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Michael Keaton’s Batman is front and center in the latest trailer for The Flash as his aged version of the Dark Knight mentors Ezra Miller’s speedster and shows that he has still plenty of moves left in the ol’ Batsuit. However, the big question is whether or not Keaton is playing a multiverse variant or the actual Batman from his time in the Tim Burton films. Here’s what we know so far.

From what we can tell, Keaton is still playing his original version of Batman. Here’s what he told Variety back in 2022:

Since Keaton hasn’t watched other superhero films — there have been seven actors who have played the Caped Crusader since — he admits it was a little confusing to dive back into that world. Bruce Wayne has changed a bit since Keaton last played him, we remind the actor.

After a brief pause, he responds with a smirk, “Not mine.”

On top of Keaton saying that his Batman character in The Flash is the one he left 30 years ago, director Andy Muschietti recently told CinemaCon attendees that the production team went to great pains to recreate the Batcave from the Burton films. That attention to detail is evident in the new trailer where there are several visual nods to Batman and Batman Returns.

“When [Keaton] arrived to the set, the Batcave was already finished and it was lit and everything. He stayed like this [eyes wide] for a while,” Muschietti said via IGN. “I didn’t want to interrupt him. I just wanted for him to take it in. Who knows what was going on there? But something was going on there. It was funny because at one point during the scene where we shot him in the full suit, he was like, ‘Can you take a picture? It’s for my grandson.’ It was one of those moments where he really showed something was inside that was very emotional.”

The Flash was also shown at CinemaCon where the film racked up rave reviews, and based on what the critics are saying, Keaton’s Batman makes several references to the Burton films.

“After 30 years, Michael Keaton returns as Batman and his appearance in #TheFlashMovie is a true highlight,” Geeks of Color‘s Dorian Parks tweeted. “He delivers insanely awesome scenes, with great nods to his previous time in the role. He is one of the true standouts of the film.”

While the evidence seems to point towards Keaton still being the Batman that audiences fell in love with back in 1989, scenes are reportedly still being added to The Flash, which could add some sort of multiversal/time-travel twist to Keaton’s role. That said, the marketing is leaning heavy into the Batman ’89 nostalgia, so we’d be surprised if Warner Bros. messed with the compelling hook of bringing back Keaton’s original Batman.

The Flash zooms into theaters on June 16.

(Via Variety)

Ahead of the new Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit album, Weathervanes, the band has shared the third glimpse of the record with “Cast Iron Skillet.”

Throughout the song, Isbell reflects on all the lessons he learned from being raised in the south. “Don’t wash the cast iron skillet / Don’t drink and drive, you’ll spill it / Don’t ask too many questions or you’ll never get to sleep / There’s a hole inside you, fill it,” he sings, making sure to note both some silly life advice to some bigger ones that get him by.

Despite this, Isbell also makes sure to underline the point that the past and our memories aren’t always what we might have thought, especially when looking back on everything happily. In a press statement, he adds a warning, “If we romanticize the past, we can’t really learn from it.”

Earlier this year, he shared the two other songs from Weathervanes, including “Death Wish” — which Jack White put a recent spin on — and “Middle Of The Morning.” Recorded in Nashville, Isbell wrote and produced all of the songs, with select tracks having a co-production credit from Matt Pence.

Check out Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit’s “Cast Iron Skillet” above.

Weathervanes is out 6/09 via Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers. Find more information here.

As streaming services adjust to the perils of capitalism – grow at all costs, acquire subscribers at all costs, return profits for shareholders at all costs – the media that keeps these entities profitable becomes less valued. Spotify’s mission seems to be a dominance in audio in the most general sense possible, which has only highlighted the work of its rival, Apple, which has seemingly put premium focus on creating a user-listener experience that rewards devoted fans of music. Sure, Apple Podcasts exist, and at the end of the day, Tim Cook’s sole responsibility is to keep Apple as the world-beating behemoth that it is, but the emergence of two recent incentives from the digital music pioneer has situated Apple Music as the go-to service for people who want to listen to their favorite music and discover new artists. With the arrival of Apple Music Classical and Dolby Atmos, Apple Music is drawing a line in the sand that its main initiative is to attract as many music devotees as possible. It is a powerful statement in the face of its chief rival continually getting dogged in the press for its low payouts (it’s not like Apple streams will make the average musician rich, though). Apple seems to have found an opportunity to exploit the mistakes of its competitor and built a number of apps and features that make it a truly desirable home for music fanatics.

I first began growing intrigued by Apple’s pivot towards music devotees when they introduced Dolby Atmos — also known as Spatial Audio — to wide audiences. After all, there might not be a marketing and audio initiative more antithetical to modern music consumption than the only draw being “this music sounds better.” It seemed remarkably backward-thinking from a company that was always ahead of the curve. Sure, the technology is phenomenal and fascinating, but music has become clipped, shortened, and commodified as more and more discover music via apps like TikTok and popular playlists across the major streaming platforms. While the measure of Spatial has been dictated by statistics an Apple representative has given me, it’s clear they’re making a push for it to be the go-to way for audiences to consume music on the app. According to a representative, “Since launch, the number of monthly Spatial Audio listeners has more than tripled, with more than 80% of worldwide subscribers enjoying the experience, while monthly plays in Spatial Audio have grown by over 1,000 percent. Currently, 79% of the Global Daily Top 100 are available in Spatial.”

As you can see, these statistics can mean a number of things — Apple doesn’t clarify how many of those subscribers actively seek out the experience; and almost 80% of songs being available in Spatial has more to do with their progress on the development end than the success of the program. After all, the songs are also available not in Spatial. Apple’s commitment to higher fidelity audio is an initiative with little financial gain for the company. It comes free with certain iOS updates. Between the advancement of Apple’s Spatial technology and its newest initiative, Apple Music Classical, it has become clear that Apple’s desire to dominate the music audio landscape is a boon to audiophiles everywhere.

Apple Music Classical is another free app for subscribers to Apple Music, which is remarkable considering the work it took to get the app up and running. Because of the number of recordings, versions, orchestras, and variations that accompany each piece of classical music, the SEO required for the app itself is much different than modern music. To learn more about the development of the software, I spoke with Veronica Neo, who founded Primephonic, whose mission was to “bring classical music into the digital age.” Now, with Apple’s team supporting her vision, the dream has finally become a reality. Neo, who is now head of data and operations management at Apple, explained the initiative and desire to get Apple Music Classical up and running. “We started our data process at the source, and then we did endless iterations to ensure that the catalog information we were receiving matched our classical repertoire database as much and as accurately as possible. As we discovered new works in recordings, we added these to our ever-growing classical repertoire database.”

This was a time-consuming, expensive initiative, and it’s hard to imagine Apple Music would dive into such an operation if there was little financial gain for this wing of Apple. While Atmos feels like more of a pet project, it appears as if Apple Music may have found a market inefficiency. Perhaps they’re looking to accrue a number of new subscribers who never before utilized digital streaming services. Regardless, Neo sees the app as useful for classical novices and experts alike. Much like Apple Music, the service offers tons of information and recommendations from editors.

Being a classical music novice myself, I found the app easy to navigate and informative. I am not opposed to learning more about the genre, and Apple Music Classical made the subject matter engaging. For someone curious, it’s a more than suitable introduction to the genre. “For beginners, there is a broad variety of playlists, for instance essentials per period or per genre. Browsing by instruments is a unique feature that is available on Apple Music Classical that allows listeners who know the sound of an instrument they love to get started and create their own classical music taste profile as they explore,” she explains. We also have works descriptions for many classical works that provide a much more enriching listening experience as they learn about the story of the composition.” These works descriptions are what I found so enticing, which illuminated the context and tradition around these monumental compositions.

Aficionados, too, will find the app appealing according to Neo, and I bet this is where Apple sees dollar signs. The amount of classical lovers who listen to digital music has to be minuscule, based on how long it took Apple to accumulate the proper SEO keywords to populate their catalog. It was simply a bad listening experience before the app came along. “More advanced listeners can easily go beyond the usual suspects through Composer Undiscovered Playlists and Hidden Gems. Lifelong fans can search by composer, work name, opus number, album name, artist name, or even in their local language, and find exactly their favorite recording instantly,” Neo says. “We also have Related Composers and Related Works that bring recommendations beyond what they already know.”

This is the future of Apple Music, which may not be the first name associated with streaming but has positioned itself as the music listener’s service. Its new initiatives and technological innovations are antithetical to the click and move on factory-like behavior that playlisting and algorithmic listening fosters. It’s a bold bet, and I’m not certain Apple will have patience if these programs lose money or fail to attract wide swaths of the market, but as a music devotee and someone constantly looking for a less insane way to consume music, both Spatial Audio and Apple Music Classical make it clear that I’m not the only one searching for alternatives.

In addition to trying — and failing — to not be indicted on criminal charges, Donald Trump has been keeping busy by workshopping what he hopes will be the perfectly insulting nickname for his newest archenemy, Florida governor Ron DeSantis. And while there’s likely a used McDonald’s napkin floating around the world somewhere with phrases like “Meatball Ron” scribbled onto it in black Sharpie, the former president’s inner circle is reportedly attempting to convince Donald he and the politician formerly known as “Ron DeSanctimonious” should stop bickering and join forces.

On Tuesday, just hours after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris announced that they’re running again as a package deal in 2024, Page Six reported that Trump’s most trusted advisers are pushing the recently arrested former POTUS to take advantage of DeSantis’ popularity and tap him as his running mate. And Donald is apparently at least “listening” to what they have to say, according to a source.

“Supporters say the VP offer [would] stop DeSantis from opposing [Trump] and offer a ‘youthful conservative vigor’ to the slot, which Biden doesn’t have,” the source added.

For all the old man talk, it should be noted that Biden is just four years older than Trump — so, yeah, they’re both old.

The source also believes that having DeSantis — who is reportedly a total a**hole — on the ticket could go a long way toward fundraising, which could very well be the thing that eventually persuades Trump. This is, after all, a man who is currently hawking a second set of ridiculous NFTs and just released a reportedly embarrassing book of “celebrity” letters, which he’s selling for $100.

As of right now, Trump appears to still be mulling it over.

(Via Page Six)

After six years, a new album from PJ Harvey is on the way. Today (April 26), Harvey has announced her 10th studio album, I Inside The Old Year Dying.

The genesis of I Inside The Old Year Dying goes back to 2017, when Harvey had began to feel a disconnect from her music after constant album and touring cycles.

Harvey tapped into a lot of memories when writing music for the album, including meeting filmmaker Steve McQueen, who told her to home in on “what she loves about words, images and music and to put away the concept of writing ‘an album’ to focus on and play with these three passions,” according to a statement. She also found joy in simply sitting down and playing music, and writing while playing her guitar or sitting at her piano.

According to Harvey, the album came together over the course of three weeks. Ahead, she has released a new song called “A Child’s Question, August,” on which, she offers a message of healing to her younger self.

“I think the album is about searching, looking – the intensity of first love, and seeking meaning,” said Harvey. “Not that there has to be a message, but the feeling I get from the record is one of love – it’s tinged with sadness and loss, but it’s loving. I think that’s what makes it feel so welcoming: so open.”

You can check out “A Child’s Question, August,” and see the I Inside The Old Year Dying cover art and tracklist below.

1. “Prayer At The Gate”
2. “Autumn Term”
3. “Lwonesome Tonight”
4. “Seem An I”
5. “The Nether-edge”
6. “I Inside The Old Year Dying”
7. “All Souls”
8. “A Child’s Question, August”
9. “I Inside the Old I Dying”
10. “August”
11. “A Child’s Question, July”
12. “A Noiseless Noise”

I Inside the Old Year Dying is out 7/7 via Partisan Records. Find more information here.

Ever since she made her debut in 1959, Barbie has been both celebrated for her wide range of careers and criticized for her unrealistic body image. As the first mass-produced doll toy with adult features, Barbie has been an iconic part of childhood imaginary play for decades despite her controversy, and as the hype around the new Barbie feature film shows, she’s still a favorite among fans.

One way Barbie has managed to stay relevant is by evolving with the times. In her earliest years, she defied the 50s housewife expectation of women and showed girls that they could have any job they wanted. Since then, Mattel has broadened Barbie’s initial blonde bombshell look to allow more girls to see themselves in Barbie’s features.

For instance, meet one of the newest Barbie Fashionistas—the first Barbie to have Down syndrome.

Designed in close collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the doll was made to celebrate individuals with Down syndrome. The NDSS had input in her design from start to finish, with the goal of having her look and accessories be reflective of the Down syndrome community.

Some of the features that are unique to this doll are a shorter frame and longer torso, a rounder face, smaller ears, a flatter nasal bridge and sligthly slanted, almond-shaped eyes—specifications designed to make Barbie more illustrative of women with Down syndrome. Even the palms of this Barbie’s hands are purposefully designed, with a single line on the palm, which is a characteristic often associated with those with Down syndrome (but can also be seen in people with other conditions).

u201c#Representation increasing slowly but surely in a lot of areas. We love to see it!u201d

— Canadian Down Syndrome Society (@Canadian Down Syndrome Society)
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The doll’s dress features butterflies and yellow and blue colors, which are associated with Down syndrome awareness. And her pink pendant necklace shape represents the three copies of the 21st chromosome, which is what causes the syndrome’s signature characteristics.

“The three chevrons, or arrows, are a symbol that unites the Down syndrome community and are meant to represent ‘the lucky few’ who have someone with Down syndrome in their life,” shares Mattel.

Finally, since some children with Down syndrome wear orthotics to support their feet and ankles, the doll has been fashioned with a pair of pink ankle foot orthotics (AFOs) to match her outfit.

This Barbie is one of a handful of newly-released Fashionista dolls, each of which expands Barbie’s range of representation with an array of features. It even includes a Ken doll with a prosthetic leg.

Mattel says Barbie is the most inclusive doll line on the market, with “over 175 looks offering a variety of eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities and fashions to tell more stories.” As Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls, points out, not only does this Barbie give kids with Down syndrome a Barbie that represents them, but it also reflects the world all kids live in.

“As the most diverse doll line on the market, Barbie plays an important role in a child’s early experiences, and we are dedicated to doing our part to counter social stigma through play,” McKnight said in a statement. “Our goal is to enable all children to see themselves in Barbie, while also encouraging children to play with dolls who do not look like themselves. Doll play outside of a child’s own lived experience can teach understanding and build a greater sense of empathy, leading to a more accepting world. We are proud to introduce a Barbie doll with Down syndrome to better reflect the world around us and further our commitment to celebrating inclusion through play.”

Three cheers for Barbie in all her diverse attributes, abilities and ambitions, and kudos to those who keep trying to make her world more inclusive and representative of everyone.

As the fallout from Tucker Carlson’s abrupt firing from Fox News continues, Howard Stern weighed in with his blunt thoughts on the situation. While admitting that he doesn’t know exactly why Carlson was fired, the shock jock said the turn of events should be a “good life lesson.” Citing his own experience, Stern put Tucker in his place by reminding him who really calls the shots: Rupert Murdoch.

“I’ve been a big money earner for radio companies for a long time now, but there’s one thing I never forget. My boss is super wealthy,” Stern said via Mediaite. “Like if you work for Rupert Murdoch, you know that motherf*cker’s got so many billions that as important as Tucker Carlson might be to the Fox Network, he will fire your ass if you’re a pain in the ass.”

After citing the allegations from former Fox News producer Abby Grossman, Stern said Carlson learned how quickly he can be replaced if he becomes too much of a problem for the boss man. The shock jock cited Bill O’Reilly’s ouster as prove that Fox News personalities are still just “worker bees” for Murdoch.

“Because at the end of the day, you are a fly on his a**hole,” Stern said. “You’re nothing because he’s still gonna have billions upon billions upon billions of dollars and own a giant corporation. And you know, you cannot f*ck up. You can only push them so far.”

(Via Mediaite)

The NFL Draft is right around the corner. On Thursday night, one of the NFL’s most hectic weekends of the year will kick off, as the league will descend upon Kansas City and unveil the 31 players who will get taken in the first round in 2023. From there, it’s a marathon over the next two days, culminating with someone being named Mr. Irrelevant on Saturday evening when the final pick’s name gets read.

While we’re not going to do an entire monster, 7-round mock draft, we decided to sit down and run through the first round and make some picks. Our two rules:

1. We are not allowed to make any trades.
2. The picks are made based off of a mix of watching college football and what our guts believe will happen. We have no inside information on this one, but we can certainly hit you with earth-shattering insight like “Bijan Robinson is good.”

Anyway, here we go. Robby Kalland grabbed the odd picks, while Bill DiFilippo took the even ones.

1. Carolina Panthers (via Chicago Bears): Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Young has been the prohibitive favorite to go first for the past week, and I expect the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner to be who the Panthers select to start Thursday night. He was wildly productive at Alabama and I think a year with a shakier than usual offensive line in front of him last year only helped his stock, as he showed that even with his shorter stature, he can make plays, evade the rush, and make throws in traffic. The height question is real, but the traits, IQ, and production are not. For a team that’s been desperate for a franchise QB since Cam Newton’s first departure, Young makes all the sense in the world.

2. Houston Texans: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

The Texans could go in a number of different directions. No one would fault them if they picked a QB, and if they wanted to trade back to a QB-hungry team, they can get a king’s ransom to address their myriad needs on their roster. But since we’re not projecting trades, let’s go with Anderson, the top defensive player in the class from new head coach DeMeco Ryans’ alma mater. Anderson is going to get after quarterbacks, plays the run well, and is the sort of culture setter the new regime in Houston would love.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

I think this is where we see the first trade of draft night, as Kyler Murray has apparently stumped for Paris Johnson, who would be a significant reach at 3 but would be more palatable at 7 or 11 (if he were to be there). Arizona will have lots of calls, and in this scenario with Anderson off the board, I think they’d prefer to make the move backwards. That said, Tyree Wilson is far from a reach at three, as he has prototypical size (6’6, 271 with 35.5 inch arms) for a modern edge rusher and makes life miserable for opposing tackles. Arizona needs a boost to their pass rush and Wilson, if they don’t choose to move back, fits the bill.

4. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Richardson has the highest ceiling about signal callers in this class, and after new head coach Shane Steichen built Philadelphia’s offense around a mobile QB who needed to grow into being a consistent passer in Jalen Hurts, it’s reasonable to believe he has a good blueprint for how to develop Richardson. Plus for a franchise as starved for a franchise QB as Indianapolis, taking a big swing makes a ton of sense. What’s the worst that’s going to happen, they end up needing to rely on a bunch of past their prime veterans and Day 3 guys if he doesn’t work out?

5. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

This is a very popular mock draft marriage, and I’m not going to be the one to argue it. Carter is a freak and while the misdemeanor reckless driving charge and subsequent lackluster pro day performance have knocked him down boards, I don’t see him getting past Seattle at 5 unless there’s a crazy run at the top where four QBs go in a row. Carter’s tape at Georgia is hysterical to watch, as he just throws around offensive linemen, running backs, and quarterbacks, wrecking shop constantly over the past couple years. Seattle could use that presence in the middle of their line, and Pete Carroll would be very happy to add the big fella to his front.

6. Detroit Lions (via L.A. Rams): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

Jared Goff was pretty good last year, so Detroit taking a QB doesn’t make much sense to me. Instead, they land the nastiest cornerback in the draft with the hopes of helping out one of the NFL’s most porous passing defenses. Witherspoon is unbelievable in man coverage and tackles like the ball-carrier owes him money — Dan Campbell would have a blast having someone with his edge on the defense. With Jeff Okudah being traded to Atlanta, Detroit has a need and figures to have their pick of the top corners in this draft at No. 6.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Vegas is among the candidates to trade up for a QB, so they’d be thrilled with this scenario of Stroud falling to them. Stroud’s stock is a bit all over the place, but I’m a believer in what he can do. He gets knocked for the talent around him and I think there are genuine questions for him to answer about making plays when things break down. That said, he’s insanely accurate as a passer, has excellent size, and he saved his best tape for the biggest game of the season, slicing up the Georgia defense in the CFP semifinal. That tape showed what he can be, and I think with the right investment in his development, he could be an excellent NFL starter.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

A Savannah native who won back-to-back national titles in Athens (although he picked up a season-ending injury halfway through 2022), Smith stays in the Peach State and helps the Falcons fill a position of need. His 4.39-second 40 would bring a much-needed jolt of speed to Atlanta’s defense, his motor and work-ethic will be beloved by fans and coaches, and while he needs a little polish, his ceiling as a game-changing pass rusher is high.

9. Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers): Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

The Bears top priority should be protecting Justin Fields, and as such the expectation is that they will be one of the first teams selecting an offensive tackle in this draft. That’s a good place to be, as there’s a number of talented tackles in this year’s draft, but I’d expect them to pair Fields with another former Buckeye in Johnson. There are questions about what position Peter Skoronski is best suited for, with some believing his highest ceiling is inside at guard. As such, I think Chicago goes with Johnson, who has ideal tackle size and is an excellent pass protector who could keep Fields much cleaner than he has been in his first two seasons.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

The Eagles could use this to go Best Player Available and snag Bijan Robinson to pair with Jalen Hurts in the backfield. Instead, the team takes a monster cornerback prospect in Gonzalez, who has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL. He needs to keep growing as a tackler, but he shows his track-and-field background with his speed and fluidity at 6’1. Let him walk into a room with two excellent corners in Darius Slay and James Bradberry, bring him along, and sooner rather than later, Philly will have an elite player at the position.

11. Tennessee Titans: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

The Titans would have to think long and hard about Will Levis here, as Ryan Tannehill is going to be a free agent next year and Malik Willis didn’t impress much in his rookie year. That said, playmaker is a bigger concern for me in the immediate and I think they’ll look to cross the quarterback bridge next year instead. JSN is my favorite receiver in this draft and I think he could help fill the void left by AJ Brown last year the Titans never addressed. He’s a dynamic slot receiver who runs sharp routes and has great wiggle, even if he lacks the elite top end speed. He was Ohio State’s top playmaker two seasons ago in an offense that also had Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, and I think he’d quickly become both Tannehill’s favorite target in Tennessee and a crucial piece around a new QB, whenever that day comes.

12. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

While I have some concerns about Levis in the NFL, getting him at 12 is a much, much smaller risk than getting him at 2 for the Texans. He lacks a ton of polish and has major issues with turnovers. At the same time, Levis has the kind of arm talent that every NFL team wants in a quarterback. He is by no means a sure thing, and perhaps Houston finds itself in a position next year where taking Caleb Williams is a better option than banking on Levis. Or maybe it all works out.

13. Green Bay Packers (via New York Jets): Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

It is now Jordan Love’s time in Green Bay, and keeping him upright is vital. Green Bay could look to go receiver or tight end here, as playmakers in the pass game remain a considerable need, but a QB’s true best friend is a great offensive line. I think Jones has the most upside of any of this year’s tackles, as he was just an absolute monster for Georgia. The Packers struggled at times protecting Aaron Rodgers and while Jones is a bit raw still, the tools are all there to be an anchor for the future on a Packers team that will be looking to grow alongside a new QB, whether that’s Love or someone else they target in 2024.

14. New England Patriots: Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern

New England’s offense was a disaster last season, in part due to its struggles along the offensive line. Whether you think Skoronski is a tackle or his short arms makes him a guard, it doesn’t really matter, because he’d immediately step in and help keep Mac Jones upright. The dude is going to be a very good offensive lineman in the NFL for a long time, and with a new offensive coordinator joining the fray in Bill O’Brien, shoring things up along the line must be a high priority. Bijan Robinson also seems to be a popular pick here in the mock draft universe, and he’d certainly be a fun building block.

15. New York Jets (via Green Bay Packers): Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

The Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers and if Skoronski were still available to bolster the offensive line, that’d be the pick here. That said, Robert Saleh is still a defensive coach and they have invested an awful lot this offseason on the offensive side already. I think he’ll be pushing for some more juice on the defensive front, and Van Ness has the traits and build to be tantalizing to Saleh and the Jets. The Iowa standout has room to grow and add some more bulk on his 6’5 frame, but he’s already got excellent strength, athleticism, and length on the edge to be a handful for opposing tackles.

16. Washington Commanders: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

We’re right in Joey Porter Jr. range, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Commanders took the rangy cornerback out of Penn State. Instead, I think they’re going to try and bolster the offensive line for their quarterback of the future, whether it’s someone currently on the roster (Sam Howell) or someone in college right now (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye). Wright is big and strong, and while you can debate if his long-term future is at tackle or guard, he’ll help keep the team’s quarterback from getting sacked and give their various running backs plenty of space to run through.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

We are going to reunite Kenny Pickett with his favorite target from Pitt, trying to create a Great Value version of the Ja’Marr Chase-Joe Burrow pairing in Cincinnati. They were dynamic together with the Panthers in 2021, with Addison being a big reason Pickett looked good enough to vault into being a first round pick. This is a Steelers team in need of more playmaking help, so why wouldn’t you add the receiver you know has a great connection with your QB? Addison also proved last year with USC that his game travels and his impact can be great in different systems, and he lands in a comfortable spot here to thrive as a rookie.

18. Detroit Lions: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

The questions about Kancey’s size are very real. He’s also an explosive defensive tackle who plays with a real edge and lived in backfields during his time in the Steel City, and his speed is a real handful for IOLs to deal with — it is worth mentioning, however, that the very easy to make Aaron Donald comps (small, ferocious DT from Pitt) is a bit off base. Perhaps he ends up getting to the league and his size is impossible for him to overcome, but he’s the sort of guys you bet on, especially for a Lions team that needs help in the trenches.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: O’Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida

I think Tampa probably looks to trade down if the board shakes out this way, because they can’t really address the tackle situation with the top-4 prospects all off the board. If they do stick in this spot, I still think they have to go O-line and bring the gigantic guard down I-4 from Gainesville to beef up the interior of their line that is in need of some help. Torrence is just a behemoth inside, with incredible strength in both pass pro and run blocking. He’s not a guy that’s going to be pulling and getting out in front a ton, but that’s not really Tampa’s style anyway.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

Getting Jalen Carter and Myles Murphy would be one hell of a draft for Seattle. Murphy looks the part as a game-changing edge rusher in the NFL, he possesses impressive athleticism, and he consistently put up good numbers during his time as a Tiger. With a bit more polish, he’ll turn into a very good player at the position for a Seahawks squad that is well-positioned for the future.

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

Flowers’ versatility would be a huge boost for the Chargers, who need some more receiver depth behind their star duo of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Flowers can very comfortably step into the slot between those two, but given the injury woes that have plagued both of those vets over the years, his ability to play outside if one of them goes down would be extremely valuable. Justin Herbert could use a weapon with some juice, and Flowers would bring that in spades.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

Boy, this would be funny. Everything about Porter seems like a perfect fit in Baltimore — he’s a tall, lanky cornerback who plays with a real edge and is at his best manning up opposing receivers. The issue is that his dad is a Pittsburgh Steelers legend who made a career out of tormenting the Ravens. Still, while Joey Sr. probably wouldn’t like this, Joey Jr. would be an outstanding fit on the other side of Marlon Humphrey in Baltimore’s secondary.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

There’s some rumblings that Minnesota could go QB here and make Hendon Hooker the fifth QB taken in this year’s first round, but if they don’t, defensive back is an area of need. Banks has good size and strength, which made his sensational Combine testing (4.35 second 40, 42″ vertical, 11’4 broad jump) all the more impressive. Minnesota could use a player with his skills after getting lit up on a few occasions by opposing passing attacks, including their Wild Card loss to New York.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Branch, S, Alabama

While I like the idea of going with Dalton Kincaid/Michael Mayer here and giving the team a natural replacement in case Evan Engram leaves, Branch is a smart, instinctive, and productive football player who would immediately elevate Jacksonville’s secondary. His size and testing numbers weren’t elite, but if you watch him play, you’d have no clue. Branch is awesome, and the Jags would be better for rolling with him.

25. New York Giants: Steve Avila, IOL, TCU

There are a lot of ways for the Giants to go here, but they don’t have a center currently, which isn’t ideal. Avila has started at both guard spots and center in his tenure at TCU (he was the left guard last year, center in 2021), which is the kind of versatility that is very nice to have up front. He’s a very large, powerful blocker with good feet and his years of experience make me think he could step in and be the Giants center on Day 1. Whether they want to reach here for a center is the biggest question. There are a few — Avila, John Michael Schmitz, Joe Tippmann — who all have Day 2 grades, but might be gone by the time the Giants are on the clock again, unless they can find a team in the early 30s who wants to move up.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

My best player in this class goes at 26. Ezekiel Elliott is gone, while Tony Pollard is both coming off of a season-ending injury and is slated to hit free agency next year. Robinson does everything you want at running back — he has impressive size and speed, he’s good pass catcher, and his vision is the best in his class. He’ll immediately be one of the best backs in the NFL and I’d throw $5 on his Offensive Rookie of the Year odds if he heads to a team like Dallas that values running the football behind a big offensive line.

27. Buffalo Bills: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

Gabe Davis’ inconsistency means the Bills still could use some help at the receiver position opposite Stefon Diggs, and Johnston would be a strong option. His size and ability to stretch the field vertically would be perfect for Josh Allen, and he would also provide a jump-ball threat in the red zone opposite Diggs. There’s a lot of directions the Bills could take with this pick, as last year proved they’re a bit further away from being a top contender than initially thought. Still, the focal point of this team is the passing game and bolstering that with Johnston wouldn’t be a bad idea at all.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

Unless there’s an Irv Smith breakout coming, Cincinnati could use a tight end to replace Hayden Hurst (and, if you wanna go back two years, C.J. Uzomah). While Michael Mayer is the best all-around tight end in this class, Kincaid is a matchup nightmare in the passing game and is coming along as a blocker. He’d give Joe Burrow a safety blanket in the passing game, especially if the Bengals end up needing to make a difficult decision on Tee Higgins in the not-too-distant future.

29. New Orleans Saints (via San Francisco through Miami and Denver): Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Derek Carr loves tight ends, as evidenced by Darren Waller’s productivity in Las Vegas. New Orleans has talent in the receiving corps, but doesn’t really have the type of big body over the middle Carr has always loved as a security blanket. Michael Mayer would be exactly that. The Notre Dame product is huge (6’4, 249 pounds), with good hands and body control in the passing game and is the best run blocker of the top tight ends in this year’s draft. He’s also an excellent red zone target who would require opposing secondaries to consider not giving as much attention to Chris Olave and Michael Thomas on the outside.

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

Bresee is a big and explosive option in the middle of the defense, although he lacks refinement at the position. With Fletcher Cox turning 33 this year, this is a pick with one eye on the future for a team that values dominating in the trenches, and it’s not hard to envision Bresee and Jordan Davis being stalwarts at the position in Philly for the next decade.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

The Chiefs saw Frank Clark walk this offseason, immediately opening up their biggest need at pass rusher. Will McDonald IV needs to add strength to hold up in the run game, but he’s an absolute freak off the edge, with speed and length that Kansas City could use initially as a pass rush specialist and hope to develop him into an every down rusher.

Note: The Miami Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick

SNL is off this Saturday, but when it returns the following weekend, the episode will be hosted by a familiar face. Pete Davidson is making his return to Studio 8H on May 6th after leaving the sketch series at the end of last season.

It will be an emotional evening for Pete. SNL is where he became famous enough that he could get Edie Falco and Joe Pesci to play his mom and grandfather, respectively, in a semi-autobiographical show; it’s also where he met his even-more-famous now-ex-girlfriend, Kim Kardashian.

Don’t expect to hear any jokes about their time together, however.

A source told Page Six that while Davidson will be “a good sport” about his dating life (and his, uh, “very normal-sized penis”), he wants to avoid any cracks about Kardashian. “He’s being a gentleman,” the source added.

We’re told that when Davidson and Kardashian — who were first romantically linked in October 2021 — split in August 2022 after nine months of dating, they agreed to just “drop everything” and “move on… That’s why she’s not mentioned in his stand-up,” says the source.

The musical guest for Davidson’s episode will be Lil Uzi Vert, probably because Kanye West is busy that night. Yeah, let’s go with that.

(Via Page Six)

Meghan Trainor is not holding back about her “nightmare” sex life with her self-described “big boy” husband and former Spy Kids actor, Daryl Sabara. During a recent episode of her Workin’ On It podcast, which she hosts with her brother, she spilled all the dirty details with the special guest Trisha Paytas.

“[It’s] to the point where I’m like ‘Is it all in?’ and he’s like, ‘Just the tip,’” Trainor explained. “And I’m like, ‘I can’t do anymore.’ I don’t know how to fix that.”

She is currently pregnant with the couple’s second child. However, Trainor has been diagnosed with vaginismus, making things tense — whether it’s full eggplant emoji or not. Because of this, the “Lips Are Movin” musician said it “took so long to even consider having sex” with Sabara again after the birth of their son, Riley, in 2021.

“As he would penetrate, I would be like, ‘Ow, ow, ow,’ like, to the point when … I had to ice myself after,” she added.

Later in the episode, Paytas tried to provide some advice about… hopping on top. However, Trainor has tried “every angle” and nothing seems to work, but just makes things worse. “I’m like ‘Please, no, for so many reasons.’ I’m like, ‘Don’t look at me. I don’t like this. This hurts way worse,’” she replied.

The couple’s sex life has raised some eyebrows over the years, after they were spotted leaving a sex shop a while back, but Trainor later said it was a misunderstanding, explaining on TikTok that they were buying for a friend… Who couldn’t buy it online.