What We’re Tracking

• Clearing out Sunday
• Temperatures falling back Sunday
• Warmer week ahead

Clouds will stick around for the overnight hours as temperatures fall into the lower 20s. A passing cold front for tonight will give us calm winds from the north and a slightly cooler day for Sunday, with temperatures topping off in the lower 30s, hovering just above freezing. Clouds will begin to clear out by Sunday afternoon.

Monday will mark the start of a warmer stretch for Northeast Kansas, with temperatures reaching the mid-40s by the afternoon. By Tuesday through Thursday, temperatures will rise into the upper 40s, with some areas even hitting the low 50s. This warmth will help accelerate the melting process, although larger snow piles may take a bit longer to fully disappear.

Our next chance of precipitation will arrive Friday into Saturday, with rain expected throughout the day. As temperatures cool overnight, there's a possibility of a wintry mix developing.

KSNT Storm Track Ashton Rizzo

The draft is three weeks away now. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have pieced together an off-season that is earning widespread praise across the league. The question is whether they can stick the landing with their 1st round pick in the draft. Current projections have the top three picks likely being a mix of Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter. After that, it gets tricky. People in Chicago want to know where running back Ashton Jeanty will end once the dust settles.

Widespread belief has been that the Las Vegas Raiders are the heavy favorites to take him at 6th overall, with New Orleans at #9 also being a possibility. It makes sense. Las Vegas’ best option right now is a 33-year-old Raheem Mostert. New Orleans knows Alvin Kamara turns 30 in July. Both teams need to think about the future at that position. Both have head coaches who like to run the ball. One thing is clear. A source told SM that those around the league believe one thing is certain.

“He likely won’t get passed Chicago if he falls that far.”

Ashton Jeanty is a strong probability for the Bears.

Whispers from Halas Hall indicate they love the Boise State star. It isn’t hard to see why. He nearly broke Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record in 2024, nearly winning the Heisman in the process. The guy carried his team to the college football playoffs. He’s built like a brick house with power, speed, contact balance, and vision. There aren’t any truly glaring weaknesses in his game. He’s earned comparisons to the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshawn Lynch. The Bears haven’t had a back of that caliber since Matt Forte.

Try to imagine what this offense could look like with Ashton Jeanty, Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore, and Cole Kmet all as options for quarterback Caleb Williams. Throw all of it into Johnson’s offense, and you can understand why some people around the league aren’t wild about the idea. They are quietly hoping Jeanty goes somewhere else. One thing is certain. If he gets past the Raiders, the noise will get loud in a hurry. It would mark the first time in 20 years the Bears have taken a running back in the 1st round.