👋 Good Morning! I woke up 30 years old today, which is still a fairly surreal feeling. But getting to do so the morning after DNVR hosted Gabriel Landeskog and Fresh Tape Media for a special event in coordination with his documentary has me feeling extremely grateful.

I’m grateful for what DNVR has become in the Colorado sports sphere. I’m grateful for the incredible people like you who support what we do. I’m grateful to get to be a small part of your daily routine.

The last episode of ‘A Clean Sheet’ will air tonight. We were fortunate to be able to get an early look and you guys definitely will not want to miss it. — Justin Michael

Nique Clifford has been a steady riser on people’s draft boards over the last few months, which is no surprise given how the CSU star’s game should translate at the NBA level. As we get within a few weeks of the Draft, though, the momentum for Clifford to be a top 20 pick and potentially even a lottery pick is gaining steam.

The most recent ALL-CITY mock draft has Clifford going 16th overall to the Orlando Magic, and honestly, I’d love that. For one thing, that would mean he didn’t land with Denver’s division rivals, which is a very realistic scenario. But Orlando would also be a place where Clifford would have a good chance to play a more substantial role on a team that will be expected to compete in the East.

I was fortunate to cover Clifford’s ascension in Fort Collins and have a front row seat to the type of player and person he is. His growth over the last two years has been remarkable and it’s a testament to his work ethic and maturity. I’ll be a fan no matter where he lands. I just wish the Nuggets had more draft capital. Clifford is the type of NBA-ready prospect that Denver could really use for the rotation.

CSU Football had an unprecedented weekend on the recruiting trail, as the Rams were able to add 11 verbal commits between Saturday and Sunday. That was on the heels of getting two big-time tight end prospects to commit on Friday. The 2026 class is starting to shape up nicely for the Green & Gold.

It was fun while it lasted. After sweeping the Marlins for their first series win of the season, the Rockies were out-scored 25-8 in three consecutive losses to the Mets at home over the weekend.