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Colts upgrade at linebacker in latest Mel Kiper Jr. Mock Draft

· Yahoo Sports

DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 11: Anthony Hill Jr. #0 of the Texas Longhorns reacts after a tackle in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl on October 11, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

According to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. (subscription), the Indianapolis Colts will select Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. with the 47th overall pick (2nd round) in his latest 2-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft:

47. Indianapolis Colts

Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

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With no first-round pick this year, the Colts should be watching the linebacker board very carefully. They signed Akeem Davis-Gaither, but they don’t really have another viable starter at the position. Hill was getting top-10 buzz last summer, but he’s firmly in the Day 2 mix now after an uneven season. He can cover a lot of ground at the second level and ran a 4.51 at the combine at 238 pounds. But he also has upside as a pass rusher, and there’s a chance he plays on the edge in the pros. He’d be a good fit in Lou Anarumo’s defense.

The 6’2”, 238 pound junior linebacker (with 32 3/8” arms) for the Longhorns recorded 69 tackles (37 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 2 interceptions, a pass defensed, 3 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery during 10 starts in 2025—missing the last two games of the season due to a hand injury.

Hill Jr. would earn 2nd-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors for a consecutive season, having been a Freshman All-American and Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the year back in 2023 respectively.

He has a RAS of 9.93 out of a maximum of 10.0.

Here’s his NFL.com Draft Profile Overview:

Overview

Three-down linebacker with the playing demeanor and production of a future Pro Bowler. He posted 31.5 TFLs, 17 sacks and eight forced fumbles in his three seasons at Texas, making an impact in every phase. He’s instinctive, athletic and under control, transitioning seamlessly from read to react to finish. He plays with downhill thump to thwart interior blocks and the speed to pursue runners from sideline to sideline. Hill has plus cover talent in man or zone, proven credentials as a blitzer or edge rusher, and finishes plays as a strong, reliable tackler. Consistency and field command make him one of the safer linebackers in the class. His size, speed and versatility allow him to profile as an instant-impact rookie at Mike or Will ‘backer.

He’s ranked as the 32nd best prospect overall in this year’s draft class by NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah:

Rank 32

Anthony Hill Jr.

Texas · LB · Junior

Hill is a fluid mover with outstanding size and speed. Against the run, he isn’t physical to take on blockers, but he has excellent quickness and change of direction to work around them or avoid them altogether. His instincts and speed put him in position to make a lot of plays. He has outstanding closing speed from the back side. In pass coverage, his change of direction is elite. He can use his burst to make tackles underneath. He has the agility to match up with the athletic tight ends he’ll face at the next level. He’s a reliable, chest-up tackler. He’s also a superb blitzer, relying on speed to pressure quarterbacks. Overall, Hill isn’t an overly violent/aggressive player, but his athleticism is an asset at the position. 

It’s no secret that the Colts could use an upgrade at linebacker, as either Austin Ajiake or Jaylon Carlies is currently the projected starter alongside recently signed veteran linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither.

Hill Jr. projects as a fast, three-down linebacker who could add much needed youth, speed, and athleticism to the Colts front seven going forward and an immediate ‘plug-and-play’ starter at their linebacker position for 2026 and beyond.

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Liberty re-sign Betnijah Laney-Hamilton after lost injury season

· NY Post

A key member of the 2024 championship team, Laney-Hamilton brings experience, vocal leadership, stifling perimeter defense, relentless toughness and clutch shot-making to a team that missed her presence throughout last season. 

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White Sox Minor League Update: April 15, 2026

· Yahoo Sports

Reliable relief: Tyler Schweitzer and the Knights pitching staff had a good day, but it was not enough to get the victory. | Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 3, Charlotte Knights 2
The Knights (7-9) struggled in high-leverage situations, finishing 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. As a result, they dropped a close game against the Jumbo Shrimp (9-8).

Knights starter Duncan Davitt only pitched 2 1/3 innings, but he didn’t allow much damage. Davitt allowed a walk and a pair of singles in the second, allowing Jacksonville to get on the board first. However, that was the only Jacksonville run against Davitt.

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In the top of the fourth, LaMonte Wade Jr. blasted his first homer of the young season to tie the game at one. However, the Jumbo Shrimp immediately retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back doubles against Tyler Schweitzer.

All things considered, Schweitzer’s relief appearance was a successful one, as he recovered from those doubles and did not allow any other runs in 2 2/3 innings of work. Schweitzer also tallied five strikeouts.

The Knights tied the game for the second time in the seventh, when Jacob Gonzalez picked up a clutch single with two outs to drive in Mario Camilletti.

However, the Jumbo Shrimp again made sure that the tie did not remain intact for long. In the eighth, with runners on first and second and one out, Jacksonville took advantage of a fielding error by Camilletti to score the go-ahead run.

The Knights had some life in the top of the ninth, as back-to-back bloop singles with two outs gave Gonzalez a chance for another big RBI. This time, Gonzalez did not come through, as a fly out to left ended the game.

Rocket City Trash Pandas 11, Birmingham Barons 2

The Barons (4-7) were dominated from start to finish by Rocket City (5-6) on Wednesday.

All three Barons batters in the top of the first were retired, and Rocket City wasted no time putting runs on the board. Barons starter Lucas Gordon’s first inning was no picnic, as the first five Trash Pandas reached base safely. By the end of the first frame, Rocket City had a 4-0 lead, and the bullpen hardly performed any better. Gordon lasted three innings, allowing five earned runs, and the bullpen pitched five innings, allowing six earned runs.

The Barons scored their only runs in the eighth, when Calvin Harris singled, Adam Fogel was hit by a pitch, and Jordan Sprinkle singled to load the bases. Productive outs by Rikuu Nishida and Braden Montgomery resulted in Birmingham’s only two runs.

Asheville Tourists 14, Winston-Salem Dash 7

It was a rough day for the Winston-Salem pitching staff, as the Tourists (4-7) beat the Dash (6-5) handily to even the series.

Dash starter Grant Umberger had an outing he would like to forget as soon as possible. Justin Thomas Jr., the first batter of the game, homered off Umberger to give Asheville an early lead. The Tourists added three more in the first, and they tacked on a pair in the second to blow the game open early.

Umberger allowed two more in the top of the fourth, as the Tourists were relentless. The Dash showed some life in the bottom of the fourth, getting on the board with a two-run homer from Caleb Bonemer. Is anyone surprised that Bonemer went deep? Personally, I’m not even slightly surprised that he was the one to end the streak of eight unanswered Asheville runs.

The Winston-Salem bullpen was hardly more effective than Umberger, allowing six earned runs in five frames, so the Tourists did not give the Dash any hope. However, the Dash did put up seven runs, as they found power down the stretch. Boston Smith homered twice, and T.J. McCants also went deep.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans 5, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 4 (10 innings)

The Cannon Ballers (2-9) remained cold, losing a tight one against Myrtle Beach (7-4) for their fourth consecutive defeat.

Like many pitchers in the organization, Kannapolis starter Max Banks did not have his finest stuff. Banks allowed a two-run homer to Cole Mathis in the first and another two-run homer to the same batter in the third. The good news for Banks is that despite his struggles against Mathis, he is off to a strong start to the season, as he still has a 3.27 ERA early on.

When Banks left the game after three frames, the Cannon Ballers still had hope, mostly because Stiven Flores drove in a pair with a two-out double in the third. Then, in the fourth, Abraham Núñez went deep to trim the deficit to one.

The score remained 4-3 until the top of the eighth, when Javier Mogollón launched his first homer of the year to tie the game. Just like that, the Cannon Ballers had worked their way back, but the offense ran out of steam after that.

The Kannapolis bullpen was terrific overall, allowing zero earned runs in six innings. However, Jackson Nove did not strand the free base runner in the 10th. Meanwhile, the Cannon Ballers failed to take advantage of their free base runner, so they lost this one in extras.

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