Super Bowl Domination

Chapter 1592 The undercurrent is surging
The 2020 NBA Draft slowly unfolded, without any major surprises—

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Louisiana State University quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick, a draft result that was a foregone conclusion.

With the second pick, the Washington football team selected Ohio State defensive end Chess Young.

Somewhat surprisingly, they didn't choose a quarterback. Alex Smith missed the entire 2019 season after suffering a near-fatal injury in the 2018 season and is still working hard to recover and return to the field. The Washington Football Team didn't have a suitable starting quarterback, but they didn't take any risks.

But Chess Young is undoubtedly one of the most promising rookies in this year's draft in terms of overall ability and talent. In addition, with the defensive line position whose value has continued to rise this year, the Washington Football Team's choice has won applause. It is rare to see them make a normal choice.

With the third pick, the Detroit Lions selected Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okuda.

After the rookie training camp ended, a small number of team managers heard rumors that Levi was not optimistic about Okuda's professional prospects, which sparked heated discussions.

It seems that these team managers generally believe that Levi is too young and lacks experience. They don't need to mythologize this young treble winner, let alone take all of Levi's words as gospel. Don't forget, Levi is a novice who has only been involved in rugby for four years.

Therefore, the team managers stuck to their judgment, believed in Okuda's talent, and trusted that the Detroit Lions had made an excellent decision.

Everything proceeded as planned, without any surprises, unexpected twists, or dramatic upsets.

Is it because all teams have reached a consensus on the ranking of rookie players?

No, of course not. It's because after the offseason arms race, every team is fully prepared, wary of their opponents' smokescreens, and ultimately trusts their own judgment. They are more cautious and careful when making draft picks, and the calm situation reveals a bit of tension.

As expected, the names of the most talked-about players were called out one after another—

Alabama quarterback Tua Tenovaloa was selected fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins.

University of Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert was selected sixth overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.

Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons was selected eighth overall by the Arizona Cardinals.

Etc., etc.

It's worth mentioning that, like Okuda, Simmons also broke the "Levy curse." Despite being criticized by Levy, he was completely unaffected and was called out early, becoming the first linebacker selected in this year's draft. He is enjoying great success, and his career seems to be on the bright side.

Not only them, but another player whom Levi didn't have high hopes for, Alabama wide receiver Lars, also had his moment of glory.

Before the draft, Ruggs was neck and neck with two other wide receivers.

One is his teammate at the University of Alabama, Jerry-Jeudy, and the other is Oklahoma wide receiver Ceddy Lamb.

You could even add Justin Jefferson, a wide receiver from Louisiana State University, who is a highly anticipated young wide receiver.

Among these, scouts generally believe that Judy and Lamb are more well-rounded, while Lucas is known for his unparalleled speed. However, in terms of draft position, Judy and Lamb are projected to be drafted higher, while Lucas and Jefferson are both first-round picks, just slightly later in the draft.

The result! The first surprise of this year's draft has occurred, a surprise that isn't exactly an upset.

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Lars with the 12th overall pick in the first round, making him the first wide receiver selected in this year's draft.

Lagos was overjoyed!
In retrospect, the so-called "Levy curse" was not a curse. On the contrary, Levy's attention brought extra attention to these young men, and team managers noticed their talent and ability. They believed that Levy's words were just a smokescreen to confuse the public. They refused to be dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs, acted decisively when necessary, and showed the courage to change the landscape of the league before the season even started.

So, did Levi and the Kansas Chiefs end up losing more than they gained by trying to steal a chicken?
Furthermore, this triggered a chain reaction—

Lags was selected early with the twelfth pick, and then the Denver Broncos selected another wide receiver from the University of Alabama, Judy, with the fifteenth pick, which caused Lamb's draft position to drop all the way down.

Lamb, who was widely considered a top-ten pick and the first player selected this year, ended up on the bench, watching helplessly as his competitors' names were called out one after another. Not only Lamb himself, but also team managers began to discuss the matter.
"What's wrong with Lamb?"

Did the Las Vegas Raiders and the Denver Broncos discover Lamb's fatal weakness?
Rumors began to spread within the league, and some even dragged Levi into it.

The "Levy curse"—look, players Levy didn't favor were all selected, while players Levy favored, like Lamb and Hertz, disappeared.

Is this just Levi's bad luck, or a side battle where league teams unite to fight the Kansas City Chiefs?
Amidst the commotion and uproar, various rumors swirled, the team's tactical room was filled with the incessant ringing of phones, and an unseen battle was brewing.

Only then did I finally feel the reality of a talent show: chaos, urgency, and unexpected events, where decisions had to be made in the blink of an eye.

Just then, Goodell called out the name again, "...Sidi Lamb, wide receiver..."

Everyone fell silent: The Dallas Cowboys? They're actually the Dallas Cowboys!
The Dallas Cowboys don't lack wide receivers; in fact, wide receivers aren't even in their top five draft picks. They have more important needs.

However, when the Dallas cowboys saw Lamb sliding down the slope and appearing alive right in front of them, they had no reason to miss the opportunity.

With the 17th pick, the Dallas Cowboys didn't hesitate to select Oklahoma wide receiver Lamb.

Huh!
The league erupted in exclamations once again. It was truly a dramatic turn of events, a glimmer of hope amidst despair. The ups and downs of the draft must be calculated in seconds, as deviations can occur at any moment.

While everyone's attention was focused on the Dallas Cowboys, the Minnesota Vikings were stunned—

No way? No way!
Has nobody seen Louisiana State University wide receiver Justin Jefferson?

Although people say that Jefferson's excellent stats mainly rely on Burrow's passing, and that without Burrow, Jefferson's output might have plummeted; Jefferson's talent and qualities are undeniable. Didn't the team managers see his ability to move around and his ability to drive to the basket with the ball?

No! It might!
The Minnesota Vikings were overjoyed to use their 22nd pick, acquired from the Buffalo Bills trade, to select Jefferson without hesitation.

The San Francisco 49ers were dumbfounded: Uh, what about us?

(End of this chapter)