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SportsWatch: Trump tweets congratulations to the second pick in the NFL draft but not the first

Kyler Murray won the Heisman before being picked first by San Francisco, with a multimillion-dollar offer already in hand to play baseball across the bay in Oakland. Read More...

President Trump raised social-media eyebrows early Saturday by congratulating the player selected second in the NFL draft after maintaining silence in reaction to the No. 1 pick.

University of Oklahoma quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray went first in the draft, selected by the Arizona Cardinals. But it was the No. 2 pick, announced late Thursday, that more fully engaged the president’s attention. The San Francisco 49ers spent that pick on Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa. Trump tweeted:

Responses ranged from puzzlement at Trump’s apparent assignment of greater import to the second overall pick than the first to an accusation that race had played a role. Murray is black and Bosa white. (What’s more, Bosa is known to have deleted tweets expressing support for right-wing positions on such divisive “culture wars” matters as national-anthem kneeling, explaining that he might end up playing in San Francisco, as it now appears he will.)

Among the reactions to Trump’s tweet:

One response credited the defensive end with a willingness to evolve in his sociopolitical views as he leaves behind college football for the professional ranks:

Others thanked and applauded Bosa for his perceived standing among the ranks of Trump backers:

Read on: Kyler Murray torn between two sports

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