of the pocket, and his release really makes its’ presence known on these rollout concepts.

I really like this rep of Rattler’s from the Missouri game which resulted in a 29 yard completion. Watch him get out of the pocket, but still gain ground to the line of scrimmage, then put this ball on the dot to the receiver running the over route. He can do this at an NFL level, and the talent is evident.

When he has his feet set in the pocket, Rattler is capable of delivering some strikes downfield, showcasing NFL-caliber arm talent and velocity. This rep against Georgia on 3rd and 15 is a good example of that, especially under pressure. South Carolina is running a dagger concept, and Rattler is able to move into a throwing window at the top of his drop. However, this window is quickly closing because of a defender, but Rattler is unfazed, and fires this into the receiver breaking open over the middle to move the chains on third and long.

You can talk me into this!

Now let’s talk about some of those pressure responses because … they were varied at South Carolina.

Spencer Rattler still tries to do too much, and it’s all over the tape

In his two years playing for the Gamecocks, Rattler was pressured on 36.5 percent of his dropbacks. When pressured, his On-Target Rate actually jumped from 60.9 percent in 2022 to 74.2 percent in 2023, but his sack rate when pressured in 2023 was a horrendous 23.2%. That means when he was pressured in 2023, about 23 percent of the time he was getting sacked. Rattler’s pressure responses varied over the course of his career, and the results were also a mixed bag.

One reason I think his sack rate was so much higher in 2023 than in 2022 was because he was more willing to stand in and deliver passes with guys in his face. This rep is from 2023, and Rattler gets cracked, yet stands in and fires this pass for a first down.

Now, let’s compare to 2022 against Texas A&M. While this pass gets completed, it’s the process that I don’t really like. At the top of his drop this route comes open, and he can throw this pass in there if he wants to. Yet, he turns it down to roll out the pocket and complete the pass. That’s more unsustainable at the NFL level, as we’ve seen with recent draft prospects (cough cough Zach Wilson). Being able to win from the pocket under pressure is what separates the good from the great, and Rattler is still trying to find his groove with that.

I think my biggest gripe with Rattler’s game is how much meat he leaves on the bone with inconsistent ball placement, especially in short yardage areas. Too often, he’s leaving his receivers out to dry with passes that are behind them or too far in front of them. This is a fourth and two from 2023 against Tennessee, and Rattler’s receiver has the leverage to the outside. However, Rattler puts this ball too far on the inside and instead of a first down, it’s a turnover on downs.

Here’s another one, on a similar concept, and Rattler completes the pass, but instead of a touchdown, his receiver has to turn inside and the result is being stopped short.

Wherever Rattler ends up in the draft, he has to be told to make the job easier on himself. He doesn’t have to try and stand in the pocket on every single pressure look, he doesn’t have to try and be the superhero every single play. If he can iron those ball placement and pressure inconsistencies out, a franchise could get a fun young QB.

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Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Despite having his PGA Tour card secured, Gordon Sargent decided to remain an amateur for another season with Vanderbilt.

Gordon Sargent, the No 1. ranked amateur golfer, made a bold and surprising decision about his future on Thursday.

The Vanderbilt junior announced through Instagram that he would return to school for his senior year instead of turning pro.

“I am excited to announce that I’ll be returning to Vanderbilt for my senior year in 2024-2025,” Sargent wrote. “It’s been an honor to represent this university alongside my teammates and coaches, and I look forward to continuing to compete — and further my education — at this amazing place that has given so much to me.”

Last October, Sargent earned 20 points in the Accelerated program to earn his PGA Tour card when he teed it up at the World Amateur Team Championship in Abu Dhabi. Since the Tour rolled out that program two years ago, Sargent is still the only player to tally that many points.

He may have the speed and resume to suggest that the 21-year-old is ready for the professional stage, but it was not easy for him to make the decision.

“There’s not going to be a perfect answer,” Sargent said to NBC Sports. “After playing a few college events in the spring, I think you appreciate how much you enjoy college golf. After reviewing with my parents, coaches and team-wise, it just seemed like it was the best thing for me. I could stay in Nashville and continue to get better.”

He won the NCAA Individual title as a freshman in 2021. Sargent was also the first NCAA champion to earn an invite to the Masters last year. The Birmingham, Ala., native went onto one of the biggest stages in golf and finished as low amateur at Los Angeles Country Club for the U.S. Open.

His hot streak in 2023 did not end there. Sargent’s perfect 4-0 record led Team USA to a Walker Cup victory at St. Andrews. He also attained the McCormack Medal as the No. 1 World Amateur Golf ranking at the end of the summer. That accomplishment gets Sargent into the U.S. Open at Pinehurst and the Open Championship at Royal Troon this year.

Sargent finally won his first tournament during his junior campaign at Vanderbilt’s home tournament, the Mason Rudolph Championship. It marked his fifth top-10 of the year.

Now that he has made his decision and knows his PGA Tour card is secured, Sargent can enjoy golf.

“I think there were a lot of expectations this year,” Sargent said. “I think just staying another year, being a senior, enjoying the college life — also knowing there’s a PGA Tour card still waiting for you, it gives you a lot of freedom if you need to make some changes and stuff. Off the golf course, continue to mature and prepare myself for the future.”

Once his eligibility is up, Sargent can still take his PGA Tour membership in May 2025 following the NCAA Championships. He will also have full status through the 2026 season.

Vanderbilt heads into the SEC Championship tournament at Sea Island, where they are arguably the team to beat. Following conference play, they will also likely be a No. 1 seed at an NCAA Regional.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Scheffler’s preparations for the RBC Heritage Signature Event were unconventional, as the World No. 1 golfer explained the short turnaround.

Scottie Scheffler is coming off a four-stroke win at The Masters, where he earned his second Green Jacket in three years.

He didn’t take a direct route to Hilton Head for the RBC Heritage Signature Event. Instead, he went home to his wife Meredith for a few days before hitting the road again.

This week marks just his second start at the RBC Heritage tournament. Last year was his debut, and he finished T11. When he arrived in Hilton Head this time around, the two-time major winner chose a simple approach to his preparations.

“Only played the back nine today. I’ll see the front nine tomorrow when I tee off,” Scheffler said. “I like the golf course. I’m trying to focus a bit more on rest in my preparation this week.”

It is certainly interesting to see that his plan of attack is a blind one, at least on the front nine.

Scheffler took off the week before The Masters, but the RBC Heritage will mark his third event in four weeks. Winning three events within the first four months of the calendar year has to be physically and mentally tiring.

In Scheffler’s last five events, the lowest finish was a T10 at the Genesis Invitational. After that tournament, the 9-time PGA Tour winner dominated with three wins and a runner up finish.

He could have withdrawn from this event, but that isn’t who Scheffler is.

“I made a commitment to this tournament,” he said. “Like I said, I like coming here and playing the golf course. Yeah, I’m a bit tired right now, but I’ve got all afternoon today to continue to rest and get ready for the week.”

Thus far, his approach has proved tricky. Scheffler has a couple of birdies on the card, but picked up a double bogey on the par-4 3rd. He sits at even par nearing the turn, five shots off the lead.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

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Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

The 2024 NFL Draft is days away. What do the teams in the NFC North need?

We are officially one week away from the 2024 NFL Draft.

Which makes today the perfect day to spin around the NFC North.

Why? Because a week from tonight Roger Goodell will officially declare the 2024 NFL Draft underway. In Detroit. And the first time on the clock? The Chicago Bears.

And a team that might rock the first round with a stunning trade up the board? The Minnesota Vikings.

It is almost like we planned this …

Detroit Lions

CB
S
EDGE
WR
OL

Last season the Detroit Lions shocked the NFL world, advancing to the NFC Championship Game where they lost on the road to the San Francisco 49ers.

Just what do they need to get over that last hurdle?

Cornerback is again a need, particularly in the wake of the team releasing Cam Sutton after a warrant was issued for his arrest for domestic battery. They also need to add depth at a number of positions, from pass rusher and safety on the defensive side of the football to wide receiver and offensive line. While the Lions returned the bulk of their offensive line — and added Kevin Zeitler at right guard — backup options would be a wise investment.

Detroit Lions draft selections

Round 1, Selection 29 (Pick No. 2 overall)
Round 2, Selection 29 (Pick No. 61 overall)
Round 3, Selection 9 (Pick No. 73 overall)
Round 5, Selection 29 (Pick No. 164 overall)
Round 6, Selection 25 (Pick No. 201 overall)
Round 6, Selection 29 (Pick No. 205 overall)
Round 7, Selection 29 (Pick No. 249 overall)

Chicago Bears

QB
WR
OL
EDGE
DT

We can look at the Chicago Bears a few different ways.

First off, the Bears do not have a ton of draft capital at their disposal, as they currently hold just four picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. Which might be okay, given the fact they addressed a number of needs already in free agency, adding players like Kevin Byard, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, and Keenan Allen. The Bears also re-signed some key players, such as cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

But there are glaring needs, starting with quarterback. Followed by adding another pass catcher for that QB to target in the passing game.

Thankfully, two of their four selections are inside the top ten, so Chicago should be able to address those needs early. Later in the draft look for the Bears to add some depth in the trenches.

Chicago Bears draft selections

Round 1, Selection 1 (Pick No. 1 overall)
Round 1, Selection 9 (Pick No. 9 overall)
Round 3, Selection 11 (Pick No. 75 overall)
Round 4, Selection 22 (Pick No. 122 overall)

Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Green Bay Packers

OT
LB
CB
DT

One of the most pressing needs in Green Bay was safety, but the organization addressed that need with the addition of Xavier McKinney, who might fit perfectly in the defense we expect to see under new DC Jeff Hafley. Expect Green Bay to perhaps add a safety later in the draft for additional depth. As the Packers build their new defense under Hafley, linebacker and cornerback are some other needs.

The release of David Bakhtiari means tackle becomes a more pressing issue on offense. Jordan Morgan, Amarius Mims, and Tyler Guyton have been popular picks for the Packers in mock drafts.

Thankfully, the Packers have a ton of draft capital at their disposal.

Green Bay Packers draft selections

Round 1, Selection 25 (Pick No. 25 overall)
Round 2, Selection 9 (Pick No. 41 overall)
Round 2, Selection 26 (Pick No. 58 overall)
Round 3, Selection 24 (Pick No. 88 overall)
Round 3, Selection 27 (Pick No. 91 overall)
Round 4, Selection 26 (Pick No. 126 overall)
Round 5, Selection 34 (Pick No. 169 overall)
Round 6, Selection 26 (Pick No. 202 overall)
Round 6, Selection 43 (Pick No. 219 overall)
Round 7, Selection 25 (Pick No. 245 overall)
Round 7, Selection 35 (Pick No. 255)

Minnesota Vikings

QB
EDGE
IOL
DT
WR

The most pressing need for the Vikings? Quarterback. Yes the team added Sam Darnold to the roster this offseason, but with Kirk Cousins now in Atlanta — and questions surfacing about how deep the 2025 crop of passers will be — this might be the year for Minnesota to add a QB at the top of the draft.

The Vikings have been rumored to make an aggressive move towards the top of the board for one of the top quarterbacks, but they do have other needs. They added Jonathan Grennard in free agency, but another pass rusher is an option for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

Additions to the trenches on both sides of the ball would be wise, and then there is the wide receiver room. With Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson the Vikings have a tremendous WR tandem, but another option at receiver makes sense.

Especially when you consider Jefferson is a free agent in 2025.

Minnesota Vikings draft selections

Round 1, Selection 11 (Pick No. 11 overall)
Round 1, Selection 23 (Pick No. 23 overall)
Round 4, Selection 8 (Pick No. 108 overall)
Round 4, Selection 29 (Pick No. 129 overall)
Round 5, Selection 22 (Pick No. 157 overall)
Round 5, Selection 32 (Pick No. 167 overall)
Round 6, Selection 1 (Pick No. 177 overall)
Round 7, Selection 10 (Pick No. 230 overall)
Round 7, Selection 12 (Pick No. 232 overall)

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Photo by Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Star pitchers are going on the injured list for extended periods of time at an alarming rate. It’s the worst kind of problem: One with no clear and immediate solution.

The sport of baseball — and this includes not just Major League Baseball but all levels of the sport — is in a serious pickle at the moment. After seeing the likes of Shane Bieber, Spencer Strider, Jonathan Loáisiga and Eury Pérez all recently go down due to injuries to their throwing arms (and even Shohei Ohtani won’t be pitching until 2025 after he had surgery on his throwing elbow during this past offseason), the questions are coming and they’re obvious questions.

“Why is this happening right now?” “Have we reached the human limit for what’s possible for pitchers?” “Is the pitch clock to blame for all of this?” These are all fair questions to ask and the unfortunate part is that there’s not really an easy answer for any of those questions. If there was an easy answer then things would’ve been figured out a long time ago, we wouldn’t see multiple superstar pitchers on the shelf for an extended period of time and maybe we’d actually see some sort of agreement between MLB and the MLBPA on what to do instead of the stark disagreement that’s currently going on.

When it comes to the pitch clock, it doesn’t really seem fruitful to talk about what to do with that since the only solution really seems to be pushing it back to where it was last season since getting rid of it doesn’t seem like a feasible option at this point. The average length of a game in 2023 went down to levels that hadn’t been seen since the early 1980s and so far in 2024, the results appear to be very similar. The pitch clock has accomplished exactly what MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred wanted in terms of speeding up the pace of a game and according to The Seton Hall Sports Poll, fans are in favor of the shorter games. Barring an investigation or study directly linking the rise of injuries to the pitch clock, the pitch clock is here to stay in some form.

As far as the actual physical limits of pitchers go, it’s probably best to go with what the pitchers themselves have to say on the matter. Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Clayton Kershaw had his fair share of thoughts to share with Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic and warned against listening to anybody who says that they have this “figured out” and also added this:

“Everybody has theories,” Kershaw said. “It’s probably a combination of what everybody’s talking about, whether it be added velocity, weighted ball programs too young, all this stuff that people talk about. But at the end of the day, nobody knows. Nobody knows the perfect formula, and if they did, they’d be doing it. So I think the question we need to ask is, how do we fix it? And then somebody has to be brave enough to put their neck out and try something different.”

Kershaw’s thoughts on the matter were actually quite similar to how Astros pitcher Justin Verlander felt about the whole situation. He talked with Ari Alexander of KPRC2 in Houston and weighed in with his concerns as well:

Again, there’s no easy answer to what’s going on here but the point that Verlander made about the balls is a fascinating one to me, personally. Verlander has been one of the loudest voices in baseball when it comes to calling out MLB for messing with the baseballs over the year — whether they’re “juicing” the balls or “deadening” them in response to the “juicing” over the past. There’s also the fact that putting “sticky stuff” on the balls has been outlawed and we’re still seeing pitchers adjust to it. Granted, they’ve had years to adjust now and it’s hard to compare this to when MLB awkwardly outlawed the stuff mid-season and forced pitchers to make an extremely difficult midseason adjustment and this isn’t to say that they should bring that stuff back either. It is to say that it could potentially be another factor in this awful mix.

With all of this in mind, it’s easy to just go back to the fact that it could very well be that humans just aren’t made for this next frontier of pitching. I’m not saying that pitchers throwing in the high-90s and even topping out at or around 100 miles-per-hour with their velocity is bad — you go watch Spencer Strider strike out 16 Rockies hitters back in 2022 and tell me that that’s bad for the game.

What’s probably bad for the game is seeing pitchers pitch for nearly the entire calendar year. Coming into this season, Strider had spent plenty of time during the Winter figuring out how to add a curveball to his repertoire for the upcoming season. Instead of spending the offseason resting and taking this a bit easier after throwing over 180 big league innings, he was right back in the lab trying to get ready for next season. This isn’t picking on Spencer Strider, either, since he’s not the only one doing that — far from it, in fact. If you’re a pitcher and you aren’t working on gaining velocity and getting nastier stuff during the offseason, you risk falling behind from a competitive standpoint. Hitters aren’t taking the offseason off, that’s for sure.

The problem is that not only are most of the pitchers in the big leagues going year-round, most pitchers going all the way down to youth levels are doing that now as well. You’ve probably heard people say something along the lines of “The human body is simply not meant to repeatedly throw a baseball 95 miles per hour.” While I’d argue against that since we’ve been seeing pitchers throw that hard for decades now, I would say that humans are probably not meant to be throwing that hard for all 12 months in a calendar year.

While simply ramping things down likely wouldn’t solve the problem either since pitchers have been tearing their UCLs since baseball was a thing (Tommy John surgery has been around since 1974, after all. Plus, the surgery was needed to help turn that particular injury from a career-ender to the season-ender that it is today), it sure seems some sort of offseason pitching moratorium would help take some stress off of pitchers and their throwing arms.

The main question at this point is whether or not pitchers at any level would be down to calm things down? As ESPN’s Jeff Passan mentioned in this article written by Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer on the subject, it might take “a half-generation” and a lot of patience in order to change the mindset. Considering the current cultural climate when it comes to, well, everything, I personally have my doubts that patience could win over instant results at this point in time.

When it comes to solving this problem, it is extremely difficult to pin down this current rash of injuries to one single thing. MLB is reportedly currently in the process of conducting a study concerning the rise in injuries and who knows how long it could take before they even figure out a proper response — much less what the cause of this could be. Until then, you’re not going to find any definitive answers as to how to solve this problem and it’s honestly frustrating to observe as a fan of the game.

Maybe it’ll just become an accepted part of the game that pitching this hard and this often will lead to serious injury. Maybe we’ll start to see pitchers in MLB get similar treatment in terms of contracts and usage to how the NFL currently treats running backs. Maybe pitchers will continue to put up with it if it means they can pitch well enough for just long enough to make some serious bank in free agency. Maybe the old school fans are right and pitching needs to get back to Good Ol’ Fashioned Pitching-with-a-capital-P. Whatever the case is, it’s clear that this is an issue that’s going to be sticking with baseball for a long time and it’s something that the entire sport at all levels needs to reckon with much sooner rather than later for the good of the game going forward.

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Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu talked about his historic journey ahead of this weekend’s F1 Chinese Grand Prix

Formula 1 is a sport filled with fascinating personalities, from the drivers on the track to the team bosses off it. But at the Chinese Grand Prix this week there is one clear main character.

Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu.

Zhou is set to make F1 history as the first Chinese driver to participate in a race at home, with the grid returning to Shanghai for the first time since 2019. At that time Zhou was driving in F2, just hoping for one of the 20 spots on the grid.

Now he has one, and is hoping to make a little more history this weekend by not just racing, but finishing in the points.

It is a moment that Zhou has been waiting decades for, as he outlined at the FIA Press Conference Thursday morning.

“But for me, of course, it’s been 20 years waiting for this Grand Prix. And, yeah, let’s say this journey has been not extremely easy, just because where I’m coming from, and also, you know, trying to win at least a lot of races in feeder series to be here. And then once in F1, every year, of course, when you realise that the home race is not happening, two years in a row, we try to kind of do your best to maintain your seat and then to be here, today,” said Zhou on Thursday.

Still, the Sauber driver has a job to do, even if he will be battling mixed emotions over the weekend.

“So for me, of course, I’m still focused on my job, like always said, I know this is very, let’s say a mix of emotions going to this weekend, especially when we have on Sunday with the national anthem going on and also the memory, you know, quickly reflect on your mind,” added Zhou. “But as much as I am a race driver, I think the most important, critical thing is to do the right job on track, which is try to score points, give the maximum I have on the package on the car we have, which, I feel like we have potential even though it’s not a track I know the best in terms of the layout.

“I never drove here in a single seater. But I still feel like we have a good opportunity with the format. And for myself, I think we just focus on that. And hopefully, it’s not going to be the only one because I’m planning hopefully to stay here as long as I could. And everybody loves to be having a long career in Formula 1 and that’s where we dream to be. So yeah, let’s get over this weekend in a positive way, hopefully reach some good results on Sunday.”

Zhou also addressed the explosion of F1 in China, growth bolstered by his presence on the grid.

“Firstly, I think I’ve been extremely busy. One of the busiest men probably in Shanghai over the last week and a half after the Japanese Grand Prix. I came straight back, a lot activities done. And also a lot of meet and greets with fans, people like that. It’s great to say, for support from the country already,” said Zhou. “And for me, the pressure, of course, this race is a little bit higher, but I don’t think it gets much more than probably my first race, my debut in Formula 1 because by now everything feels a lot more familiar than back in the day.

“You know, everything was very new. And first day here is completely different to now, third season. So I’m just going to use that, like I already mentioned, this is a normal weekend, as much as I, you know, will enjoy this whole weekend experience. And then yeah, for me, working together with some Chinese brands or car companies, they are based in the Geely group, so, for me, one of the biggest car companies in the whole China,” added Zhou.

“So, one day, hopefully a dream to have manufacturers involved in Formula 1 that can help a lot, not just myself, also other young generations coming from China, Chinese drivers to help them guide their way into Formula 1,” continued the driver. “Of course, I would love to have more companies like that involved. But now, you know, I’m happy with what I’m driving with Sauber and, you know, focus on the weekend job and try to do the best possible.”

Earlier this week, Zhou shared an amazing photograph of himself as a child, attending the race he is now set to drive in:

The driver talked about what it will take to see another Chinese driver on the grid.

“But let’s say the biggest difference in motorsports, Formula 1 is that you don’t get too much of a country’s support behind. And of course, to being an F1 driver, you need some financial support. That’s clear. But I don’t think in China we have enough families, people that have the budget, and also, hopefully, the interests that they can get involved in Formula 1. But it takes a lot. It’s easy to be a racing driver as a hobby,” outlined Zhou.

“But to take this professional journey, only 20 of us drivers to be here, it’s not an easy one. The amount of sacrifice and also the hard work behind the scenes for every individual drivers to be there, it’s very complex. And also, it takes a lot of time. And for me, happy to be kind of the role model in this country,” added the Sauber driver. “But still, I think you need to put effort into that. And also, having a lot companies, manufacturer involved in helping the young generation, to guide them forward. And yeah, let’s see what I can do. Maybe when I retire from racing to help more, but at the moment, I’m just hoping to inspire some young people, and they can come a long way.”

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Marvin Harrison Jr. | Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

These prospect can’t miss in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The NFL draft is days away and there will be big hits and awful misses.

It happens every year. There will be future superstars selected and there will be straight-up busts. The annual NFL crap shoot makes and breaks front-office people across the league. They spend the offseason trying to figure out how to stay employed.

If that’s where your general manager is, we have a look at the top bust-proof prospects who are expected to be taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft:

Caleb Williams, USC, quarterback

This a is one-foot putt. Williams, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Bears, should be a superstar. If he works at his craft the way he is expected to, there’s no reason to think Williams will not live up to expectations.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State, wide receiver

There’s more than a handful of scouts who think Harrison is the best overall talent in the draft. He’s been NFL ready for a couple of years and should be an elite player at his position in short order. The namesake of his Pro Football Hall of Famer father was born for this.

Jayden Daniels, LSU, quarterback

Daniels is not as much of a sure thing as Williams, but there is a reason why some analysts have said they’d rather have Daniels. He is the perfect prospect for today’s NFL as he is a threat with his arm and legs. Plus, he has a huge ceiling. He should be the league’s next must-see young quarterback.

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Joe Alt

Joe Alt, tackle, Notre Dame

This rock-solid prospect could go as high as No. 5 to the Los Angeles Chargers and could be Jim Harbaugh’s star tackle for the next decade. His father, John Alt, was a two-time Pro Bowl tackle in a 13-season career with the Kansas City Chiefs. This is such a safe choice.

Rome Odunze, wide receiver, Washington

Odunze is not far behind Harrison in this wide receiver class. He could go as high as No. 6 to the New York Giants. He is so smooth and dominant. Think Davante Adams. He’ll be a star.

Terrion Arnold, cornerback, Alabama

Our first defensive player on this offensive-heavy list, Arnold is the surest thing at cornerback. He is primed to be a No. 1 cornerback at the next level. He has played at the highest college level and he has the talent, smarts and attitude to excel at the NFL level. Whoever drafts him gets an alpha defender.

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images
Laiatu Latu

Laiatu Latu, edge rusher, UCLA

He is so skilled and has a chance to be a dominant pass-rusher in the NFL very early. He’s good at everything and he has a huge motor. That’s a recipe to NFL success at that position. He could be a steal.

Taliese Fuaga, tackle, Oregon State

There are a lot of quality tackle prospects who should go in the 10-25 range and Fuaga may be the safest of the lot at a position that can be difficult to scout. Fuaga is nasty and tough. He could be an instant impact addition.

Brian Thomas, wide receiver, LSU

Thomas doesn’t get talked about as much as Harrison and Odunze and he may not be quite the prospect they are. But he is a first-round pick and he should become a true No. 1 for one lucky team.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Graham Barton

Graham Barton, center, Duke

Centers aren’t exactly sexy choices, but a player like Barton could solve a lot of problems. He is NFL-ready and teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Rams are candidates to scoop him up.

You can find all of SB Nation’s NFL Draft coverage here!

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