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INDIANAPOLIS — The 2026 NFL Draft has several strengths, with first-round depth at offensive tackle and edge rusher. There’s a premier quarterback at the top — Fernando Mendoza — getting plenty of love. There are some shallow positions, however. It’s not a great year to need a cornerback, for example. But there should be some bona fide stars. There’s a potential Micah Parsons 2.0 among the edge rushers and a potential Derwin James 2.0 at safety. If you squint just enough, there’s a potential Jimmy Graham at tight end, too. The first day of drills at the NFL Scouting Combine has arrived, which means that mock draft season is upon us. So, before players seek to boost their draft stock this weekend, let’s project what will go down in the first round, which seems far from settled after the No. 1 pick. 1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana The Raiders love the idea of Mendoza, a guy whose intelligence and diligence are pro-ready. 2. New York Jets (3-14): Rueben Bain Jr., edge rusher, Miami Coach Aaron Glenn is going to love how Bain will wreck games for opposing offenses — and the Jets badly need a defensive stud after shipping off cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline. 3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14): Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Whether the Cardinals work with Jacoby Brissett or a new quarterback, they desperately need help on the offensive line. And it really doesn’t matter that Mauigoa is probably a right tackle. He’s the best offensive lineman in this draft. 4. Tennessee Titans (3-14): David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech Let’s build a force on the defensive line with Bailey and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. That’s a foundation that defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh can work with. 5. New York Giants (4-13): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State This is an all-important developmental year for QB Jaxson Dart, and receiver might be a need, with wideouts Malik Nabers hurt (ACL) and Wan’Dale Robinson slated to hit free agency. 6. Cleveland Browns (5-12): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Shedeur Sanders might actually get a real chance to show what he can do if the Browns snag a left tackle like Fano. 7. Washington Commanders (5-12): Arvell Reese, (O)LB, Ohio State Dan Quinn was in Dallas when the Cowboys had the inspired idea to convert Micah Parsons into a pass-rusher. Can Quinn do it again with Reese? 8. New Orleans Saints (6-11): Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley paired with Downs? Yes, please. It’ll be Chargers All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. all over again. 9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11): Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State The Chiefs invest yet again in their passing game to support quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU The Bengals get a consistent, high-end playmaker on a defense largely devoid of just that. 11. Miami Dolphins (7-10): Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee McCoy was probably the best corner in college football prior to tearing his ACL in January 2025. But after missing the entire season, he should be good to go in 2026. 12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): Sonny Styles, OLB, Ohio State Here’s the Parsons replacement that the Cowboys have been waiting for. 13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons, 8-9): Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State The Rams’ right guard and right tackle are both slated for free agency. They can shore up their unit with an elite guard prospect. 14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9): Makai Lemon, WR, USC The Seahawks showed us this season that it’s OK to have too many slot receivers. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is from the Ben Johnson coaching tree. And Johnson might still be searching for his new version of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown — but Doyle could get his in Lemon. 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Keldric Faulk, edge rusher, Mississippi State The Bucs have a pair of pending free agents on the edge, so Faulk should solve that potential issue. And even if they can keep both linebacker Haason Reddick and defensive end Logan Hall, it might be a good thing to put Faulk in a rotation while he smooths out the blemishes in his game. 16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts, 8-9): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana Whoever plays quarterback for the Jets is going to like throwing to wide receivers Garrett Wilson, Cooper and Adonai Mitchell. 17. Detroit Lions (9-8): Peter Woods, DL, Clemson What happened to the version of the Lions that bit off kneecaps? Woods — a guy who plays like a bar fighter in the interior — should bring toughness to the middle of Detroit’s defense. 18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8): CJ Allen, LB, Georgia The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Allen isn’t the biggest linebacker, but he plays bigger than he’s listed. He’ll be an immediate game-changer and leader in the middle of Minnesota’s defense. 19. Carolina Panthers (8-9): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Panthers head coach Dave Canales told me this week that the best way to help quarterback Bryce Young succeed is by building a strong running game. Well, by drafting Love — one of the best three prospects in this class — the Panthers can immediately do that. 20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers, 9-7-1): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, safety, Toledo The 6-foot-2, 202-pound McNeil-Warren is a tall and fiercely physical safety who helps as much in run defense as he does in coverage. 21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Denzel Boston, WR, Washington I think Pittsburgh will have either Aaron Rodgers or Malik Willis at quarterback next season. Rodgers isn’t as accurate as he thinks he is and Willis has a uniquely powerful arm to stretch the field. Either way, Boston — a lengthy athlete in the vein of Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins — can help either QB. 22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6): Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama The Chargers could put Proctor at guard and watch with joy while the 6-foot-7, 366-pounder mauls the AFC West. 23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): Akheem Mesidor, edge rusher, Miami Here’s a no-nonsense pick from Howie Roseman. The Eagles get a productive, high-motor player at a premium position — and late in the first round. 24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars, 13-4): Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech It’s a meat-and-potatoes draft for the Browns, who get more impressive in the trenches. 25. Chicago Bears (11-6): Cashius Howell, edge rusher, Texas A&M Who’s the best defensive player still available? Howell? Howell it is, then. He’s an explosive, albeit undersized (6-foot-2, 248), pass-rusher whose production alleviates any worries. 26. Buffalo Bills (12-5): Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon You’d think Bills GM Brandon Beane would want to give new head coach Joe Brady a weapon on offense, but Beane is disciplined and won’t reach. Thieneman should be the playmaker the Bills have needed since the departures and declines of safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. 27. San Francisco 49ers (12-5): Blake Miller, OT, Clemson With Trent Williams fighting with the 49ers in another contract dispute, San Francisco might need help at left tackle. 28. Houston Texans (12-5): Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Banks showed what he can be in 2024. It was just that a foot injury in 2025 got in the way of the prospect peaking at the right time. But perhaps that’s to Houston’s benefit, as the Texans could land a blue-chip interior pass-rusher. 29. Los Angeles Rams (12-5): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama From a timing standpoint, this is a great year for the Rams to take a quarterback. They have two first-round picks, and they have another year with quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was the NFL MVP at age 37. Simpson seems like just the project for offensive guru Sean McVay. 30. Denver Broncos (14-3): Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon Sadiq may be just 6-foot-3, but he can be a special pass-catcher, particularly after the catch. You’d have to really squint to see five-time Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham, but Sadiq could be a nice match for quarterback Bo Nix and this offense. 31. New England Patriots (14-3): Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State The Patriots are going to need help at tackle when Morgan Moses retires. Iheanachor will need time to develop, but he could someday be an elite tackle — whether he lands at right or left tackle will depend upon how Will Campbell plays in 2026. 32. Seattle Seahawks (14-3): Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson The Seahawks appear to be on the verge of losing their cornerbacks in free agency, so GM John Schneider works to get younger at the position.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Everyone in the NFL is in agreement that Fernando Mendoza will be the top pick in the draft. But who is the best player in the draft? On that topic, there’s no agreement at all. In fact, when we polled a small group of NFL executives and scouts at the NFL Scouting Combine this week and asked them to name the top overall prospect in the draft, four different players received votes. Mendoza and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs tied for first with three votes apiece. But Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love were right behind them with two votes each. Let’s take a closer look at what people around the NFL are saying about the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. *** Ralph Vacchiano: How do you determine who the best player in the draft is? Well, sometimes it comes down to positional value, which is why one NFC scout believes Mendoza might be getting votes. But that person doesn’t agree with that notion. “Everyone is going to have their own definition of ‘best’ this year,” the NFC scout told me. “It’s hard to go against a quarterback, but if we’re being honest, [Mendoza] probably isn’t the best player or prospect. He’ll have the biggest impact, sure, because of his position. But other players are better.” [2026 NFL Draft: Would Fernando Mendoza Have Been the Top QB in 2025 Draft Class?] An NFL general manager, meanwhile, told me that if you took away positional value, the question of who is the best player available is up for debate between several players. “There are five names you could put in a hat and any one of them is the right answer,” the general manager told me. “I know we all say ‘best player available,’ but in this case, the best player available might really depend on what you need.” Adding to the intrigue is that several of the most highly regarded players don’t play positions that are generally considered worthy of a top-five pick in the draft. Downs is hoping to become the first safety picked in the top-five since 2010, and Love could be just the eighth running back to go in the top-five since 2005. The top-five could even be crashed by a real rarity — an inside linebacker who doesn’t necessarily project as an NFL pass rusher: Ohio State’s Sonny Styles. “Arguably, some of the best players in this draft are maybe at non-premium positions,” said Chiefs general manager Brett Veach. “When you look at the Ohio State linebacker [Styles], the Notre Dame running back [Love], the safety from Ohio State [Downs], those are really, really good players.” Of course, even in a down year for quarterbacks in the draft, it’s hard to pick against the one at the top of the class. One scout who voted for Mendoza told me he likely wouldn’t have been the first quarterback taken in any of the last three drafts. “But he’s the best we’ve got this year. And these guys are so hard to find, that’s more than good enough,” the scout said. An assistant general manager echoed that thought. “If you need a quarterback, he’s the best player, no discussion,” the assistant general manager told me. “He’ll have the biggest impact and plays the position where the good ones are hardest to find. I wouldn’t compare him to any other position. Those guys are always in a class of their own.” *** Eric D. Williams: There was no real consensus on the No. 1 overall prospect in this year’s draft from the league sources I spoke with this week. One league executive singled out Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey and Jeremiyah Love as his top two, then went with the Notre Dame prospect as his top overall player. However, the personnel executive acknowledged the conundrum of taking a player at a non-premium position high in the draft when quality running backs can be had in the later rounds. “I wouldn’t take him No. 1 because the supply of running backs far outweighs the demand,” the front office executive told me. “But he has the most high-level traits for his position than anyone else in the draft.” Another NFL coach who works on the offensive side of the ball pointed to Love as a game-changer who could go early in this year’s draft. “He can play,” the coach told me. However, a league source said Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is his No. 1 overall player, which makes sense because it’s a foregone conclusion that the Las Vegas Raiders will make him the first overall pick in this year’s draft. While some scouts and personnel executives have questioned Mendoza’s arm strength and athleticism, this league source told me Mendoza’s ability to perform in high-leverage situations is elite. “People just like to say s— and be negative,” the league source told me. “He’s a great player and was as clutch as it gets. Beat Ohio State twice, destroyed Alabama, beat Miami and Oregon — look at how many guys those teams have drafted. He will be like a mix of [Jared] Goff and [Joe] Burrow, with some Andrew Luck.” For most teams, determination on positional value plays a role in how they rank the top overall players in this year’s draft and where they eventually wind up being selected. One of the best teams at doing that over the years has been the Baltimore Ravens. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta discussed his team’s reasoning for taking the best player available regardless of their needs. The most famous example of that was Baltimore selecting future two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson at No. 32 overall in the 2018 draft, even with a Super Bowl-winning quarterback on their roster in Joe Flacco. “Every team has their own philosophy,” DeCosta told reporters here at the combine. “So, you could interview every general manager here, and they would probably have a different belief and need versus BPA, or ‘best player available.’ I learned under Ozzie Newsome, and we’ve always been a best-player-available team. That’s important to me. That’s in my DNA. It is something I believe in. “You have to do it within reason. You’re not going to be crazy and just draft the best available player and end up with 17 different outside linebackers. You’re not going to do that. So, you’ve got to have the roster size, you’ve got to understand positional value and how many players are at each position. But all things being equal, I think you draft the best available player.” Greg Auman contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals are headed for a breakup, but the speed and messiness of that is to be determined. Murray’s camp would prefer the Cardinals cut him, so the quarterback can enter free agency, per a league source. The QB’s camp is set to meet with the team this week in Indianapolis, but they don’t expect an answer on his future from Arizona. Murray’s camp feels that he’ll be the top QB on the market if he hits free agency. Certainly, the 28-year-old will be among the most sought-after quarterbacks in free agency alongside Malik Willis. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have grown “frustrated” with Murray, according to a team source. There are questions about his work ethic, which have dogged him in Arizona for years. His quiet personality has also raised concerns about his leadership. But in Arizona, the team is concerned that he will no longer be the same player he was before his ACL tear in 2022, especially after a sprained foot cost him 12 more games last season. His mobility is “shot,” the source said, and Murray doesn’t appear suited to transition into a pure pocket passer, either. If he’s unwilling or unable to run, he likely can’t be as effective as he once was. Despite what is clearly a fractured relationship, Arizona could save significant cap space if it finds a trade partner. He has two years left on his five-year, $230 million contract. “I’d say all options are on the table for us,” Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort told reporters at the NFL Combine. Despite the uncertainty, Ossenfort was optimistic about his relationship with Murray when speaking with the media. “Yeah, I’ve always had a good dialogue with Kyler,” Ossenfort said. “And I’d say [last season] wasn’t up to what Kyler wanted. It wasn’t up to what any of us wanted as a season as a whole. “And, so, when you have the kind of year that we had, there’s a lot of room for improvement, and so we got to find a way to do that, not only at that position, in all positions, but that’s what we’re all focused on, is getting better and moving forward.” In 2025, Murray began the season as the Cardinals’ starting quarterback, but he finished the season on injured reserve after suffering an ankle injury. Prior to the injury, he completed 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in five games. In Murray’s absence, backup Jacoby Brissett was prolific in the offense, with 3,366 passing yards for 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions. While Brissett is likely to stick around in Arizona, the team will no doubt explore its options for a new QB1, pending Murray’s departure. As for Murray’s next home, he has often been linked to the Jets, who need a quarterback. But New York has several assistant coaches who worked for the Cardinals while Murray was there, including offensive line coach Steve Heiden. If the Cardinals have concerns about Murray’s work ethic or health, the Jets will have the same inside information. That’s why one source familiar with the Jets’ possible interest in Murray called it “a really bad fit.” It’s possible the Miami Dolphins, the Pittsburgh Steelers or even the Kansas City Chiefs (with Patrick Mahomes potentially missing time due to the ACL injury) could bring Murray aboard. It’s abundantly clear he won’t playing his home games in Arizona next season.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Jimmie Johnson has done it all: NASCAR, INDYCAR and off-road racing, among other forms of motorsports. What’s next for the NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time Cup Series champ? Driving a Trophy Truck in the Mint 400 on March 8. “I’ve always wanted to go back. I thought maybe short-course racing would be that kind of reentry point,” Johnson, who drove in the 2026 Daytona 500, said about why he’s set to drive a Trophy Truck next month on the latest edition of “SPEED With Harvick And Burton.” “I grew up racing with the Herbst family, and they have second-, third-generation racers now in that series, and, obviously, Riley Herbst is in the Cup Series. But Troy Herbst has offered so many times: ‘Come play. Come back. You won’t believe what the trucks do.’ “The last Trophy Truck race I was in was in 1995, and so, I’ve had some curiosities around it, and I went and tested it in October, and it just blew my mind. I’m like, ‘I got to do this.’” [MOTORSPORTS: ‘SPEED With Harvick And Buxton’ Reignites Iconic Brand] On that note, Johnson will also race for TRICON Garage in the June 19 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series street race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, near his El Cajon hometown. Johnson raced full-time on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit at Hendrick Motorsports from 2002-2020 and 20 years total (2001-20). He has also driven in a combined 15 Cup Series races since 2023 for his own team, Legacy Motor Club, highlighted by finishing third in the 2025 Daytona 500. Johnson won seven Cup Series titles (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2016), which puts him in a three-way tie with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most in NASCAR history; he won 83 races total, which is tied with Cale Yarborough for sixth in Cup Series history. [BEST OF THE BEST: Kevin Harvick and Will Buxton on the best drivers ever] “I’ve always wanted to find the right balance of bucket list races or unique experiences to do,” Johnson said. “I was hyper-focused in my Cup career and just drove Cup cars and always envied guys that moved around a bit. And then thinking of the time I spent on the couch with my dad and my grandfather, and my grandfather’s opinion of Mario Andretti, because he went anywhere and raced anything. And [A.J.] Foyt. There were these examples that kind of stuck in the back of my mind. I’m certainly not doing that, but I want to experience stuff. “I’m at that stage of life where I really want to challenge myself, and I have a great partner in Carvana, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, no finish lines. What’s the tagline?’ And now, it’s kind of chasing bucket-list items.” Johnson raced two seasons in INDYCAR, running a combined 29 races with Chip Ganassi Racing from 2021-22. But wait, there’s more. Johnson will be the crew chief for INDYCAR legend Dario Franchitti, as the latter races in the Truck Series this Saturday at the OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 at St. Petersburg. What keeps the 50-year-old Johnson wanting more? “I’m just one of those idiots who likes to keep going,” Johnson said. “It’s been an interesting journey as a full-time driver and stepping away from the famed [No.] 48 [car]. Now I have time to reflect on it, but in-between there, I was at Ganassi for a couple of years in the INDYCAR Series and again found myself walking away from an incredible opportunity, and I really thought there was something wrong with me. “But now I’ve found this different balance of life and probably working more hours and doing more than I did before. But it’s something new and a new challenge and a new chapter, and I’m truly enjoying it — and a lot of racing.” This Sunday is a double-dip of high-stakes racing on FOX, as the 2026 INDYCAR season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at noon ET, followed by the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne at 3:30 p.m. ET, the third race on the 2026 NASCAR schedule. Follow “SPEED” on YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and TikTok.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — New Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken raved about the “elite” skills he’s seen from Shedeur Sanders. Only he hasn’t seen enough to hand him the starting quarterback job. In fact, Monken declared it an “open competition” for that job, presumably between Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson — and possibly even others. It’s the kind of messy, almost untenable situation the Browns have dealt with at quarterback since trading away Baker Mayfield three years ago. And it’s a mess that will likely linger over the franchise all summer long, and maybe longer. “I don’t know why it wouldn’t be an open competition,” Monken said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. “And I don’t mean that harshly, but I don’t think there’s enough on film over the last couple of years one way or the other to say, ‘Boy, we have a starter at quarterback’ yet.” That’s probably true. Despite the unabating hype of his many supporters, the 24-year-old Sanders had an unremarkable rookie season. The fifth-round pick did close out the year as the starter and produced some highlight-reel plays. But like most rookies, he was bogged down by inconsistency. He completed just 56.6% of his passes while throwing for seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Gabriel, the Browns’ 25-year-old third-round pick, wasn’t much better, but he was a bit steadier in his six starts (and 10 appearances). He completed 59.9% of his passes for seven touchdowns and just two interceptions. The Browns, however, went 1-5 when Dillon started and 3-4 with Sanders. And Sanders was clearly the more electric of the two. Even Monken intimated he has a high ceiling. “I think what you see is elite playmaking ability,” Monken said. “That’s in him. You’ve seen it. We’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go. What first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go? So I’m excited to get started with him.” But Sanders isn’t the only quarterback that seemed to excite Monken. Making the situation even more complicated in Cleveland is the possible return of the now-30-year-old Watson, who is finally entering the final year of the fully guaranteed, $230 million contract that has weighed down the franchise since they traded for him in 2022. He hasn’t appeared in a game since October 2024, when he suffered the first of two tears to his right Achilles tendon, so he’s probably a long shot to beat out Sanders or Gabriel. But if he’s healthy, Monken said it would be “completely unfair” to rule him out. “I think any time that you have a player that, at one time, has exhibited the skill set at an elite level, I think you’re always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of him again,” Monken said. “And I think that’s how you should look at every player. I’m going to let it play out. “Now you’re going to have some preconceived notions, obviously, because we have prior evidence. But I don’t decide who plays. The players decide who plays.” And it’s possible that Sanders, Gabriel and Watson won’t be the only quarterbacks in that process either. Both Monken and general manager Andrew Berry hinted over the past two days that the Browns could even add another quarterback to the mix, either via free agency or the draft. The Browns presumably will pass on taking a QB with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 draft, but they have another first-round selection (No. 24) and a high second-rounder (No. 39). Adding a quarterback that high seems crazy on one hand. At the same time, it sounds like a very Browns thing to do. Just last year, they selected Gabriel and Sanders with consecutive selections. For now, though, there are only three QBs in the competition, and Monken doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to name a starter. While he’d ideally prefer to know his No. 1 by the start of training camp, he seemed willing to let the indecision that has haunted the franchise for several years go on longer than that. “You would hope that’s the case, that by the time you get to training camp the reps that you’re giving to a quarterback is for your starter,” he said. “Whether we get to that place, I don’t know. That’ll be determined in the offseason as part of it. It’s just another part of the piece.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — If you were starting a team from scratch, you would almost certainly try to find a quarterback first and foremost. But after that, where do you go next? We posed that question to 42 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft in our NFL Combine Survey. When I asked them which non-quarterback would they build a team around, 41 of them replied and 25 different names were dished out, showing the depth of star talent in the NFL. While several names were mentioned, there was one player who clearly stood above the rest: Myles Garrett. The Cleveland Browns’ star edge rusher received 10 votes in our questionnaire, which was seven more than any other player. Of course, Garrett is coming off a historic season, recording 23 sacks to break the single-season record. As a result, Garrett won his second Defensive Player of the Year award, doing so in unanimous fashion. A year ago, the runaway winner was Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, coming off a 2,000-yard season, but this time Barkley drew just a single vote. Instead, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs received the most votes at the position, with his three votes also finishing second to Garrett. Gibbs rushed for 1,223 yards on five yards per carry this past season, adding 616 receiving yards as he scored 18 total touchdowns. Gibbs’ three votes were one more than two other dual-threat running backs in the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey and the Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson. Robinson and McCaffrey were first and second, respectively, in scrimmage yards in 2025, with the latter also winning Comeback Player of the Year. Two other edge rushers also got two votes in the Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons. Crosby recorded 10 sacks in 2025, marking the third time in four seasons he’s hit that mark. As for Parsons, he had 12.5 sacks in 14 games before tearing his ACL this past season. Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson was the only other player to receive multiple votes. The 2022 Offensive Player of the Year winner had a relatively quieter season in 2025, but he still finished with 1,048 receiving yards despite having subpar quarterback play. As for the one player who didn’t answer the question, he simply said he wasn’t sure who he’d pick. Here are the full results. 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)​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Team USA is bringing its best roster, the Dominican Republic is once again oozing with talent and Venezuela’s lineup can contend with anyone, but until proven otherwise, Japan still sits on the throne as the kings of international competition. Japan has dominated the World Baseball Classic unlike any other country, winning the tournament in three of its five editions, and the group again looks fully capable of defending its standing. In 2023, Japan stormed back in the late innings to triumph over Mexico in a semifinal walk-off win before holding off Team USA in the finals when WBC MVP Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout in an epic at-bat to take back the title. Ohtani won’t have the chance to do that again in 2026, as he’ll only be hitting this time around. That’s a tough blow to a Samurai Japan pitching staff that will be without four of the five pitchers who started games in the 2023 WBC, but they’ll still have Yoshinobu Yamamoto as their ace fresh off earning World Series MVP honors, plus two more MLB starters in Yusei Kikuchi and Tomoyuki Sagano and reigning Sawamura Award winner Hiromi Itoh. Any questions about the rotation are mitigated by the depth of a lineup that bullied the competition while going undefeated in 2023. Ohtani will once again spearhead a Japan offense that outscored its pool-play opponents by 30 runs in the last WBC and finished the tournament with the highest OPS of any team that made it out of the knockout round. Now, Seiya Suzuki will be joining the group coming off a 32-homer season with the Cubs after missing the 2023 competition due to injury. He’ll be among five MLB position players on the roster, a group that includes Ohtani, Masataka Yoshida and incoming NPB standouts Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. Manager Hirokazu Ibata will have plenty of lineup iterations to choose from — there’s so much established NPB talent in place that it might be hard to find regular at-bats for Teruaki Sato, who hit 40 home runs last year while being named Central League MVP — but here’s one option that could maximize Japan’s offensive capabilities as it attempts to defend its crown: Lineup So, how would that look defensively? Outfield: LF: Masataka YoshidaCF: Seiya Suzuki RF: Kensuke Kondo The safer move would be putting Shota Morishito in center flanked by Yoshida in left and Suzuki in right, but there have already been rumblings leading into the competition of Japan potentially using Suzuki in center. While that carries some disaster potential defensively (especially with Yoshida in left), it would also be the most powerful offensive configuration and allow Team Japan to keep the bats of both Yoshida and Kondo in the lineup. Yoshida hit .409 with a team-high 13 RBI in the 2023 tournament, while Kondo hit .346 with a 1.115 OPS. Kondo has had an OPS over .900 in each of his last three seasons in NPB. Infield: 1B: Munetaka Murakami 2B: Shugo Maki SS: Kaito Kozono 3B: Kazuma Okamoto C: Seishiro Sakamoto DH: Shohei Ohtani MLB fans have more of a reason to watch Japan with a closer eye now that Murakami will be joining the White Sox and Okamoto will be playing for the Blue Jays in 2026. Murakami famously hit 56 home runs as a 22-year-old in 2022 and averaged more than 30 home runs per season over his eight-year NPB career. Okamoto also brings power — he hit at least 30 home runs every season from 2018-23 with the Yomiuri Giants — with less of a strikeout risk, coming off a 2025 NPB campaign in which he slashed .327/.416/.598 with as many walks as strikeouts. Kozono won the Central League batting title last season, hitting .309 in a career year with the Hiroshima Carp. Maki played on the 2023 tournament team and has recorded an OPS of at least .800 in each of his five NPB seasons. At catcher, expect Yamamoto’s former Orix Buffaloes teammate Kenya Wakatsuki to be behind the plate when he starts. Otherwise, Sakamoto might get the majority of the time coming off his best offensive season in years. That’s all before getting to Ohtani, who needs little explanation coming off back-to-back 50-homer seasons with the Dodgers and a dominant showing in the last WBC. Rotation RHP Yoshinobu YamamotoLHP Yusei KikuchiRHP Hiromi Itoh RHP Tomoyuki Sugano Yamamoto struck out 12 batters in 7.1 innings in the 2023 tournament and demonstrated his ability to rise to the biggest occasions during the 2025 MLB playoffs. He threw complete games in Game 2 of the NLCS and Game 2 of the World Series, and after earning the win in Game 6 of the Fall Classic to keep the Dodgers’ season alive, he emerged in relief one day later to seal a championship in relief. Unfortunately for Japan, he can’t start every game of the WBC. Instead, he’ll be the ace of a pitching staff that isn’t quite as daunting as the 2023 group. Kikuchi was an All-Star for the Angels in 2025 and had an ERA a tick under 4.00 but surrendered more hits than any pitcher in the American League. Sugano registered a 4.64 ERA for the Orioles and surrendered an American League-leading 33 home runs. There’s still plenty of talented arms behind that trio, however, including reigning Sawamura Award winner Hiromi Itoh, who made three scoreless relief outings in the 2023 tournament. Also worth keeping an eye on: New Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai, who’s coming off a career year in NPB, is not on the initial roster but is part of the designated pitcher pool and could be added in later rounds if (when) Japan advances. Bullpen RHP Shoma Fujihira RHP Koki KitayamaLHP Yuki Matsui RHP Yuki Matsumoto LHP Hiroya MiyagiRHP Taisei OtaLHP Ryuhei SotaniLHP Chihiro SumidaRHP Hiroto TakahashiRHP Atsuki Taneichi Many of Japan’s relief arms are actually standout starters in NPB and can provide length if needed. Kitayama ranked third in ERA (1.63) and Taneichi ranked fifth in strikeouts (161 in 160.2 innings) among qualified NPB pitchers last year. Takahashi, Sumida and Miyagi, a holdover from the 2023 championship team who ranked third in NPB in strikeout rate last year, all threw at least 150-plus innings with a sub-3.00 ERA last season. Ota made four scoreless relief outings for Japan in the last WBC. Matsui is the lone MLB pitcher of the group, but his status is in question as he deals with a groin injury.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Nearly five decades into a Hall of Fame career, there aren’t many nights that qualify as unfamiliar territory for Rick Pitino. His résumé includes seven Final Fours and two national titles. Now at St. John’s, he’s far more accustomed to making history than enduring it. But a 72-40 loss to UConn on Wednesday night was the wrong kind of milestone for Pitino. The team’s 32-point defeat was the second-largest loss Pitino has suffered as the head coach of an AP-ranked team and the most lopsided setback of his three seasons at St. John’s. With the loss, the Red Storm slipped to the third No. 5 seed in FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy’s latest NCAA Tournament projections. [COLLEGE HOOPS: Takeaways From UConn’s Win Over St. John’s] The Red Storm weren’t alone. Wisconsin fell from the 7-line to the 8-line after a road loss to Oregon, while Utah State also dropped to the 8-line following a loss to San Diego State. 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. Arkansas18. Vanderbilt19. St. John’s20. North Carolina No. 6 seeds 21. Tennessee22. Louisville23. BYU24. Villanova No. 7 seeds 25. UCF26. Kentucky27. Saint Mary’s28. Saint Louis No. 8 seeds 29. Utah State30. Wisconsin31. Miami Hurricanes32. Miami RedHawks No. 9 seeds 33. NC State34. Iowa35. Georgia36. SMU No. 10 seeds 37. UCLA38. Missouri39. Clemson40. Texas A&M No. 11 seeds 41. Texas42. California43. Indiana v. 44. TCU45. Santa Clara 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. Navy No. 15 seeds 59. Portland State60. East Tennessee State61. Wright State62. 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, San Diego State, Virginia Tech and USC are the first four teams out of the tournament, while Ohio State, New Mexico, Seton Hall and Oklahoma 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

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