SPORTS LINE
The Green Bay Packers.
The 2025 NFL draft from Lambeau Field and the Titletown District has wrapped. The Packers kicked things off with Texas WR Matthew Golden, the No. 23 pick of Round 1. It’s about time the Packers ended the longest active streak in the NFL without taking a receiver in the first round. Golden was especially effective on deep balls during his season at Texas in 2024. He had 10 catches on passes thrown 25-plus yards downfield, most in the SEC and sixth most in the FBS. Anyone with Golden’s speed has a chance to be an impact player immediately. Perceived by many to be their biggest need, the Packers waited until the fourth round to take a pass-rush specialist, Barryn Sorrell. Sorrell improved his pressure rate every year since he became a starter in 2022, culminating with a 12.5% pressure rate last season (which was ninth in the SEC).
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him play inside as well. He was one of four SEC players last season with at least 400 snaps at defensive end and 100 snaps at defensive tackle. It’s going to be on coach Matt LaFleur to form the right rotation for Jordan Love on the field, but players competing for snaps is rarely a bad idea. Green Bay might still lack a legitimate No. 1 wideout, but Golden is a speedy weapon and a friendly target with reliable hands. Williams has received comparisons with Deebo Samuel with his ability to contribute from the backfield.
The Milwaukee Brewers.
Hoskins is off to a great start this season, and the veteran first baseman has been a vital piece of the Milwaukee Brewers’ offense. Rhys Hoskins’ first year in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform didn’t go as planned. The ball club’s big free agent signing from an offseason ago put up the worst season of his career in 2024. In fact, the Brewers were even shopping Hoskins this past offseason, looking to get out from under his contract and turn the page to a new face at first base. Instead, Hoskins picked up his $18 million player option this past winter. He wasn’t going to get a better offer on the open market after the season he just had. As it turns out, holding onto Hoskins may have been the best decision they made all offseason. We’re just over a month into the 2025 season, and Hoskins has caught fire in recent weeks.
The results are night and day when comparing Hoskins’ first 11 games to his most recent 13 games. His numbers since April 11 have been some of the best in Major League Baseball, and he’s been a vital piece of Milwaukee’s offense in 2025. So far in 2025, Hoskins has 88 plate appearances under his belt as opposed to 517 in 2024. So, numbers can change quickly, given how early it is in the year. Still, the results at the plate this season have been noticeably better than last season. Hoskins expanded the strike zone more than ever in 2024, chasing balls 25.4% of the time. So far in 2025, he’s cut that rate to 20.6%, which would end up being his lowest mark since 2018. Strong plate discipline and smart swing decisions are at the heart of Hoskins’ success at the plate. Hoskins’ ability to do damage against heaters is what made him such a steady hitter over the years. After taking a noticeable step back against fastballs last season, Hoskins is teeing off against the pitch type so far this season.
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