NBA insider Shams Charania is moonlighting as an NFL reporter.
Several minutes before the Panthers were even on the clock with the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, Charania took to Twitter with some breaking news: Carolina was taking Alabama quarterback Bryce Young at No. 1.
Charania, who rose to prominence as a foil to ESPN’s NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, typically breaks basketball news for The Athletic and Stadium.
This time, however, he scooped NFL newsbreakers like ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Charania’s inside info was proven true when commissioner Roger Goodell announced Young to the Panthers — but Charania didn’t stop there.
He also reported that Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was going to be drafted by the Houston Texans at No. 2 overall, once again spoiling it for those following along on social media.
But he might have gotten a bit out over his skis when it came to pick No. 3, reporting the Arizona Cardinals would select Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr.
But about a minute later, those with a little more NFL experience would chime in.
Schefter and Rapoport tweeted that the Cardinals had, in fact, traded the pick to the Texans — who drafted Anderson.
Charania quickly backtracked and credited Rapoport for breaking the news:
“The insider of insiders @RapSheet says Will Anderson Jr. is going to the Texans!” he wrote.
It’s not the first time Charania has had an NFL scoop.
Three minutes before the 2022 NFL Draft started, Charania tweeted that he was “hearing whispers” that Georgia’s Travon Walker would be the top pick.
In 2020, he broke the news that the Miami Dolphins were taking Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth pick.