First Call: National outlet gives Steelers highest NFL draft grade; flying prank mocks Penguins' ownership in England

Monday’s “First Call” features a Pittsburgh Steelers star-studded night at the Luke Combs concert. The Steelers won the NFL Draft according to one national outlet. It looks like we have a schedule-release date from the NFL.

Fenway Sports Group got called out during a Liverpool game. The Pirates and Rays both wobble in advance of their interleague showdown.

And a WPIAL baseball alum is rehabbing for a return to the Major Leagues.

Can’t do much better than that

NFL Draft grades immediately after the draft is done are a bit silly. When you were in high school, did you get graded on Day 1 of the school year before you even took a test?

But, I get it. You can grade based on how every team addressed needs, executed trades and how they evaluated the available talent. So, after three months of speculation surrounding the draft, that’s what we do.

In the case of at least one outlet, the Steelers got the highest draft grade of any team in the NFL. The Sporting News gave the Steelers an A+. Here is how Vinnie Iyer summed up what the Steelers did.

“The Steelers crushed the first draft with GM Omar Khan. They filled their two biggest needs, a pass protector for Kenny Pickett (tackle Broderick Jones) and a big cover man to help Patrick Peterson (cornerback Joey Porter Jr.). Jones and Porter were both first-round talents. Darnell Washington (Georgia, TE) is a great No. 2 as a blocker and the Wisconsin 1-2 punch of (Keeanu) Benton (DL) and (Nick) Herbig (OLB) will provide Badger T.J. Watt with upfield support.”

The Philadelphia Eagles were ranked second, and the Indianapolis Colts came in third. They were both given A+ grades as well.

As for the other teams in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals got an A, and the Cleveland Browns got a B.

By the way, it looks like we have a date for the NFL schedule release. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, the league is hoping for May 11.

Decked out for Duck

Saturday night, country music star Luke Combs performed at Acrisure Stadium. Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett made a cameo to “toast” Combs’ appearance.

OH HELL YEAH

Kenny Pickett and Luke Combs shotgunning pic.twitter.com/yYPzuHTzyp

— Nick Maraldo (@nickmaraldo) April 30, 2023

Combs’ opening act was Lainey Wilson. She and her whole band wore the No. 6 jersey of former Steelers quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges.

Lainey Wilson — amazing, wearing her BF’s jersey — DUCK pic.twitter.com/YXT0KaGvnh

— Lisa Pompeani (@LisaPompeani) April 29, 2023

Some reddit sleuths say the two have been dating for a while. Others are saying it’s a social media gag that the two are playing out. But if it’s legit … well played, Duck.

Getting the message?

During a soccer game Sunday at Anfield, a plane carrying a banner criticizing Liverpool’s ownership flew over the stadium during the club’s 4-3 victory over Tottenham.

Fenway Sports Group also owns the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Red Sox. A fact not lost on the pranksters. The banner read, “LFC-SOX-PENGUINS-SAME PROBLEMS FSG OUT.”

FSG ownership criticised as plane flies over Anfield during Liverpool vs Tottenham #LFC https://t.co/IKt79Bzt4r

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 30, 2023

Under FSG, the Penguins lost in the first round of the playoffs last year and missed them for the first time in 16 years this season. Liverpool is in fifth place of the English Premier League this season. The Red Sox are 15-14 and in fourth place of the American League East.

More sports

• Tim Benz: Annual 'What the Steelers didn't get in the draft' column has very different tone this year
• Steelers add kicker, 1 of nation’s sack leaders, 'Monte the Mullet,' 4 other undrafted free agents
• AP Report Cards: Texans, Eagles get highest NFL draft grades

Rare bump in the road

For as great as the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays have been to start 2023, they both stumbled in their final game before playing each other in a three-game series next week.

And they both lost to bad teams.

The Pirates dropped a 7-2 decision to the National League East cellar-dwelling Washington Nationals. And the Rays lost a wild 12-9 affair to a Chicago White Sox team that had lost 10 in a row. The White Sox plated seven runs in the ninth inning to erase a 9-5 deficit. Andrew Vaughn hit a three-run homer to end the game.

That's more like it.

Andrew Vaughn ends the streak in a big way! pic.twitter.com/FJWL5JPFNt

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 30, 2023

After enjoying an off-day Monday, the Bucs and Rays start their three-game set Tuesday night in Florida. Roansy Contreras pitches for the Pirates against Josh Fleming.

Tampa Bay has the best record in the American League at 23-6. The Pirates are the best team in the NL at 20-9.

Kirilloff comeback?

Plum High School product Alex Kirilloff is trying to work his way back into the Major Leagues with the Minnesota Twins. The former WPIAL star has spent the start of the year recovering from a procedure he underwent on his wrist last August. On Sunday, the 25-year-old completed a 20-day rehab assignment and was immediately optioned to Triple-A St. Paul.

Kirilloff played 11 games between Single-A Fort Myers and Triple-A St. Paul during his rehab stint. During that time, he hit .316 (1.105 OPS) with four home runs, 12 RBI and 10 runs.

Over 104 MLB games, Kirilloff is hitting .251 with 11 career homers. Wrist surgeries have ended both of his first two MLB seasons early.