CINCINNATI —

Nick Krall and the Cincinnati Reds held the seventh overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and they had a big decision to make with their top ten selection.

The Reds selected Wake Forrest pitcher, Rhett Lowder (6'2", 200 lbs.), 21.

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Lowder went a perfect 15-0 during the 2023 season, while making 19 appearances.

The right held a 1.87 earned run average over 120.1 innings, only sacrificing 25 earned runs.

To add to that, the righty fanned 143 batters and only sacrificed 24 walks.

The ACC pitcher of the year has a high-octane arm and will look to bolster an already youthful Reds' roster, while aiding a pitching staff that has found themselves in the middle of the pack this season.

WASHINGTON — Should women register for the draft?

For years the answer has been no. However, that could change when the Senate debates and votes on the National Defense Authorization Act.

WOMEN IN MILITARY

From female fighter pilots to women completing Navy Seal training to General Lori Robinson commanding NORAD, women are ubiquitous in the military— even though men may still make up the majority.

According to military.com, a nonpartisan military news publication, women account for 20% of new recruits and 16% of active duty personal.

SELECTIVE SERVICE REGISTRATION

For over 100 years, only young men have been required to register for the draft.

The United States Senate is taking up the National Defense Authorization Act this month. In addition to addressing military pay and other benefits, senators are set to consider whether women should register with the Selective Service when they turn 18.

Professor Jen Spindel of the University of New Hampshire noted the significance of the potential change.

"It really is the first moment that including women in the draft seems like it might pass," Spindel told Scripps' National Political Editor Joe St. George.

If it passes it would mean women, just like men, who are between the ages of 18 to 25 would have to go to the selective website and submit their name, address and social security information.

In theory, that would be it.

The United States hasn't actually used the draft since 1973, relying on volunteers to staff the military.

However, Spindel explains that many worse-case scenarios highlight the U.S. being at a disadvantage for not including women presently.

“By excluding women from the draft, should the U.S. ever need to activate the draft, they would be missing out on a lot of skills that women bring,” Spindel said.

The ACLU has called this one of the last remaining sexist policies by the federal government, advocating for it to change.

But there is conservative opposition.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley has said it is “immoral” to draft young women into combat.

It's unclear exactly how this will play out in Congress but a final decision is expected in the coming weeks.

CINCINNATI —

The Cincinnati Bengals took LSU receiver Ja'Marr Chase with the fifth pick in the NFL draft Thursday night, hoping he and quarterback Joe Burrow will pick up where they left off after winning a national championship together at LSU in 2019.

Cincinnati opted for Chase over Oregon tackle Penei Sewell, a player that many speculated the Bengals would grab first as they try to beef up their moribund offensive line in front of Burrow.

Chase won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football in 2019 but opted out of the 2020 season. In 2019, he set SEC records with 1,780 yards receiving and 20 TDs.

Considered one of the best receiver prospects in recent years, the 6-foot, 201-pound Chase has sub-4.4 speed in the 40 that allows him to get separation and plays like a bigger receiver when going after contested catches.

Chase will give Burrow a dangerous weapon immediately. In Cincinnati, he’ll join a receiving corps with Tee Higgins, the team’s 2020 leader with 908 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and Tyler Boyd, who had 841 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bengals will still find plenty of offensive linemen available when they're on the clock again with the 38th overall pick in the second round Friday.

CLEVELAND — The 2021 NFL Draft in downtown Cleveland is one of the first major public events since the pandemic started, following the NFL’s Super Bowl and NCAA’s March Madness Tournament.

The way to keep everyone safe relied mostly on using more space, being outdoors, and rules about distancing, mask-wearing, and special access for vaccinated fans and officials. Even though the draft now travels around to a new city every year (except during 2020 when it was completely virtual), COVID was the audible no one saw coming.

Kevin Barry

“When we started planning over two years ago, we couldn’t have anticipated that we’d be in the current situation that we’re in now,” said NFL Director of Events Heather Nanberg.

That’s why she’s in charge of the largest draft stage the NFL has ever built so that it has enough room to fit representatives from all 32 NFL teams and specially selected fans, all of whom will have to be vaccinated.

The 4,000-5,000 fans who will get to watch the draft in front of the stage also needed to have their second vaccine shot more than two weeks ago and will wear stickers showing that they’ve been vaccinated.

Kevin Barry

“Everyone, regardless of vaccination, will also have to wear masks throughout the experience,” said NFL Senior Director of Event Planning Eric Finkelstein.

Fans don’t need vaccines for the NFL Draft Experience, which will allow 50,000 fans to play on the field at First Energy Stadium and do other actives outside the stadium.

Commissioner Rodger Goodell will be in Cleveland announcing picks from the stage with some prospects in attendance, but the teams will not have someone to hand the draft card in person. That’s all being done virtually, just like 2020, which Nanberg says is a feature the NFL enjoyed and is trying to recreate.

Kevin Barry

“There were some really cool moments where we got a lot closer to a lot of prospects…and we got to see into their homes,” said Nanberg.

Many fans can't get close to the stage, so three Rock the Clock end zones are set up in Playhouse Square, Flats East Bank, and Mall C, allowing fans to watch the draft from a distance.

Kevin Barry at WEWS first reported this story.