Bedard's Weekend Briefing 04.26.19: Pats get a WR, Bruins win Game 1, RIP Hondo, Sox win

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I wonder how many of their five picks the Patriots will use tonight (setting the o/u at 3)...

• Only in Boston can its NHL (playing a game) and NBA teams be in the second round of the playoffs, and be completely overshadowed by the NFL draft. But this is Patriots Country.


• Patriots finally got a chance to make a pick and — boy is that Bill Belichick full of surprises — they took a receiver for the first time in the first round under The Hoodie.


• The opinion in the scouting community seems pretty split on whether or not N'Keal Harry went a little early (most had D.K. Metcalf, Hollywood Brown and A.J. Brown ranked ahead of him) but his film looks pretty good. Once you get past No. 20, you're dealing with all guys without first-round grades so it's dealer's choice.


• ASU coach Herm Edwards loves the pick.


• Now we'll just have to see if, a) Harry can assimilate into the offense, and b) earn the trust of Tom Brady.


• My pick for the Patriots, Miss State DT Jeffrey Simmons, went to Mike Vrabel and the Titans at 19.


• Unanswerable questions: Was WR was the plan all along for the Patriots, or just the way the board went because all six first-round DTs were gone?


• The Bruins completely dominated the rusty Blue Jackets ...  and nearly lost thanks to a couple of Columbus redirects. And then Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson came to the rescue again — just like we all predicted a month ago.


• Bruins PK is on fire.


• RIP John Havlicek, one of the greatest sportsmen this city has ever known.


• Hey, the Sox won a game. And here come the Rays...

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