The Los Angeles Rams shocked the football world when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While the Rams stunned just about everyone on Thursday night, though, the decision was the culmination of multiple months of work on Simpson, according to head coach Sean McVay. In an interview with FS1's "The Herd," McVay told Colin Cowherd that the Rams didn't come to a sudden decision to select Simpson with the 13th overall pick as they still have the reigning MVP, Matthew Stafford, on their roster. "There wasnt that a-ha moment, it was a combination of the work," McVay said. "You like the body of work, and you say Hey, this guys got the potential to develop one day into what we would deem a possible starting quarterback. Well welcome Ty into the building with open arms, but what I did think what was important for me to make sure that there was clarity on was, let's not get it twisted. We're trying to win right now, and we've got decisions for the short and long term." Simpson only started at Alabama for one season, giving him less experience than most other quarterbacks taken in the first round in recent years. However, Simpson had an impressive year in his lone season as Alabama's starter. He finished the season with 3,567 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had four consecutive wins over AP Top 25 teams, leading the Crimson Tide to their first Xollege Football Playoff appearance under head coach Kalen DeBoer. As a result, Simpson was widely viewed as the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, trailing only Fernando Mendoza. FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang gave the Rams a B grade for the pick of Simpson, calling it a "gutsy" pick. "There is no denying that he is a good fit in Sean McVays offense he was listed as such in my best NFL team fits for each of this years QBs but this is easily the gutsiest pick of the first round thus far," Rang wrote. "This is obviously a move made for the long term. But I can't help but wonder if the Rams, presumably Super Bowl contenders in 2026, will later wish theyd selected a player likelier to make an immediate impact." Even though Rang and some others liked the selection of Simpson due to the positional value, there was still a massive elephant in the room with the pick. But McVay also made it clear that the team prioritized keeping Stafford in the loop when they were making the selection of Simpson. McVay said that communication was extremely important and called Stafford "a total stud" throughout the whole process. "If you can't have a little comfort in the conflict, but it's all rooted in I trust that person. I know what they're saying is the truth ... you can work through those things," McVay said. "I think one of the biggest breakthroughs of our relationship was having to go through some of the tough conversations we had last season." Stafford didn't show any signs of aging last season, throwing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions as he led the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. He and the Rams are also reportedly discussing an extension to keep him under contract for a little longer. Still, Stafford turned 38 in February, and McVay admitted that the quarterback's commitment is likely on a year-to-year basis at this point. Still, even if Simpson is the heir apparent to Stafford, he'll have to work his way up the depth chart to become their backup quarterback first. As the team is in the midst of organized team activities (OTAs), McVay has iterated that Simpson will compete with Stetson Bennett for the top backup job.

Former Australia opener David Warner delivered a sharp one-line response to a fan who suggested that he should quit the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and return to the Indian Premier League (IPL)

Find out which of the many injured closers to prioritize

Now nearly a year into the rev-share era, the cap in place under the House settlement is expected to grow this summer. But as schools are finding other ways to fund their rosters, Nick Saban called for equilibrium in college football.As Ross Dellenger previously noted, schools are finding ways to blow past the rev-share cap. Following the transfer portal this offseason, On3s Pete Nakos also reported the expectation is multiple rosters could cost upward of $40 million this year.SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business NewsletterAs he evaluated the state of the game, Saban reflected on comments he made late in his tenure at Alabama about the role of collectives and the idea of pay-for-play in college football. While programs have been able to turn around in the new era, he also pointed to the salary cap in the NFL and other pro leagues while arguing for more balance with regard to spending.Well, the first time somebody had a collective and Im not going to mention any names because I got in trouble for that before I just made the statement, they didnt do anything wrong, but is this what we want college football to become? Saban said Wednesday on The Paul Finebaum Show. And thats exactly what happened.I like the fact that some programs have been able to improve because of the circumstance, but I also think there should be some equilibrium. One team shouldnt have a $40 million roster and another team have a $5 million roster, and theyre out there playing each other. Every league NFL, basketball, hockey they all have a salary cap or something that creates parity in the league so everybody has an equal opportunity to win.Once the House settlement received final approval, a $20.5 million cap went into place as schools began to directly share dollars with athletes through revenue-sharing. That figure is set to grow to $21.3 million on July 1, per terms of the settlement agreement.Nick Saban: Concern is the health of college athleticsLooking beyond football, Nick Saban said he has questions about the future of college sports as a whole. He was in attendance for a roundtable on college athletics hosted by President Donald Trump and has spoken in support of the executive order Trump signed last month.In Trumps order, he took aim at eligibility, and the NCAA advanced conversations about a new age-based rule this week. It also called for a limit to transfer movement.But Saban called out issues he sees with Olympics sports and how schools balance support for those programs with revenue programs such as football and basketball. Last week, Arkansas announced its plans to discontinue its tennis programs, which Saban also noted while vouching for non-revenue sports.I really think that the concern is the health of college athletics, not just football. I think people look at football and basketball. But how about the 22 other sports we have that are really, probably, non-revenue sports that create lots of opportunities, actually trained 85% of our Olympians in the last Olympics? Were the only country in the world that the university system and college athletics actually develop our athletes for the Olympics.So if were creating a situation where theres not enough balance between the revenue sports and the non-revenue sports. Then, people are going to start dropping these sports, which you saw Arkansas drop tennis the other day. Thats exactly what we dont want to see.

Fabet là website cá độ bóng đá online, cá cược thể thao trực tuyến, nhà cái uy tín số 1 tại VN Cam kết đặt cược đá banh, ca cuoc 365, ca cuoc bd thể thao tại Fabet hợp pháp 100Website: https://fabet88.one/Địa Chỉ: 59 Nguyễn Biểu, Vĩnh Hải, Bắc Nha Trang, Khánh HòaPhone: 0358394596Email:...

In the days following the NFL Draft, every fan base is over the moon about their favorite team's selections. You'll hear that many teams have filled their top needs and are now ready to make a run for the playoffs or the Lombardi Trophy just because they made the right picks. However, as we all want to be optimistic that these young prospects will pan out, only so many teams can say they had a great 2026 draft. But a great draft class can help catapult a team into contention. Just ask the New England Patriots, who went from 4-13 to AFC champions, after I ranked their haul in the 2025 NFL Draft the best in the league. The team that was right behind them on that list? The Seattle Seahawks, who went on to win the Super Bowl. This year, some of the top draft classes by team might seem more loaded than last year's. Six teams had at least two first-round picks, while the New York Jets made three first-round selections as they were a part of eight trades on the opening night of the NFL Draft. So, which teams had the best hauls in the 2026 NFL Draft? Here's my top 10: Picks: Rueben Bain Jr., edge rusher, Miami (Fla.) (No. 15 overall pick); Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri (46); Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State (84); Keionte Scott, DB, Miami (Fla.) (116); Demonte Capehart, DT Clemson (155); Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame(160); Bauer Sharp, TE, LSU (185)Top needs entering draft: OLB, LB, TEBest pick: Hurst In need of pass rush help, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got one of the most productive edge rushers in the draft in Rueben Bain. Yep, the Miami product has short arms, but I covered Melvin Ingram when he played for the Chargers and he was highly productive with a similar frame. The best pick for Tampa Bay, though, was Ted Hurst. A couple of scouts I spoke with said he was the most underrated player in the draft. One scout compared Hursts skill set to George Pickens. And the fact that Hurst played for a former head coach in Hugh Jackson at Georgia State should help in the transition. Keionte Scott is a fierce competitor who should find his way onto the field early in his rookie season. Picks: Vega Ioane, G, Penn State (No. 14 overall pick; Zion Young, edge rusher, Missouri (45); Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, USC (80); Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana (115); Matthew Hibner, TE, SMU (133); Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke (162); Josh Cuevas, TE, Alabama (173); Adam Randall, RB, Clemson (174); Ryan Eckley, P, Michigan State (211); Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan (250); Evan Beersten, G, Northwestern (253)Top three needs entering draft:OL, WR, TEBest pick: Ioane The Baltimore Ravens got one of the most complete offensive linemen in the draft in Vega Ioane, whose physicality and toughness are a perfect fit for the organizations no-nonsense philosophy. Young is an explosive player with elite physical tools who should help fill Baltimores obvious need to add juice to the pass rush, pairing with free agency addition Trey Hendrickson. Elijah Sarratt is a big, crafty receiver who knows how to get open. Picks: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama (No. 12 overall pick); Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State (27); Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech (43); Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech (87); Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State (87); Chris Bell, WR, Louisville (94); Trey Moore, LB, Texas (130); Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt (138); Michael Taaffe, S, Texas (158); Kevin Coleman Jr., WR, Missouri (177); Seydou Traore, TE, Mississippi State (180); DJ Campbell, G, Texas (200); Max Llewellyn, DE, Iowa (238)Top three needs:WR, CB, OLBBest pick: Rodriguez Chris Johnson is a great pickup late in the first round as a cerebral cover corner with good ball skills. But Jacob Rodriguez stands out because of his production and ability to emerge as the green-dot signal caller of the Miami Dolphins' defense, like his comp coming out of college in former Texas Tech standout and Dolphins Hall of Fame linebacker Zach Thomas. Chris Bell would have been a first-rounder if he hadnt suffered an ACL tear in his final year at Louisville and he fills an obvious need in a receiver room that lost Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Picks: Makai Lemon, WR, USC (No. 20 overall pick); Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt (54); Markell Bell, OT, Miami (Fla.) (68); Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State (178); Micah Morris, G, Georgia Tech (207); Colse Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech (244); Uar Bernard, DT, International Pathway Program (251); Keyshawn James-Newby, DE, Nex Mexico (252)Top three needs entering draft:Edge, OL, TEBest pick: Stowers Makai Lemon is a good fit for new offensive coordinator Sean Mannions version of the West Coast offense, providing insurance for the inevitable departure of A.J. Brown via trade. Eli Stowers is a versatile pass catcher who understands how to find the soft spots in zones and could be an eventual successor for Dallas Goedert. I also love the versatility that Cole Payton provides. Scouts I spoke with believed Payton was one of the most underrated prospects in the draft. Bernard ran a 4.63-second, 40-yard time and posted a 39-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-3 and 309 pounds. Picks: Arvell Reese, edge rusher, Ohio State (No. 5 overall pick); Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.) (10); Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee (37); Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame (74); Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, Auburn (186); J.C. Davis, OT, Illinois (192); Jack Kelly, LB, BYU (193)Top needs entering draft:DB, DT, G, WRBest pick: Hood New head coach John Harbaugh established an identity with how he will build the New York Giants, from the inside out, by selecting the most athletic pass rusher in Arvell Reese and edge pass protector (Francis Mauigoa) to protect Jaxon Dart in Mauigoa. Colton Hood fills a major need for defensive backs who can cover in the back end defensively. Malachi Fields offers nuance and maturity to develop into a solid contributor opposite Malik Nabors. Jack Kelly has the athletic skill set to find work on special teams and eventually contribute on defense. Picks: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State (No. 21 overall); Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama (47); Drew Allar, QB, Penn State (76); Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia (85); Gennings Dunker, G, Iowa (96); Kaden Weiten, WR, Iowa (121); Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana (169); Gabe Rubio, DE, Notre Dame (210); Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma (224); Eli Heidenreich, RB, Oklahoma (230)Top needs entering draft:QB, WR, G, SBest pick: Allar With no answer from Aaron Rodgers and when (or if) he returns for a second season, the Pittsburgh Steelers grabbed Drew Allar, who struggled in his final season with the Nittany Lions but has the traits for head coach Mike McCarthy to develop. I also like the athletic upside of Max Iheanachor as a future blindside protector who provides insurance should Broderick Jones struggle to return from a neck injury. Bernard is a cat-quick route runner who can make plays after the catch and should develop into a productive slot receiver in McCarthys offensive scheme. Gennings Dunkers mullet has gained fame, but his ability to run block should help him earn a starting job up front in the interior of Pittsburghs offensive line. Picks: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah (No. 9 overall pick); KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M (24); Denzel Boston, WR, Washington (39); Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo (58); Aubtin Barber, OT, Florida (86); Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama (146); Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati (170); Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas (182); Carsen Ryan, TE, BYU (248)Top needs entering draft:OT, QB, WR, EdgeBest pick: Boston Whether its Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson or Dillon Gabriel emerging as the starter, the Cleveland Browns did a nice job of building the offense around the quarterback position. Concepcion is one of the best receivers in the draft after the catch, while the big-bodied Boston is one of the best jump-ball receivers among this years rookie crop of receivers. The Browns grabbing Boston in the second round was a steal. Cleveland also secured another prospect with first-round grades in McNeil-Warren. And of course, its the Browns so why not take another developmental QB prospect on Day 3 in Green? Picks: David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech (No. 2 overall pick); Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon (16); Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana (30); D'Angelo Ponds, CB (50); Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State (103); Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson (110); Anez Cooper, G, Miami (Fla.) (188); VJ Payne, S, Kansas State (228)Top three needs entering draft:QB, WR, EdgeBest pick: Sadiq The New York Jets needed talent and competency more than anything from this years draft. And New York grabbed solid prospects throughout the draft, starting with the most polished pass rusher in David Bailey, the most explosive tight end in Kenyon Sadiq and the best receiver after the catch in Omar Cooper, who some scouts labeled "Deebo Samuel lite." Ponds might be pound-for-pound the best corner in this years draft, with his 5-8 size the only reason he fell to the second round. New York grabbed a developmental QB prospect on Day 3 in Cade Klubnik and Darrell Jackson should develop into a productive interior pass rusher. Picks: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (No. 1 overall pick); Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona (38); Keyron Crawford, DE, Auburn (67); Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&M (91); Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee (101); Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas (122); Dalton Johnson, S, Arizona (150); Hezekiah Masses, CB, Cal (175); Malik Benson, WR, Oregon (195); Brendan Cleevland, DT, North Carolina State, (229)Top three needs entering draft:QB, WR, DL, DBBest pick: Mendoza The Las Vegas Raiders got one of the best overall players in the draft and the long-term answer at quarterback for the next decade, so that puts the Raiders near the top of the list. But they also added players that can develop into solid contributors throughout the draft, including a first-round talent that dropped to the fourth round due to injury in Jermod McCoy, a playmaking safety in Treydan Stukes and a home run hitter at running back in Washington. Keyron Crawford also adds explosiveness to the Las Vegas pass rush. Combine this draft with the splashes the Raiders made in free agency and Las Vegas could make some noise in the AFC West. Picks: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (No. 11 overall pick); Malachi Lawrence, edge rusher, UCF (23); Jaishawn Barham, edge rusher, Michigan (93); Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State (112); Devin Moore, CB, Florida (114); LT Overton, edge rusher, Alabama (137); Anthony Smith, WR, East Carolina (218)Top three needs entering draft:Edge, LB, CBBest pick: Downs The Dallas Cowboys got a player who some scouts rated the top overall player in the draft by trading up one spot to No. 11 in Caleb Downs, who immediately upgrades a Dallas defense that will deploy more defensive backs under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. And they added one of the best pass rushers available in the draft in Malachi Lawrence. In all, the Cowboys selected five defensive players and three pass rushers. One of the worst defenses in 2025 should be much improved in the upcoming season.

Searching for some much needed consistency, Gujarat Titans face a stern test against a red-hot Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

March Madness is going to expand because of soft threats and endless greed from the power conferences, Matt Norlander argues