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College basketball fans were treated to a loaded slate of games to begin the week, as the ACC made a statement with several notable results. No. 18 North Carolina opened the week with a 77-74 win over No. 24 Louisville, while No. 11 Virginia delivered a dominant victory over NC State on Tuesday night. Duke added to the league’s strong showing, routing Notre Dame 100-56 — the Irish’s worst home loss since 1898. Both North Carolina and Virginia moved up in FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy’s latest NCAA Tournament seed list. The Cavaliers climbed to the 4-line, while the Tar Heels jumped to a No. 5 seed. Duke, now 26-2 overall and 14-1 in ACC play, is the top overall seed in DeCourcy’s seed list. The Blue Devils are joined by Michigan, Arizona and UConn on the 1-line. [COLLEGE HOOPS: Michigan Setback Sparks Lessons] Iowa State, fresh off a 75-59 victory over Utah, is the top seed on the 2-line. Illinois, Purdue and Houston are the other teams that make up DeCourcy’s No. 2 seeds. The Illini will look to bounce back following a devesting loss to UCLA last weekend when they battle No. 2 Michigan in a Big Ten showdown Friday night on FOX. Kansas, Florida, Gonzaga and Nebraska make up DeCourcy’s No. 3 seeds. The Jayhawks are fresh off a statement win over then-No. 5 Houston on Monday night, while the Gators, Zags and Cornhuskers are all in action Wednesday night. As for the No. 4 seeds in DeCourcy’s latest seed list, it’s Virginia at the top of the list, joined by Michigan State, Alabama and Texas Tech. Tom Izzo’s Spartans have a chance to boost their tournament résumé if they can secure a victory over No. 8 Purdue on Thursday night. Here is a complete look at DeCourcy’s NCAA Tournament seed list: No. 1 seeds 1. Duke2. Michigan3. Arizona4. Connecticut No. 2 seeds 5. Iowa State6. Illinois7. Purdue8. Houston No. 3 seeds 9. Kansas10. Florida11. Gonzaga12. Nebraska No. 4 seeds 13. Virginia14. Michigan State15. Alabama16. Texas Tech No. 5 seeds 17. St. John’s18. Arkansas19. Vanderbilt20. North Carolina No. 6 seeds 21. Tennessee22. Louisville23. BYU24. Villanova No. 7 seeds 25. Wisconsin26. UCF27. Utah State28. Saint Louis No. 8 seeds 29. NC State30. Kentucky31. Miami Hurricanes32. Miami RedHawks No. 9 seeds 33. Georgia34. Saint Mary’s35. SMU36. Iowa No. 10 seeds 37. UCLA38. Texas A&M39. Clemson40. Missouri No. 11 seeds 41. Texas42. Santa Clara43. Indiana v. 44. TCU45. California v. 46. VCU No. 12 seeds 47. Belmont48. Yale49. South Florida50. Liberty No. 13 seeds 51. Stephen F. Austin52. UNC Wilmingon53. High Point54. Hawaii No. 14 seeds 55. Utah Valley56. Austin Peay57. North Dakota State58. East Tennessee State No. 15 seeds 59. Portland State60. Wright State61. Navy62. Merrimack No. 16 seeds 63. Appalachian State64. UMBC65. LIU66. Bethune-Cookman67. Southeast Missouri State68. Morgan State And it’s never too early to check in on the bubble. According to DeCourcy’s seed list, Auburn, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and USC are the first four teams out of the tournament, while New Mexico, Seton Hall, Oklahoma State and San Diego State are the next four out. Selection Sunday is less than one month away, and this list will inevitably evolve. For now, DeCourcy’s latest seed list offers a clear snapshot of who’s rising, who’s falling and which programs are already building the résumés they’ll need when March arrives.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Will Power just looked at the question on the sheet in front of him and just laughed. “Ooooohhh,” he said, followed by a word not suitable for print. The question was about him. When the 25 full-time INDYCAR drivers met with FOX Sports last month, we gave them a six-question survey to fill out. They didn’t have to write in any answers — they just put a mark by which answer(s) they chose. So here are the results: 1. Should INDYCAR consider any other championship format other than full-season points system? No-22 votesYes-3 votes This wasn’t a surprise other than maybe that three drivers actually wanted something else. “No playoffs, please,” Felix Rosenqvist said when answering that question. “NASCAR’s format works well because of there’s so many races,” said Santino Ferrucci, who has dabbled in NASCAR. “I don’t like how it boils down to one race, winner takes all [which has since changed]. But INDYCAR, since our championship is so short, I do think that we keep our point system. I think it makes a lot of sense.” 2. Which new venue are you looking forward to the most?(Washington D.C. was not announced at the time of this question) Arlington-25 votesPhoenix-ZeroMarkham-Zero This was a little bit of a surprise. But racing around the baseball and football stadiums in Arlington seems to excite pretty much everyone. 3. How many races will new Andretti Global driver Will Power win this year? Two-10 votesOne-10 votesFour or more-2 votesThree-1 voteZero-1 vote One driver declined to vote. One driver was very specific with the answer of two races, writing in Long Beach and Markham. Power’s replacement at Team Penske, David Malukas, scoffed at this question, thinking maybe it was specifically for him. “Oh, this is a dig at me,” Malukas said. We told Power of the results at the Phoenix test last week. “It’s quite unknown, isn’t it?” Power told me. “It’s like, where are you going to stack up? It’s very difficult to win in INDYCAR these days. So I hope we win some races. I really do. We’ve definitely got the capability.” Should he be judged on wins this year? “I think you’ve got to get a win — that’s a key,” Power said. “You’ve got to get a win. You need to get a win.” 4. Which series driver do you trust the most racing side-by-side? Scott Dixon-12 votesAlex Palou-8Felix Rosenqvist-7Scott McLaughlin-6Kyle Kirkwood-5Pato O’Ward-5Graham Rahal-4Marcus Ericsson-4Christian Lundgaard-2Will Power-2Alex Rossi-2Kyffin Simpson-2 (Six drivers got one vote; five drivers got no votes) 5. Which series driver do you trust the least racing side-by-side? Christian Rasmussen-13 votesRomain Grosjean-12 Santino Ferrucci-9Louis Foster-7Rinus VeeKay-6Nolan Siegel-6Josef Newgarden-4Graham Rahal-4Sting Ray Robb-4 (rest of drivers 1-3 votes) Drivers know their reputations. Rasmussen said he knew he would get called out on this question. So we asked him if he felt he had to change his driving style. “No, I don’t think so,” Rasmussen said. “We’re refining it. You’re getting better and better all the time. But also I think we’ve done a really good job this year, especially the oval performances this year was very, very strong, being the third-highest finishing in points on the ovals alone. So we’ve just got to have that road and street course performance to follow, and then we’ll be in pretty good shape.” Ferrucci figured he’d be high on this list, too, and had mixed emotions. “I would be surprised if I’m not among least comfortable to be raced with,” Ferrucci said. “But then again, I’d also be disappointed because I feel like I’ve run a lot of people really clean.” Is that a bad thing? “I’d rather them be afraid of you than friendly with you,” Ferrucci said. “I feel like that goes better.” 6. Which driver, when you pass him, gives you a feeling of accomplishment? Alex Palou-14 votesJosef Newgarden-10Scott Dixon-9Will Power-8Scott McLaughlin-6Kyle Kirkwood-5Rinus VeeKay-5Pato O’Ward-5 (rest of drivers 2-4 votes) Kyle Kirkwood marked all the drivers down “All of them, can I just go down the line?” Kirkwood said. “Better than getting passed.” Rosenqvist was clear on one of his answers: “Dixon, he’s pretty good at defending.” Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Deion Sanders is in an improved place with his health, but the Colorado Buffaloes head coach was previously in a more ominous place with his leg, according to Colorado vascular surgeon Don Jacobs. “I was really worried about you in Fort Worth [Colorado played TCU on Oct. 4 of last season]. Watching that game and seeing you hurt, I was worried. … Yeah, I know that pain hurts, and it was, you know, I was worried about losing a leg,” Jacobs told Sanders on a FaceTime call with athletic trainer Lauren Askevold that was posted by the head coach to Instagram on Tuesday. “But, you know, we got you out quick … I was impressed, and everything healed up well.” Sanders captioned the video, “You never know what’s on a person’s plate. God is good. Great news from Dr. Don Jacobs! The best in the nation. Love ya Doc, you’ve always looked out for me and told me the Truth.” Sanders has dealt with blood clots in recent memory, which led to him having two toes amputated on his left foot in 2021. He then had surgery in October 2025 to treat blood clots in his leg but didn’t miss a game due to the matter. It marked the 16th surgery that Sanders had regarding his blood clots. Jacobs also told Sanders in the video that he’d like to “look at it [his leg] just one more time.” What’s more, Sanders announced in July 2025 that he was diagnosed with but later overcame bladder cancer. On the field, Sanders’ Buffaloes are coming off a 3-9 season in 2025 and are 16-21 over his three seasons in Boulder (2023-25).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — The future of the NFL will be front and center in Indianapolis at this week’s Scouting Combine. But before the prospects take the field in the underwear Olympics and try to boost their draft stock, let’s take some time to learn what the stars of tomorrow think about the NFL and the college game. We talked to 42 draft prospects participating in this week’s combine — a wide range of offense and defense, big schools and small schools — asking a quick, anonymous, 11-question survey about the NFL and college football, about what they like most and what they’d like to change most. I did the same exercise a year ago, and originally back in 2022 at The Athletic, with some of the same questions from year to year to appreciate how the answers changed over time. Let’s take a look at how the 2026 draft class views the league. If you need a touchdown to win the game, who’s your QB? The first question is a simple superlative, one you can answer yourself: If you needed a touchdown with a minute left in a game, which current NFL quarterback would you want leading your team down the field? The winner — for the third time in as many questionnaires, and to little surprise — is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whose reputation is still strong despite missing the playoffs, as well as the end of 2025 with a torn ACL. Mahomes was the choice for 15 of 39 prospects (three declined), almost twice as much as runner-up Lamar Jackson of the Ravens (eight votes). Last year’s runner-up, the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, didn’t get a single vote, with Buffalo’s Josh Allen (5), Chicago’s Caleb Williams (4) and the Rams’ Matthew Stafford (3) getting multiple votes. Four quarterbacks got a single vote each: the Bengals’ Joe Burrow, the Seahawks’ Sam Darnold, the 49ers’ Brock Purdy and the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield. One dutiful response, refusing to name any one quarterback even when protected by anonymity, told me “the quarterback that coach puts out there that he trusts to go out there and execute the job. That’s the quarterback we’re standing with. Whoever coach puts out there.” RESULTS: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: 15 Lamar Jackson, Ravens 8 Josh Allen, Bills 5 Caleb Williams, Bears 4 Matthew Stafford, Rams 3 (QBs that received one vote: Joe Burrow, Bengals; Sam Darnold, Seahawks; Brock Purdy, 49ers; Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers) Which non-QB would you build a franchise around? To offset the QB-centric responses you get to most questions, we asked prospects if they were building an NFL franchise around a current NFL player — at any position other than quarterback — who would they pick? A year ago, the runaway winner was Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, coming off a 2,000-yard season, but this time Barkley drew just a single vote. The clear-cut winner, after resetting the NFL record for sacks in a season with 23, is Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett, who was chosen by 10 of 41 prospects. One player said they weren’t sure who to pick. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was next with three votes, one more than two other dual-threat running backs in the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey and the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson. Two edge rushers also got two votes in the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and the Packers’ Micah Parsons, as did Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson. In all, there were 25 different players named out of 41 votes, and impressively, a near-perfect split with 13 offensive players and 12 on defense. RESULTS: Myles Garrett, edge rusher, Browns: 10 Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions: 3 Maxx Crosby, edge rusher, Raiders: 2 Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings: 2 Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers: 2 Micah Parsons, edge rusher, Packers: 2 Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons: 2 (Players that received one vote: Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles; Derrick Brown, DT, Panthers; Calen Bullock, S, Texans; Jalen Carter, DL, Eagles; Nick Emmonwori, DB, Seahawks; Jaycee Horn, CB, Panthers; Creed Humphrey, C, Chiefs; Aidan Hutchinson, edge rusher, Lions; Lane Johnson, OT, Eagles; Chris Jones, DT, Chiefs; George Kittle, TE, 49ers; Cooper Kupp, WR, Seahawks; Penei Sewell, T, Lions; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks; Bobby Wagner, LB, Commander; Kenneth Walker, RB, Seahawks; Jameson Williams, WR, Lions; Quinnen Williams, DL, Cowboys) Who is your favorite current pro athlete in any sport other than football? Every year, we think that LeBron James might slip as the most popular choice among prospects who have witnessed his dominance for literally their entire lives, and every year, we stand corrected. The Lakers’ superstar was easily the top choice again this year, getting 13 of 41 votes, four times as many as any other athlete. There continues to be a strong NBA tilt to the answers. Basketball players accounted for 26 of the 41 responses, though that’s down from 31 of 40 last year. The Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards was a distant second with three votes, ahead of two NBA veterans (Golden State’s Steph Curry and Houston’s Kevin Durant), golfer Scottie Scheffler and soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo with two each. The rest ran the gamut from hockey and baseball to tennis and golf and even UFC fighters, as one player abstained from answering this question. RESULTS: LeBron James (NBA): 13 Anthony Edwards (NBA): 3 Steph Curry (NBA): 2 Kevin Durant (NBA): 2 Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer): 2 Scottie Scheffler (PGA): 2 (Athletes that received one vote: Carlos Alcaraz, tennis; Devin Booker, NBA; Jimmy Butler, NBA; Sidney Crosby; Gervonta Davis, boxer; Luka Dončić, NBA; Aaron Ekblad, NHL; James Harden, NBA; Aaron Judge, MLB; Conor McGregor, MMA; Lionel Messi, soccer; Charles Oliveira, MMA; Alex Volkov, MMA; Victor Wembanyama, NBA; Russell Westbrook, NBA; Bobby Witt Jr; Tiger Woods, golf) Which current NFL head coach would you most like to play for? It’s a seemingly easy question: If you could play for any current NFL head coach, who would you most like to play for? Prospects can be superstitious, so even cloaked in secrecy, they want to make it clear they’ll be grateful to play for any NFL team that will have them.  Also, more bluntly: “I don’t really know the names of the head coaches,” one told me. We had 10 prospects skip the question for one reason or another. With 10 head coaches losing their jobs in the last two months, some familiar names aren’t available now. The same exercise had former Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin lead the way a year ago. Recency bias or not, the two big winners were fresh from this year’s Super Bowl, with the Patriots’ Mike Vrabel (eight votes) beating out the Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald, who got five, and that was counting an obligatory “Seattle’s Mike McDaniel” and “the young head coach of the Seahawks.” It’s worth mentioning that two of the NFL’s newest coaches were among those named — Baltimore’s Jesse Minter and Miami’s Jeff Hafley, though some of that might be them coaching in college recently enough to have former players at this year’s combine. RESULTS: Mike Vrabel, Patriots: 8 Mike Macdonald, Seahawks: 5 Andy Reid, Chiefs: 3 Dan Campbell, Lions: 2 Jeff Hafley, Dolphins: 2 John Harbaugh, Giants: 2 DeMeco Ryans, Texans: 2 (Coaches that received one vote: Ben Johnson, Bears; Jesse Minter, Ravens; Sean Payton, Broncos; Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys; Kevin Stefanski, Falcons; Kyle Shanahan, 49ers) How many NFL games do college football players watch in a weekend? We move from superlatives to curiosities. Just how much time do college football players have to watch NFL games on TV during their football season? “All of them,” one told me, and others touted the greatness of NFL RedZone, allowing them to keep an eye on the entire league. “With RedZone, like 14 out of 16 games,” another said. “I try to watch them all,” said one. The other extreme is out there, with a few prospects conceding they haven’t watched many NFL games, citing either a busy college schedule or just personal indifference. “I don’t watch any,” one said. “I like to watch in the playoffs when the stakes are high, and I watch a lot of film, but not actual games. “I don’t have cable,” another said, “but I watch the highlights on YouTube.” Said one: “I don’t follow the NFL a ton, though I’m sure I will once I’m drafted.” We included Thursday night and Monday night in this, giving them as many as five windows in a normal week, and the most common response was three games a week, which got 10 votes. On the low end, three said only one game a week (“honestly, one,” one told me) and three more said they didn’t watch any at all. Four players abstained from answering that question. We also asked prospects if they’ve ever attended an NFL game in person as a fan — out of 42 players, 32 (76%) said they’d been to at least one. But for the other 10, their first NFL game might be one they’re playing in this fall. RESULTS: 5 or more games per week: 14 4 games per week: 3 3 games per week: 10 2 games per week: 5 1 game per week: 3 0 games per week: 3 How many teams should be in the College Football Playoff? We started asking this in the survey when there were still only four teams, but now that we’ve had two years with a 12-team field, that seems to be accepted and preferred. Out of 42 prospects, more than half — 23 total — said they like it, with 12 as in the current format. “I thought it was pretty entertaining with 12 this year,” one told me. Of the remaining 18 votes, there was a split between potential expansion, as has been discussed, or going back to a smaller playoff field, however unlikely that might be. There were 10 prospects who wanted more than 12 playoff teams — six asked for 16 teams, with two seeking 24 and one somehow wanting a 25-team field. There were eight on the other side, with five content to have eight playoff teams and two wanting to go all the way back to four teams. RESULTS: 12 teams: 23 16 teams: 6 8 teams: 5 4 teams: 2 24 teams: 2 6 teams: 1 14 teams: 1 18 teams: 1 25 teams: 1 Who was the best individual player you went up against in college? This is a fun question that can yield three different kinds of answers — big-name former college stars already in the NFL, top prospects in this year’s draft class, or players who will be back in college football in 2026. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, for instance, was already in that last category a year ago for some prospects. In all, we had 34 different players get name-dropped, including seven who were picked by two prospects, from well-known NFL quarterbacks like C.J. Stroud to players whose names we’re still learning, like Penn State guard Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane. One player abstained from answering this question. RESULTS: PLAYERS NOW IN NFL C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (now Texans): 2Jared Verse, edge rusher, Florida State (now Rams): 2Laiatu Latu, edge rusher, UCLA (now Colts): 2Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia (now Eagles): 2Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas (now Chiefs): 2 Other current NFL players picked: Braylon Allen, RB, Wisconsin (now Jets)Abdul Carter, edge rusher, Penn State (now Giants)Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia (now Eagles)Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington (now Steelers)Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College (now Ravens)Matthew Golden, WR, Texas (now Packers)Mohamad Kamara, OLB, Colorado State (now Buccaneers)Jacob Saylors, RB, East Tennessee State (now Lions) Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee (now Bears)Bryce Young, QB, Alabama (now Panthers)Peter Skoronski, G, Northwestern (now Titans)Rome Odunze, WR, Washington (now Bears) PLAYERS IN THIS DRAFT Rueben Bain, edge rusher, Miami (Fla.): 2Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State: 2Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake ForestCaleb Downs, S, Ohio StateMikail Kamara, DE, IndianaJeremiyah Love, RB, Notre DameCashius Howell, edge rusher, Texas A&MTy Simpson, QB, AlabamaJordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona StateWesley Williams, DL, Duke PLAYERS STILL IN COLLEGE Isaac Brown, RB, LouisvilleTrinidad Chambers, QB, Ole MissMalachi Toney, WR, MiamiAhmad Hardy, RB, MissouriKam Perry, Miami (Ohio)*LaNorris Sellers, QB, South CarolinaJeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State * transferred to Colorado this offseason Roughly how much money did you make from NIL while in college? As you might expect, more than half of our prospects politely declined to answer this. We’ve moved very quickly from asking “if” a player got any NIL money three years ago to asking everyone how much they got. We’re also taking their word on their answers, which could be inflated or deflated from their actual NIL earnings. We’ll also acknowledge this isn’t an exact cross-section of the draft pool – the guys more likely to have time to take part in an anonymous survey are less likely to be the elite top prospects in the class. Still, we had three players answer that they made more than $1 million. “Close to $2 million,” one told me, while another said “like $1.3 million.” Another nine answered with totals between half a million and a million dollars — “not a lot, like $500,000,” one earnestly humblebragged. Only two of the players who responded had a total figure under six figures — “maybe $50,000” and “about $45,000,” they said. All told, it adds up to about $11 million from the 20 who answered, which is just over $500,000 each. What would you change about college football? In another open-ended question, we got a variety of answers. But there were a handful of answers that struck a similar theme. Several prospects said they wanted to see changes to the transfer portal, NIL regulation, specific on-field rules and playoff scheduling. Multiple players wanted to limit the number of times you can transfer to typically just once before graduating and once again as a graduate player. Another wants players to be able to transfer whenever coaches leave. “A position coach or coach can leave at any point in the season or postseason. They should be able to leave if their position coach or coach leaves,” one prospect told me. As for NIL regulation, one prospect suggested that student-athletes form their own union. “I need that in college football in the next two or three years,” the prospect told me. “My experience in college football was a roller coaster, and a union for college football players. Coaches don’t care and treat everybody fairly. College football is crazy in that aspect. There needs to be more structure with a union able to look after players.” One player suggested that the non-power conferences should play their own playoff, and another player suggested that the clock should be stopped following first downs again. A couple of prospects wanted to see changes made to education matters, too. “I would make all the education online so you can spend more time with football,” one prospect told me. What’s the best advice you’ve received? Another open-ended question that gave us a variety of answers, and great quotes, like this one: “Excuses are like buttholes. Everyone has one.” Numerous players mentioned believing in their faith as the best advice they’ve received. Others mentioned hard work, worrying about what you can control and being present as some of the best advice they’ve received. “Be where your feet are,” one prospect told me. “Don’t look too far into the future. Just appreciate every moment. Remember what your goal is every time while you’re working.” If not Fernando Mendoza, who goes No. 1 in the draft? It’s widely expected right now that the Raiders will use the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, fresh off a Heisman Trophy win and undefeated season as college football’s surprising champs. So with an eye on the top of the draft, we framed our question like this: If it isn’t Mendoza or you, who should go No. 1 in the draft? That worked out well, with four draft prospects getting at least four votes in the survey, led by Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain, who had 11 out of 34 votes. “Rueben Bain was unstoppable in the playoffs,” a prospect told me. Bain edged out a pair of Ohio State prospects. Linebacker Arvell Reese was second with seven votes, and safety Caleb Downs was next with four, tied with Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, also known as “61, whoever that is, however you say his name,” as one said. And this is a question where we’re trusting prospects to name their best guess, to answer truthfully, but it sometimes devolves to naming a teammate or training partner. Among the abstentions were honest answers like “I have no idea” and “I haven’t paid much attention.” So let them have their fun, we say. RESULTS: Rueben Bain, edge rusher, Miami: 11 Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State: 7 Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State: 4 Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami: 4 (Prospects to receive one vote: David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech; Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas; Lee Hunter, DL, Texas Tech; Emanuel McNeil-Warren, DB, Toledo; T.J. Parker, DL, Clemson; Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State; Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State; Logan Taylor, OL, Boston College)​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Fernando Mendoza might not be the prototypical quarterback that we’re used to seeing get drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. Yet, the Indiana quarterback is already the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and some people around the league clearly see why that’s the case. An NFL scout told me that Mendoza has all the tools, but his ability to handle adverse situations stood out the most as he prepares to make the transition to the pros. “He has poise in the pocket to stand and deliver, plus the mental aspect,” the NFL scout told me. “He’s got all the NFL traits, none really that elite, but all together a very formidable package.” League sources I spoke with lauded the toughness Mendoza displayed down the backstretch of an undefeated season for the Hoosiers, culminating in the 6-foot-5 signal caller earning the Heisman trophy. “His best trait is his mind,” an NFL personnel executive told me. “He’s a pocket QB with quick eyes and a quick release. He processes coverage and pressure at a high rate. Good arm strength and excellent accuracy. He’s tough and shows poise in high-stress situations. Excellent make-up. NFL starter.” FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang highlighted Mendoza’s toughness, but, along with others around the league,, also pointed to the quarterback’s poise. “There were many critics ready to pounce [on Mendoza’s failings],” Rang told me. “It’s actually very similar to what Sam Darnold and the Seahawks just experienced. There were so many people waiting for him to have one interception, one poor throw to resurrect the ‘Ghosts’ commentary with Darnold. It’s the same thing with Mendoza. “If he would’ve lost any game, then it would have been that, ‘He can’t win the big game.’ But he was so accurate, especially in the red zone and in high-pressure situations. On third and fourth down when you’ve got to have a play, that to me is when Mendoza’s poise and precision stood out.” Rang said comps he’s heard for Mendoza include Jared Goff, Matt Ryan, Daniel Jones and Matt Hasselbeck. All those quarterbacks are more cerebral and do not possess overpowering arms, he said. With the Las Vegas Raiders expected to take Mendoza No. 1 overall, Rang expects the Indiana product to be a good fit in former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator and new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak’s classic West Coast offense because of the quarterback’s mobility, decision-making and ability to read defenses. [2026 NFL Draft: Fernando Mendoza’s QB Coach Reveals Why He’s Perfect No. 1 for Raiders] “You’re talking about quarterbacks whose bread and butter is recognizing coverages, having enough mobility to keep the play alive, but aren’t true scramblers,” Rang said. “I don’t believe he has elite arm strength or athleticism. I think he’s pretty good in those two, and then when it comes to accuracy, anticipation and attitude – the intangibles and work ethic and smarts – I think he’s off the charts.” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah echoed the sentiment that Mendoza’s arm might not be the most talented, but his toughness elevates his game and is his top strength. “If you go through and look at all of these great quarterbacks over the years, I’ve always harped on poise being a big part of it,” Jeremiah said on a conference call. “I did a study on Hall of Famers a long time ago, and you’ll see all different type of sizes and arm strength. You see different athleticism, but they all had a poise to them. And that also has to do with toughness. “When you get drilled as he did early in the game a couple times and then you don’t see any rattle to him at all — he locks back in. There’s a physical and mental toughness to him that’s going to serve him well And I’d imagine with Tom Brady in the building, as someone who had a reputation for mental and physical toughness, that those traits would be appreciated.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Lionel Messi has some high expectations this summer. The global soccer superstar is trying to lead Argentina to back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles this summer in the 48-team, three-country North American tournament. We’re tracking all his accomplishments and feats with both Argentina and MLS club Inter Miami this season. That includes game-by-game performances as the GOAT looks to have another epic year. Here’s the latest. June 22: Relentlessness Makes Messi The Top World Cup Goalscorer Messi finished this match with a brace and 18 World Cup goals, and he now stands alone as the top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history. His second score against Austria broke the tie he had with Marta, who posted 17 goals in the women’s World Cup. But now, the GOAT is at the top. This was his 18th World Cup goal and 122nd for Argentina. June 22: Messi Breaks Men’s World Cup Record With needing only one World Cup match to tie the men’s all-time scoring record, Messi breaking it was only a matter of time. And, of course, he delivered for both his team and for history, scoring Argentina’s first goal against Austria in Dallas on Monday, June 22. It was his 17th World Cup goal and 121st for Argentina. With this goal, Messi became just the third player to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, joining Just Fontaine (France) and Jairzinho (Brazil). Messi’s record-breaking goal came against Austria in the 38th minute at Dallas Stadium. Off a powerful quick touch from Facundo Medina, Messi sailed it into the bottom-left corner past Austria keeper Alexander Schlager. Here’s another angle: June 16: Hat Trick For Messi Ties Men’s World Cup Record If there was any doubt about whether Lionel Messi would be motivated entering his sixth FIFA World Cup, it should be put to bed now. The 38-year-old superstar recorded his first-ever hat trick at the tournament — it happened June 16 against Algeria — and tied Miroslav Klose’s all-time record for most goals (16) at a men’s World Cup. Let’s just run down the numbers of Messi’s incredible night: – Messi recorded his first hat trick at a World Cup, and the fifth ever hat trick for Argentina at a World Cup.- Messi became the oldest man ever to record a hat trick in a World Cup match at 38 years, 357 days old; he passed Cristiano Ronaldo who held the record, who scored a hat trick vs. Spain in 2018 at 33 years old. – Messi became the second man to score in five different World Cups, joining Cristiano Ronaldo. – Messi is also the first Argentine player to score in five consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing Hernán Crespo and Guillermo Stábile (four each). – Messi became the third man ever to record 200 international appearances, joining Cristiano Ronaldo (228) and Bader Al-Mutawa (202). June 9: Messi Scores In Win Over Iceland at Auburn It was a bit of a surreal sight as Lionel Messi and Argentina played Iceland in a pre-World Cup friendly on the campus of Auburn University, cruising to a 3-0 win at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Messi came on as a second-half substitute in Tuesday’s win in front of a raucous crowd on The Plains that’s normally accustomed to big games on Saturdays in the fall. The soccer superstar, who is set to appear in his sixth World Cup tournament, scored a penalty in the win for the Albiceleste. It was the second game in a week for the defending World Cup champions at an SEC stadium, having beaten Honduras 2-0 on Saturday at Texas A&M. Argentina heads back to Kansas City to begin its World Cup title defense against Algeria on June 16. The team then travels to Dallas Stadium to play Austria on June 22 and debut squad Jordan on June 27. June 6: Messi Sits Out Pre-World Cup Match vs. Honduras at Texas A&M Messi got to experience one of college football’s biggest stadiums even if he didn’t play in the 2-0 friendly. He sat out Argentina’s friendly match against Honduras on Saturday night as he continues to manage muscle fatigue and a mild strain in his left hamstring ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Messi, who turns 39 in three weeks, was active after warming up with his teammates at Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M before the game. He stayed on the bench, though, watching from the sideline as Argentina won 2-0. The GOAT still was able to take in the sights and sounds of Aggieland, which included a jersey exchange with Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed. The team has said Messi’s recovery time will depend on “his clinical and functional progress.” Argentina next plays Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday in a final World Cup tune-up before resuming its training in Kansas City. Argentina begins its World Cup title defense against Algeria at Kansas City Stadium on June 16. May 28: Messi Makes Argentina World Cup Roster Argentina officially announced its final 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, and despite the recent injury scare, Lionel Messi headlines the squad. The 38-year-old superstar looks to lead the Albiceleste in a title defense and secure back-to-back World Cup trophies. With his roster spot secured, Messi will lead Argentina in a pair of pre-tournament friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9. These matches will serve as the final ramp-up before the real action begins in Group J, where the defending champions are scheduled to open their World Cup campaign against Algeria in Kansas City on June 16, followed by Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27 in Arlington, Texas. May 25: Inter Miami Confirms Messi Dealing With ‘Muscle Fatigue’ Inter Miami confirmed Monday that Lionel Messi has a left hamstring issue, one that has popped up about a week before defending World Cup champion Argentina is set to begin its training camp for this summer’s title defense. And the events of Sunday and Monday surely add at least a bit of intrigue to Argentina’s plans. Messi is set to be available for Argentina ahead of the upcoming World Cup, per Fabrizio Romano. Messi underwent testing on Monday — which almost certainly means an MRI exam, though the team did not divulge what procedures were involved — and was ultimately diagnosed with “an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring’ that kept him from finishing Inter Miami’s match on Sunday night. ‘The timeline for his return to physical activity will depend on his clinical and functional progress,’ Inter Miami said in a release. The Associated Press contributed to this report. May 24: Messi Comes Off Early In Miami Win; World Cup Concern? Lionel Messi headed into the World Cup break a bit earlier than planned, and now it’ll be Argentina waiting to see if there’s an injury to worry about. Messi — who almost never gets subbed out of matches — left in the 73rd minute, meaning he was long gone before Luis Suarez’s third goal of the night lifted the defending MLS champions past the last-place Philadelphia Union 6-4 on Sunday night. Messi had two assists and German Berterame scored twice during a record-setting first half for Inter Miami. But Messi basically took himself out of play in the 71st minute and reached toward his left hamstring at least once, then didn’t even venture toward the Inter Miami bench when he could be subbed out. Rodrigo De Paul, on his birthday, scored in stoppage time to seal the win for Inter Miami. Milan Iloski had a first-half hat trick — including two penalty kicks — and Bruno Damiani also scored for Union. Argentina is in Group J for the World Cup. Its group stage matches: Algeria, at Kansas City, on June 16; Austria, at Arlington, Texas, on June 22; and Jordan, back in Arlington, on June 27. May 17: Messi Scores, Assists To Lift Inter Miami Over Portland Messi’s first goal of the evening came just after the half-hour mark, with a build-up he started, no less. It began with Messi finding Luis Suárez, who dished the ball over to Telasco Segovia, who teed it up for Messi’s finish. Just over 10 minutes following the opening goal, Messi and Co. were back at it again. Rodrigo De Paul sent a cross towards Messi, who once again found Suarez, who tapped it right back as Messi split between two Portland defenders before dishing an assist to Germán Berterame. Inter Miami secured three points at home and remains in second place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points, two points behind leaders Nashville. May 13: Messi Completes Hat Trick, Assists In Thriller Against Cincinnati Messi led the way for Inter Miami in a back-and-forth battle against FC Cincinnati. His first goal game in the 24th minute, one of the easiest goals of Messi’s career came after the ball deflected off Cincinnati’s Matt Miazga and right in front of Messi, who did the rest. Cincinnati would go on to score the next two goals of the match before Messi added his second of the night in the 55th minute to level the score at 2-2. Evander would put Cincinnati back ahead before goals from Inter Miami’s Mateo Silvetti and German Berterame put the Herons back ahead 4-3, with Messi assisting Silvetti’s effort. Messi would put the game on ice with his third goal and Inter Miami’s fifth of the night just before stoppage time. Inter Miami is second in the Eastern Conference with 25 points, trailing Nashville by two points. May 9: Messi Scores, Becomes Fastest MLS Player to 100 Goal Contributions Messi and Inter Miami are back in the win column, defeating Toronto FC 4-2. On top of the win, Messi reached a major MLS milestone with his one goal and two assists – he becomes the fastest MLS player to reach 100 goal contributions in the regular season. Messi’s effort gives him 59 goals and 41 assists in 64 regular-season matches, shattering the previous record of 95 set by Toronto’s Sebastian Giovinco. Messi has piled up 87 goals and 57 assists in 101 career appearances in all competitions. De Paul set up Messi for his ninth goal — one off the league lead — in the 75th minute to make it 4-0. De Paul has three assists after collecting his first four in 11 appearances last season. Inter Miami now moved to 0-1-3 and still seek a win on their new turf since its opening in April. May 2: Messi Scores, But Inter Miami Blows 3-0 Lead Lionel Messi and Inter Miami had a 3-0 lead over rival Orlando City, looking poised to finally get what would be a historic first win inside the team’s new stadium. History was indeed made — by Orlando City, that is. Martin Ojeda scored three goals, Tyrese Spicer had the go-ahead goal in the third minute of stoppage time and Orlando City stunned Inter Miami 4-3 on Saturday night — becoming just the third team in MLS history to rally from a 3-0 deficit and get a victory. Messi had a goal and two assists in his 100th appearance for the club, and somehow that wasn’t enough against a team that came into the night near the bottom of the MLS standings. Inter Miami fell to 0-1-3 at its new stadium, and the defending champions are one of only three teams in MLS winless at home so far this season. April 25: Messi, Inter Miami Still Searching for 1st win at new stadium Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are still waiting for their first win in their new home. Germán Berterame scored off a rebound in the 76th minute and Inter Miami finished in a 1-1 tie with the New England Revolution on Saturday night, keeping the defending MLS Cup champions winless in three matches at their new Miami stadium. The Herons are 0-0-3 in the new building — compared with 5-1-1 in MLS road matches this season. Inter Miami is now unbeaten (5-0-4) in its last nine MLS matches following a season-opening loss at LAFC, and unbeaten in its last 11 matches (5-0-6) across all competitions. Former MLS MVP Carles Gil scored in the 56th minute for New England, which had lost each of its last four meetings with Inter Miami. April 22: Messi held scoreless in win over Real Salt Lake After netting a brace against the Colorado Rapids last week, Messi couldn’t find the back of the net, but his friends managed to keep Miami near the top of MLS’ Eastern Conference. Messi made an attempt at goal in the first half, when his one-on-one opportunity against RSL keeper Rafael Cabral was saved. Messi had one last chance to score in the 89th minute, but his free kick was also saved by Cabral. Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suárez scored within a minute of each other late in the second half to secure the victory for Inter Miami. April 18: Lionel Messi scores twice in win against Colorado Rapids Messi had two goals in Inter Miami’s 3-2 win over the Rapids on Saturday to extend the team’s unbeaten streak to seven games. Messi, who opened the scoring when he converted a penalty kick in the 13th minute, scored the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute. After a Colorado turnover near midfield, Messi cut back near the right corner of the penalty box and flicked a rising shot that split a pair of defenders and slipped inside the back post. Messi has seven goals this season, tied with Sam Surridge and Petar Musa for the most in MLS. Miami (4-1-3) hasn’t lost since a season-opening 3-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC. April 11: Messi held scoreless in win against New York Red Bulls In the second match played at Inter Miami’s new stadium, Nu Stadium, the defending MLS Cup champions settled for their second draw in a row, this time against the Red Bulls, on Saturday night. In the 55th minute, Messi drew four defenders toward him and helped set up Germán Berterame for a second-half goal that gave Inter Miami its first lead. Messi had a couple golden chances, too. He had a stellar run but then slipped on his attempt as his shot was deflected out of bounds. In the 94th minute, Messi almost found the back of the net, but his free kick was ultimately deflected by New York goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. April 5: ‘Nu’ Era underway as Messi nets goal in Inter Miami’s new stadium Messi scored on the long-awaited opening night in his new home stadium, and Luis Suárez found a way to tie things up late in the second half. Messi scored on a header in the 10th minute, Suarez hammered home a volley in the 82nd minute and Inter Miami escaped with a 2-2 tie against Austin FC in the defending MLS champions’ first match at their still-under-construction stadium near Miami International Airport on Saturday night. Named “Nu Stadium”, the venue already has a stand named for Messi — a rare honor for an active player to already have a section of the stadium dedicated to him. MLS Commissioner Don Garber was at the match, lauding the work that David Beckham, who picked Miami 13 years ago, did to get to this day. Inter Miami, which is in its seventh MLS season and third with Messi, has played home matches in Fort Lauderdale until now. Beckham had another legend in attendance with him as Brazil great Ronaldo joined the festivities. Garber touted the stadium opening as the latest sign of growth for MLS. “I think our best days are still ahead,” he said. “David shined a light on our league, and Leo’s taking that torch, and he’s showing it around. And we’re getting calls from players around the world.” March 31: Messi scores in perhaps last Argentina home match? It didn’t take long for Messi to get on the scoresheet in Argentina’s 5-0 victory over Zambia at the historic Bombonera in Buenos Aires. Messi assisted Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez with an early strike in the fourth minute in what could be the GOAT’s final home match for his home country. He wasn’t done yet, as Messi would double La Albiceleste’s lead himself before the break. Messi had an opportunity to complete a hat-trick when Argentina was awarded a penalty early in the second half. Instead of stepping up and taking the penalty himself, he handed the ball to veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, allowing him a scoring opportunity in his final home game. Otamendi announced that he will retire the national team following the summer’s World Cup. March 27: Messi comes on in second half, held scoreless vs. Mauritania Messi was back in action with Argentina for the FIFA international break. It was the final time the team would play together before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins later in the summer. Of course, reigning champions Messi and Argentina are expected to be among the heavy favorites to win it all. Before that happens, a couple of friendlies in Buenos Aires against two teams from Africa. Messi started on the bench during Argentina’s 2-1 victory over Mauritania and didn’t manage to score in the final 45 minutes. Argentina’s goals came from Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Paz, but Messi was the one receiving endless cheers from fans in one of the nation’s most historic venues, La Bombonera. March 22: Messi scores key goal in win against NYCFC Inter Miami took home the win against NYCFC on Sunday, with Messi scoring the equalizer. At the 61-minute mark, Messi received a free kick, after what most fans believed was a “soft call.” He successfully converted in this opportunity, tying the game and putting the Herons back in contention for a win that night. The first goal of the night came from Gonzalo Lujan, with this also being his first career goal. The game was then iced in the 74th minute by Micael after a set-up by Messi’s corner kick. March 18: 900 career goals, but eliminated from CONCACAF Champions Cup What a milestone for the superstar, who has now reached the 900-goal mark in his illustrious club career that has spanned Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, as well as his international duty with Argentina. Messi scored the goal in Wednesday’s Champions Cup match against Nashville SC, taking a pass in the middle of the box in the seventh minute, controlled the ball, spun and lined a low shot through a maze of defenders and into the far corner of the net. Despite the historic goal, Nashville tied Inter Miami 1-1, advancing to the tournament quarterfinals on an away-goal tiebreaker. The teams played to a 0-0 tie in Nashville last week in the opening leg of the Round of 16. Messi is second on the all-time goal scoring list behind Cristiano Ronaldo (965), with those two the only ones who are in that stratosphere. Officially, the duo are followed by Romário (765), Pelé (762) and Ference Puskás (725). The next-highest active player is Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski (690). There’s some controversy about Pelé’s count. Different sources, counting different sets of games, list the Brazilian icon’s goal totals anywhere from around 650 in league matches to somewhere near 1,300 in all matches — some against low-level competition. March 14: Messi sits out Inter Miami draw vs. Nashville SC Messi was rested for this game, as coach Javier Mascherano chose to save his energy for the second CONCACAF Champions Cup leg against Nashville SC. In his place, Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez received his first start of the MLS season. Though Saturday ended in a scoreless draw, the game itself stayed spirited. In a heated exchange, Mascherano received a red card in stoppage time. As he protested the booking, he was sent off for foul and offensive language. Ever a lively personality, he sarcastically clapped at the crowd. March 11: Messi stuck at 899 goals after another draw Inter Miami and Messi faced off against Nashville SC in the Herons’ first game of the CONCACAF Champions Cup of the season. The Round of 16 ended in a scoreless draw, with Messi staying silent on the statsheet.  He attempted one shot in the 55th minute, but 24-year-old Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake came up with the save. March 7: Messi scores in win over D.C. United after White House visit Messi scored in the 27th minute, and Inter Miami held on for a 2-1 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night in front of 72,026 at the home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. The game was held in downtown Baltimore instead of at D.C. United’s smaller venue in Washington. It’s the second game this season where Inter Miami’s opponents held the match at a larger stadium. LAFC did so in February by changing the game to the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. It was an eventful week for Messi and his team, which visited the White House on Thursday. Inter Miami opened the scoring in the 17th minute when De Paul collected the ball about 15 yards from the goal and struck a shot into the far side of the net. Messi then scored his third goal of the young MLS season, slipping behind the D.C. defense to receive Mateo Silvetti’s pass, then flicking the ball with one touch past goalie Sean Johnson. March 1: Messi scores twice in comeback win over rival Orlando City Nothing like scoring twice against your in-state rivals. Especially after being initially down by two. Messi had two second-half goals and an assist in Inter Miami’s 4-2 win over Orlando City. It was his first two goals of the 2026 MLS season and the Herons’ first win. It was part of a four-goal rally by Inter Miami in the second half, which also included goals by Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia (who also had two assists). Marco Pasalic and Martín Ojedahad initially gave the Lions the lead before Messi and Miami came out with a full head of steam after halftime. Messi’s second was a particular beauty as it came off a free kick in the final moments of the game in Orlando. Messi, ever the master at gamesmanship, decided to troll the Orlando faithful by mockingly giving them an autograph. Feb. 26: Messi knocked over by pitch invader in Puerto Rico A curiously timed match between Inter Miami and Ecuadorian club Independiente Del Valle at Puerto Rico’s Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel saw Messi convert a penalty and later tackled by an overzealous pitch invader. The game in Bayamón was supposed to be played in Inter Miami’s preseason on Feb. 13 but was moved back due to Messi’s hamstring injury. Inter Miami honored the rescheduled match after having already played its MLS season opener. Messi entered at halftime and was cheered loudly anytime he touched the ball. His penalty came in the 70th minute, which sealed the 2-1 victory in the unofficial match. As the game came to a wrap, a pitch invader got tangled up with Messi and a security guard, taking the superstar to the ground. He appeared to be fine as he got up and walked away. Feb. 21: Messi held scoreless in MLS opener Inter Miami began its season with a 3-0 loss at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against Son Heung-min and LAFC in front of an announced crowd of 75,672 — the second-highest game attendance in MLS history and highest for a season-opening game ever. After the game, a video posted on social media showed Messi following the referees through the tunnel and into a locker room. A visibly angry Messi appeared to be held back by teammate Luis Suárez with the two then exiting the area. The league said that Messi did not violate any policy and that he would not face any suspension. The Associated Press contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is betting on himself before he ever takes an NFL snap. The former Indiana quarterback has decided not to throw at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine and will instead wait for more familiar surroundings at his pro day in April. FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt joined Colin Cowherd on Tuesday’s edition of “The Herd” to discuss Mendoza’s future and break down the first edition of his newly released mock NFL draft. “I think he’s absolutely going to succeed in the National Football League,” said Klatt, who’s unbothered by Mendoza’s decision. “I’m a huge believer that … [quarterbacks have] to own the game from the pocket. You have to do that in the National Football League. You cannot run yourself into a Super Bowl. … When you look at Mendoza and his best performances and his most clutch performances in the most important parts of the season, what was he doing? Making huge throws from the pocket … late in the game, late in the down sequence. “I think he’s accurate. He’s a leverage thrower. … The best quarterbacks never throw 50/50 balls. They’re always putting the percentage in the wide receiver’s advantage because of the leverage that they throw with from a ball position and ball placement standpoint. … [Mendoza] does that. … For those two reasons — owning it from the pocket in big moments and being an anticipatory, leverage thrower — I think that this guy … is absolutely going to succeed.” It’s nearly a foregone conclusion that the Las Vegas Raiders — a franchise whose identity has historically been deeply rooted in its head coach and quarterback, which they’re currently in desperate need of — will select Mendoza with the first overall pick, according to Klatt and many others. Mendoza checks all the boxes after leading the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 record and a national title this past season. “There’s this line [with] all players, but more specifically for a quarterback,” Klatt added. “Does he translate, regardless of fit? … I think it’s incredibly difficult to find those players, and it’s more specifically difficult to find them at the quarterback position. … Mendoza doesn’t quite cross that line, which is fine. … I think that fit still matters.” Second-year Raiders general manager John Spytek recently said that he and new head coach Klint Kubiak, who takes over for Pete Carroll after a disappointing three-win season, are looking for a quarterback who’s “a leader, tough as hell … a maniacal preparer … somebody that … loves to play football [and] will give everything to their teammates.” Raiders minority owner Tom Brady attended the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship alongside fellow owner Mark Davis. In January, Brady described Mendoza as “a very mature young man” with “a bright future.” Mendonza is the first player off the board in Klatt’s first mock draft. Likewise, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti is listed as the No. 1 coach on Klatt’s recently released list of the best coaches in college football.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Nick Sirianni always intended to hire someone with experience when he began his search for a new Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator last month. He never expected to end up with a 33-year-old, third-year assistant who had never called plays before. Yet after 17 interviews, everything in his research and his heart pointed him toward Sean Mannion and the surprising decision to put the broken Eagles offense in the hands of a rookie. It was a gutsy move at a critical moment in his tenure. Because if Sirianni gets this decision wrong, he might end up paying for it with his own job. The stakes really are that high for him and for the Eagles, after their disappointing Super Bowl defense last season ended with a wild-card exit in the playoffs. It wasn’t hard to find a fall guy for that, either. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was running a dysfunctional offense that struggled to find an identity. And as soon as the season ended, it was clear he had to go. Patullo, of course, was a first-time playcaller, too, and it showed over and over again — which is why it was so shocking when Sirianni again chose to hire a novice in Mannion. It’s a decision, in fact, that’s almost impossible to defend, except with Sirianni’s deep conviction that despite what anyone else might think, this time he has it right. “You always want to make sure that when you’re on the verge of hiring somebody, you want to reach out to guys they’ve worked with, guys they’ve played with, guys they’ve coached, and you’re looking for common themes,” Sirianni said on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “And it was a common theme. Everyone spoke very similar about Sean. You could imagine those were glowing reviews. Everyone had great things to say about him, the person he is, the coach he is, the football mind that he is.” The glowing reviews are actually not surprising at all, because as a former Rams quarterback and a former Packers assistant, Mannion is another branch of the Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. He is widely considered a rising star in NFL coaching circles — a strong leader and a brilliant mind who might be a head coach someday. But that someday is still considered far away. His NFL coaching experience until now was limited to one year as a Packers offensive assistant and one year as their quarterbacks coach. No matter how glowingly his peers spoke of him, hiring him was still a very speculative play. And that’s a huge risk for the head coach of a veteran-heavy offense, filled with frustrated players still trying to figure out what went wrong last season. Quarterback Jalen Hurts could never get the passing game going. His No. 1 receiver, A.J. Brown, seemed constantly unhappy with everything. Running back Saquon Barkley ran for almost 900 fewer yards than he did the season before. And the once-proud offensive line was often a shell of itself — a problem that might not get any better now that legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland decided to retire rather than take a reduced role. So Mannion gets to figure all that out while learning on the job about the intricacies of running an offense and the complex dance of calling plays during a game. And he gets to do it under the watchful eye of an offensive-minded head coach that will probably have a heavy hand this season, since he already has a pretty good idea of what he wants his offense to be. “Really, it’s always important at the end of the day that we’re able to run the football, and be able to do play-action off of that,” Sirianni said. “Play physical, play with relentless effort, play with great detail, play together. Those will be all things we’re looking to do.” If the Eagles are able to do that, they should be an instant Super Bowl contender again. And maybe Mannion will prove to be the right man to get all that done. Sirianni has a spotty record of choosing offensive coordinators, though. Two were so successful that they went on to be head coaches elsewhere — Shane Steichen and Kellen Moore. The other two — Brian Johnson and Kevin Patullo — were fired after one miserable year on the job. If Sirianni gets this one wrong, too, he’ll be the one on the hot seat. Three years ago, when the Eagles were trying to get to their second straight Super Bowl, Sirianni nearly lost his job after the Eagles finished the season on a 1-6 tailspin. Thanks to his Super Bowl championship in the 2024 season, he wasn’t in similarly deep trouble after the Eagles faded late in 2025 and then exited the playoffs early. But even despite his 59-26 regular-season record and two trips to the Super Bowl in the past four years, he might not get any grace from his bosses if his 2026 team underachieves, as well. That’s because his bosses — general manager Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie — expect another championship, or at least a legitimate run at one that lasts a little longer than one lousy round. That’s part of why Sirianni went into his search looking for an experienced hand, and why it was such a shock when he hired the most inexperienced candidate on his list. Sirianni put all his faith in Mannion’s background and his perceived potential because, amid a thin résumé, he can’t bank on anything else. Now his players will have to do the same. And while it’s great that veterans such as Barkley consider the change “refreshing,” as the star running back told NFL Network earlier this week, all they can really do is hope. They have to hope that Sirianni really knew what he was doing, and hope Mannion is good enough and that this somehow works out well. “There’s a lot of steps to take place before we know exactly what version of this offense it’s going to be,” Sirianni said. “But Sean comes from a family of coaches and (there are) things that he’s done that we really respect, that we know is tough to defend. We know we’ve done a lot of good things here as well that’s hard to defend, so (we’ll be) able to sprinkle some of that in. “You’ve got to go through the process with your players to get to all those answers.” The answers better be the right ones, though. Because as sterling as Sirianni’s résumé is, this time he really can’t afford to be wrong. In the Big Picture, we contextualize key moves and moments so you can instantly understand why they matter.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Brandon Beane knows Brian Daboll well. After all, the Bills general manager worked with the new Titans offensive coordinator for four years in Buffalo, where Daboll held the same title for the Bills. He played a prominent role in Josh Allen’s early development into a star quarterback. It’s why Beane believes he’ll be a “great asset” for Cam Ward, last year’s No. 1 overall pick. “I would tell [Ward] to make sure you have thick skin,” Beane said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “It’s all coming from a good place, but Brian is very smart.” The 2024 NFL MVP, Allen began his NFL career as a project. The talent was there for the former No. 7 overall pick — his dual-threat ability, physical profile and arm strength made him an enticing prospect out of Wyoming — but he was an inconsistent and inaccurate quarterback through his first two NFL seasons. During that span, he completed just 56.3% of his passes for 184.4 yards per game and a 78.2 passer rating. But in Year 3 with Daboll, Allen’s play skyrocketed. In 2020, he registered a 69.2% completion rate (a 10.4% jump from the previous season) for a career-high 4,544 yards and 45 total touchdowns (37 passing, eight rushing) against 16 turnovers with a 107.2 passer rating, finishing second in MVP voting in the process. Today, he’s on the shortlist of the best players in the NFL. Allen clicked with Daboll, Beane said, because of the quarterback’s “thick skin.” “We’ve seen Brian,” the Bills general manager explained. “He’s from Buffalo. He’s blue-collar. He’s going to let you know that he loves you, and he’s also going to let you know that you screwed up. I think that’s why Brian and Josh really connected and was a big part of Josh’s early ascension as a Bill to where he’s at. Their fond relationship continued even as Brian went to New York, and I’m sure that will continue now that Brian is in Tennessee. “If Cam Ward will listen,” he added, “[Daboll] will develop him.” Ward flashed as a rookie, completing 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also had two rushing scores and seven lost fumbles for the Titans, who went 3-14 for the second straight season. New head coach Robert Saleh said Tuesday that Tennessee will be taking a “marathon approach” with the former No. 1 pick’s development. And at his introductory press conference last week, Daboll said Ward was a “big factor” in his decision to come to Nashville. The former Giants head coach acknowledged that he can take a tough-love approach to coaching. “I’d say the first thing is to build that relationship first,” he said last week, “to figure out everybody’s a little bit different. Everybody responds to different things. I think that’s important for a quarterback too, to know the 10 other people around him in the huddle and how they respond. Some people respond to tough love like my grandmother gave me growing up. Some people don’t respond to that. So that’s the challenge of a leadership position, both offensive coordinator and quarterback, to make sure we really know our guys, what makes them tick. “I think it’s well documented that I get pretty heated at times,” he continued. “That’s who I am.” Ward is apparently well-aware. “I like that he is a fiery coach,” the quarterback told Titans.com. “He is going to get on my ass when he needs to, and he is going to hold me to a high standard. And that’s the standard I want to be held to.” It appears that Ward is ready to listen to his new offensive coordinator.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Is this the Mexico team that goes all the way? In 2023, they were one inning away from advancing to the championship of the World Baseball Classic, leading 5-4 in the ninth inning of one of the most thrilling games of the tournament, when Munetaka Murakami’s walk-off double in the semifinals sent Japan through. Still, Mexico’s third-place finish was its best ever showing at the tournament, and this time it will have All-Star closer Andres Munoz available to hold leads late. WBC Rosters: Team-By-Team Squads The team will again be led by Randy Arozarena, who tends to rise to the occasion when the spotlight is brightest. In the last WBC, Arozarena delivered in the clutch at the plate while patrolling left field expertly with his typical swagger. He’s among a large contingent of MLB returnees from the impressive 2023 team, which exceeded expectations while going 3-1 in pool play — including an 11-5 win against Team USA — before storming past Puerto Rico with a late charge in the quarterfinals. WBC Power Rankings: Stacking Japan, USA and All 20 Squads There are questions about the rotation, and it will hurt not having Isaac Paredes in the lineup this time around, but the additions of Muñoz, Alejandro Kirk, Joey Ortiz and Taj Bradley to the group add more high-end talent to the roster. Kirk is a huge upgrade behind the plate, Arozarena and Duran give Mexico two of the best corner outfielders in the tournament, and Aranda is coming off an All-Star season with the Rays. No matter the competition, Mexico will not be intimidated by its opponent. That will be important, considering it is in a pool with the USA yet again as well as a formidable Italy squad. If it makes it out of pool play, manager Benji Gil’s experienced group is capable of once again making a deep run. Here’s one look at a potential Mexico lineup: Lineup: So, how would that look defensively? Outfield LF: Randy Arozarena CF: Alek ThomasRF: Jarren Duran Arozarena led off at the last tournament, and that worked out well. He dazzled as one of the best hitters in the whole field, going 9-for-20 with seven extra-base hits. Duran only got five at-bats in the last tournament and was not yet the player he would become, accumulating 15.5 WAR over the last three years. The top half of the Mexico lineup can do a lot of damage. Thomas and Alejandro Osuna, who debuted for the Texas Rangers in 2025, bring more MLB experience to the outfield group, which also includes Julián Ornelas, the older brother of Padres prospect Tirso Ornelas. Thomas was Mexico’s starter in center in the last tournament, and he would seem the likeliest fit to retain that role. Infield 1B: Jonathan Aranda2B: Nick GonzalesSS: Joey Ortiz3B: Ramón UríasC: Alejandro Kirk DH: Rowdy Tellez All-Stars Aranda and Kirk should be locks at their positions. Aside from that, Gil can mix and match across the infield among a relatively light-hitting but versatile group of current and former big-leaguers that includes Ortiz, Gonzales and brothers Ramon and Luis Urias. They were well below-league-average MLB hitters last year, but an infield that includes Ortiz and Gonzales up the middle with Kirk behind the plate should make Mexico’s pitchers thrilled. Luis had a terrific 2023 WBC (.825 OPS), so it’s possible he ends up starting at second or third, but I gave Ramón the nod here coming off a 2.2-WAR season between Baltimore and Houston. Joey Meneses also was a 2023 WBC standout (.963 OPS), but Tellez has more recent success after posting a 124 OPS+ in 50 games for the Rangers last season. Gil could decide to use Tellez as the DH against righties and Meneses against lefties. Jared Serna, another versatile defensive prospect for the Marlins, rounds out the roster. Rotation RHP Javier Assad RHP Taijuan WalkerRHP Taj Bradley Losing Jose Urquidy for insurance reasons is going to sting for a Mexico roster that doesn’t have a ton of starting pitching options, so it will need a lot from this trio if it wants to repeat its 2023 success. After firing 5.2 scoreless innings of relief in the last tournament, Assad might now have to be Mexico’s ace. He has spent most of the last two years as a starter with the Cubs, amassing a 3.72 ERA over that time. Walker threw four scoreless innings in the last WBC, but he has a 4.88 ERA over the last three years with the Phillies. Bradley, a former top prospect, struggled last season between Tampa Bay and Minnesota but adds a hard fastbal and vital depth to the group. Bullpen RHP Andrés MuñozRHP Victor VodnikLHP Robert Garcia LHP Brennan BernardinoLHP Samy Natera Jr  RHP Daniel Duarte LHP Alexander Armenta RHP Jesus Cruz RHP Alex Carrillo RHP Luis Gastelum RHP Roel Ramírez RHP Gerardo Reyes Mexico will need a lot of innings — and potentially some bullpen games — from this group, which features a number of big-league talents as well as a KBO pitcher in Armenta.  Muñoz is the standout of the unit, coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons with the Mariners. Last year, he didn’t allow his first earned run of the season until his 25th appearance of the year. There’s some interesting depth in front of him. Vodnik is prone to hard contact, but he throws in the high-90s and managed a 3.02 ERA in Colorado last season. Garcia and Bernardino are coming off strong years in the Texas and Boston bullpens, respectively. Natera, an Angels prospect, struck out 85 batters but also walked 42 in 57 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports