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More than 2,500 players flooded the men’s college basketball transfer portal this offseason, triggering a seismic shakeup across the sport. But amid all the movement, programs like Florida, Duke and Illinois worked to retain key pieces. Now, with the portal closed and the NBA early-entry deadline in the rearview mirror, the picture for next season is finally coming into focus. Who’s poised to rise, and who took a step back? Let’s get into it. Here’s my updated way-too-early men’s college basketball rankings for next season: Previous Ranking: 21 Gone are Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kauffman-Renn, who contributed more than 52% of the team’s scoring this past season. C.J. Cox and Omer Mayer will be looked at to take a big step forward, while Princeton transfer Caden Pierce — the 2023-24 Ivy League Player of the Year — is expected to take over one of the starting spots in the frontcourt. Previous Ranking: NR Despite losing the program’s all-time leading scorer, Bruce Thornton, to graduation, Jake Diebler should still field one of the most talented teams in the Big Ten next season. He’s bringing in a strong transfer class, highlighted by former Cal guard Justin Pippen, who is expected to join returner John Mobley Jr. in the starting backcourt. Diebler also landed five-star freshman Anthony Thompson, the highest-rated recruit to arrive in Columbus since Jared Sullinger in 2010. Losing forward Devin Royal will hurt, but rising sophomore Amare Bynum looks ready to take the next step. Previous Ranking: 17 Fresh off the most successful year in program history, Fred Hoiberg will look to build on the success his team had this past season. Pryce Sandfort, who earned All-Big Ten honors this past season, should be one of the top players in the conference next year. Hoiberg is set to bring in multiple new faces via the transfer portal. That group includes Boden Kapke (Boston College), Trevan Leonhardt (Utah Valley) and Sam Orme (Belmont), all of whom could end up in the starting five. Previous Ranking: 20 After entering the transfer portal, point guard Robert Wright III announced that he will be back at BYU for his junior season in 2026-27. He will be joined by five-star freshman standout Bruce Branch III, who is widely regarded as one of the top 2026 prospects in the nation. The Cougars will also get a boost with the addition of transfer guard Collin Chandler, who is set to return home after spending his first two seasons playing at Kentucky. Previous Ranking: NR After leading the Hurricanes to a 26-9 mark and a Round of 32 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in his first season, Jai Lucas will have an even better roster in Year 2. Lucas landed the No. 7-ranked portal class in the nation, highlighted by a pair of standout additions in Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis and former Georgia big man Somto Cyril. They will join forward Shelton Henderson, who was one of the top freshmen in the ACC last season. Previous Ranking: 18 Whether standout guard Tyler Tanner remains in the NBA Draft or not will determine how high the ceiling is for this Vanderbilt team next season. If Tanner does return to Nashville, he should be a preseason All-American and an early front-runner for SEC Player of the Year. He would be joined by an impressive five-man transfer class that includes T.O. Barrett (Missouri), Berke Buyuktuncel (Nebraska), Bangot Dak (Colorado), Ace Glass (Washington State) and Sebastian Williams-Adams (Auburn). Previous Ranking: NR Indiana head coach Darian DeVries completely retooled his roster this offseason, bringing in a six-man transfer portal class that currently ranks third in the nation, according to 247Sports.com. The class is highlighted by a dominant frontcourt duo of Aiden Sherrell (Indiana) and Samet Yigitoglu (SMU). They will be joined by former Notre Dame standout Markus Burton, who should be one of the top newcomers in the Big Ten next season if he can remain healthy. Previous Ranking: 16 Houston coach Kelvin Sampson will have to replace four starters from a team that finished 30-7 last season. That means a bigger role for forward Joseph Tugler, who averaged 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in his junior year. The Cougars do bring in the top-ranked center prospect in the nation in 7-foot-1 big man Arafan Diane. Previous Ranking: 12 Rick Barnes’ team enjoyed a memorable run to the Elite Eight last season, but the Volunteers will be tasked with replacing standout guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and freshman Nate Ament, who is projected to be a first-round pick. Barnes brought in a loaded transfer portal class, highlighted by Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) and Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame). Previous Ranking: 6 Alabama coach Nate Oats got a contract extension earlier this month. That is perhaps the only certain thing pertaining to this roster next season. Standout guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested on felony drug charges on March 16, announced he plans to enroll at the university, with hopes to rejoin the team. Freshman forward Amari Allen is testing the NBA Draft waters, but will he stay in the draft or return to Tuscaloosa? Jaxon Richardson and Qayden Samuels are both elite recruits who will join them next season. Previous Ranking: 11 St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino made it clear that it would be near impossible to replace a player like Zuby Ejiofor, who defined everything this program is about. However, Pitino always seems to find success in the portal, and that should be no different this offseason. He has already landed an elite-level scorer in Donnie Freeman (Syracuse) and will pair European point guard Quinn Ellis with returning guard Ian Jackson. Look for Pitino to add at least one or two more players via the portal. Previous Ranking: 13 The Cavaliers are set to return their leading scorer and rebounder next season. Thijs De Ridder, a 6-foot-9 forward from Belgium, enjoyed a breakout freshman campaign and should be one of the top interior players in the sport next year. Look for Chance Mallory to take over the starting point guard role for Ryan Odom’s team. Previous Ranking: 9 After guiding Iowa State to its third Sweet 16 appearance in five years, head coach T.J. Otzelberger agreed to a new contract that will keep him leading the Cyclones through 2036. He will have to replace Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, which will not be easy, but bringing back Killyan Toure and welcoming in a five-man portal class is a great place to start. Previous Ranking: NR The Trojans might be the most interesting team in college basketball this offseason. Guard Rodney Rice is returning from injury, while standout freshman Alijah Arenas is back for his sophomore season and should benefit from a full summer in the weight room. Forward Jacob Cofie returns in the frontcourt, and the additions of Georgetown transfer KJ Lewis and UConn transfer Eric Reibe have me excited to see how Eric Musselman pieces this roster together. Previous Ranking: 23 Texas head coach Sean Miller needs center Matas Vokietatis to make the jump from good to great next season, but he won’t be alone. TCU transfer David Punch should provide valuable support up front, while Colorado transfer Isaiah Johnson is one of the best unknown players in the nation. Previous Ranking: 8 Gonzaga head coach Mark Few is returning three of his top-five scorers from a year ago, led by Braden Huff. Houston transfer Isiah Harwell is looking for a breakout sophomore campaign and the Zags always have a few diaper dandies waiting in the wings. Previous Ranking: 10 Arkansas is losing standout guard Darius Acuff, but if Meleek Thomas decides to return to college, he will join forward Billy Richmond III to make up a solid core from last year’s Sweet 16 team. Five-star freshman Jordan Smith Jr looks like the real deal. I think the Hogs are loaded. Previous Ranking: 4 Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has the best point guard in the nation in Jeremy Fears Jr. But if this team wants to reach its full potential, Izzo will need forwards Coen Carr and Cam Ward, along with shooting guard Kur Teng, to take another step forward. Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke could provide valuable help down low as well. Previous Ranking: 5 Arizona is losing a lot of talent, but head coach Tommy Lloyd has managed to retain two starters in Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, which means this group will have a very high floor. North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon will be given some freedom to create, while five-star freshman Caleb Holt could be special. Previous Ranking: 7 Freshman standout Braylon Mullins turned down the NBA for another chance at a national title with UConn. He will be joined by point guard Silas Demary and forward Jayden Ross as key veterans. Add in Duke transfer Nikolas Khamenia and Dan Hurley has real weapons at every position. Previous Ranking: NR The Cardinals went out and spent a lot of money to put together a team that I think is title worthy. Let’s start with the best defensive center in the country: Flory Bidunga. He’s flanked by Iowa transfer Alvaro Folguieras, fresh off his clutch NCAA Tournament performances. In the backcourt, Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad runs the point and Arkansas wing transfer Karter Knox rounds out a roster that has a little bit of everything. Previous Ranking: 2 The Blue Devils are set to return three starters next year, but I just feel like this group relied on Cameron Boozer so much that it’s hard for me to put them higher. Snagging Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell will help replace the scoring of Isaiah Evans, and head coach Jon Scheyer is bringing in a new crop of five-star freshman. It’s another “Final Four or Bust” year in Durham. Previous Ranking: 3 With a returning backcourt of Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, Dusty May has the foundation for another strong team. Tennessee transfer JP Estrella and Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam were brought in to replace Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara in the frontcourt. It’s hard to see them matching last year’s defensive dominance, but it will be interesting to see how it all comes together. Previous Ranking: 1 I had Illinois as the No. 1-ranked team in my way-too-early top 25 last month, but I think head coach Brad Underwood should still feel good about this group at No. 2 after returning six of his top nine scorers, led by Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic. The addition of Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks should help fill the void left by Keaton Wagler’s departure. Previous Ranking: 22 The Gators jumped up to No. 1 after forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon announced they would return to Gainesville next season. Center Rueben Chinyelu is testing the NBA waters, but is expected to return as well. Adding Kentucky transfer Denzel Aberdeen to their backcourt makes them the top team in the land on paper.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

So, uh, is Aaron Rodgers going to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers? Still, Pittsburgh doesn’t have a firm answer on whether its 2025 starting quarterback will run it back with the Steelers next season. With that in mind, Steelers owner Art Rooney provided an update on Rodgers. “We’ve been in contact with Aaron on a regular basis. He’s been keeping us up to date on his plans. Even though I thought it probably would have been concluded by now, I think we will come to a conclusion here in the next few weeks,” Rooney said about Rodgers in an interview with NFL Network on Wednesday night. The Steelers placed the unrestricted free-agent tender on the 42-year-old Rodgers earlier this week. Now, in the event that Rodgers signs with another NFL team, Pittsburgh would receive a compensatory draft pick. “The main thing that the tender gives us is the potential for a comp pick if Aaron would choose to go to another team. We don’t expect that, but by the same token, you never know,” Rooney said about the Steelers placing the unrestricted free-agent tender on Rodgers. “It’s just something that we had an opportunity to protect, if needed. The deadline was Monday, so if we were going to do it, we had to pull the trigger on Monday. “We alerted Aaron and his representative that we were going to do it. Not a real big deal, but it’s just something that, in the unlikely event that he goes somewhere else, we are eligible for a comp pick in that situation.” Last season, Rodgers and the Steelers won the AFC North at 10-7 before losing to the Houston Texans in the AFC wild-card round. Across 16 regular-season starts, Rodgers totaled 3,322 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 94.8 passer rating, while completing 65.7% of his passes. As for Pittsburgh’s quarterback room, it has veteran Mason Rudolph, second-year signal-caller Will Howard and Drew Allar, whom the Steelers selected with the No. 76 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If Rodgers ultimately returns to the Steelers, he would be reunited with his former head coach, Mike McCarthy, who coached the four-time NFL MVP from 2006-2018 on the Green Bay Packers and was hired by the Steelers to replace the outgoing Mike Tomlin in January.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, has the Mr. Nice Guy reputation, but according to the former Indiana Hoosiers star, that narrative isn’t absolute. “Although I’ve come off as very humble, and pretty fuzzy and warm, at the end of my Indiana career, when you have that equity, you’re able to be like No. 4 [Brett Favre] and No. 12 [Aaron Rodgers]. If you ask my teammates … I wasn’t always a nice guy, I was an a-hole sometimes because I wanted everyone to do their one-eleventh, everyone to do their job, hold everyone to a high standard,” Mendoza said in an interview with the Raiders’ team website. “However, coming into a new organization, starting from the bottom of the totem pole, I believe that leadership is earned, not given.” After spending the first three seasons of his collegiate career with the California Golden Bears (2022-24), Mendoza transferred to Indiana for the 2025 college football season, and the rest is history. In a season that saw Indiana win its first National Championship in program history — and go 16-0 in the process — Mendoza totaled 3,535 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 182.9 passer rating, while completing 72.0% of his passes. He led the Big Ten in passing touchdowns and passer rating, helping Mendoza win the 2025 Heisman Trophy and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors; he also rushed for 276 yards and seven touchdowns. For what it’s worth, Mendoza has dropped multiple F-bombs since the National Championship, doing so in a postgame interview after the title triumph and in front of a group of Raiders fans after being drafted. As for Mendoza’s new teammates, he has running back Ashton Jeanty (the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft) by his side in the backfield, with star tight end Brock Bowers — who was an All-Pro in his 2024 rookie campaign — and wide receivers Tre Tucker (he totaled a team-high 696 receiving yards in 2025) and Jack Bech (2025 second-rounder) to target in the passing game. Plus, while the Raiders mostly doled out their money on defense in free agency (e.g., Kwity Paye, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Eric Stokes and Malcolm Koonce), they did sign center and three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum (three-year, $81 million deal) and wide receiver Jalen Nailor (three-year, $35 million deal), among other players. Meanwhile, Mendoza will have to beat out veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed a two-year, $12.6 million deal with the Raiders, for the starting job.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Before this season, it had been nearly five years since Shohei Ohtani last pitched but did not hit in a game. It has now happened twice in Ohtani’s last three starts on the mound, including in Tuesday night’s 2-1 loss to the Marlins, as the Dodgers attempt to keep their two-way sensation as healthy as possible while handling a full pitching workload for the first time since 2023. How does the four-time MVP feel about occasionally serving only as a pitcher on his start days? “I’m always going to respect the decision, regardless whether I’m pitching or doing both,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “I also understand the importance of getting to the end of the season with everybody healthy. So, talking with the training staff, talking with the team, I think it’s really important that the team makes the decision.” The Dodgers are trying to provide Ohtani rest wherever they can, especially early in the season. They’re utilizing a six-man rotation and have often pitched Ohtani on the day before an off day. Giving him the day off from hitting when he’s on the mound — “almost like a half day,” as manager Dave Roberts described it — is another strategy. Going forward, there is no set plan for how often the Dodgers will do that. Roberts described the choice as “read and react.” “Obviously having him do both duties, in theory, practice, it’s great,” Roberts said. “But how sustainable is it without kind of taking a little bit off his plate a little bit? That’s the question, and it’s not an exact science.” Through five starts, Ohtani leads all qualified MLB pitchers with a 0.60 ERA in a year in which many around him believe he wants to contend for a Cy Young Award. That quest will be difficult considering how closely the Dodgers will monitor and protect their superstar player while they seek a third straight World Series title, but Ohtani has gone six innings and allowed no more than one earned run in each start so far. In two of his five starts, Ohtani has gotten the night off from hitting. The first time, there was a health component to the Dodgers’ decision. Ohtani’s April 15 start against the Mets came two days after he took a fastball from David Peterson off the back of his throwing shoulder. Afterward, Ohtani was dealing with some soreness, so the Dodgers wanted him to channel all of his energy into pitching in his next outing. “I think that he understands that I’m making a decision that’s best for the player, for him, and for the team,” Roberts said. It was the first time since 2021 with the Angels — the “Ohtani Rule,” allowing two-way players to stay in the game as a DH after pitching, wasn’t created until 2022 — that Ohtani was not in the lineup on a day that he started on the mound. When Roberts informed Ohtani of the decision, Ohtani’s eyes widened, but he didn’t push back. Roberts explained to him the reasoning. “I was a little bit surprised,” Ohtani said, “but it made sense hearing what he had to say.” That night, Ohtani struck out 10 batters and allowed one run on two hits and two walks in six innings. Dalton Rushing filled in at designated hitter and launched a grand slam in an 8-2 win. “We have a really good DH hit today,” Ohtani said. “So, I’m very open to that.” Roberts was clear then that Ohtani would’ve been doing each of his normal duties had it not been for the hit by pitch. Ohtani resumed his typical two-way role the following week, throwing six shutout innings in San Francisco while going hitless at the plate. Understandably, Ohtani’s offensive production has wavered on days that he pitches. In the three games in which he has both hit and pitched this season, Ohtani is batting .100 with no extra-base hits. In his 25 other games entering Wednesday, he is hitting .295 with six homers and six doubles. Overall, Ohtani has an .898 OPS, a total that puts him in the top 25 of qualified hitters but well below his usual elite production after tallying an OPS over 1.000 in each of the last three seasons. He has started to heat up, though, recording seven hits — including three extra-base hits — in his three games before getting another offensive breather on Tuesday. “It is easier to maintain something good when things are going well,” Ohtani said. “But when things are not going well it’s not easy, in the sense that I have to make sure that I’m healthy and not overdoing it in terms of repetition. So while I’m working on certain things, it’s also a balancing act of making sure I’m not overdoing it physically and making sure that I’m healthy.” Rest, not performance, is still the primary reason for the Dodgers’ cautiousness on days that he’s pitching. After keeping Ohtani out of the DH role on his start day for the first time two weeks ago, Roberts left room open for the Dodgers to implement the strategy again. “It’s something I’m going to keep an eye on if it makes sense,” Roberts said. “It’s got to make sense to not have your best hitter in the lineup.” This week, Roberts and the Dodgers decided it made sense again. Ohtani wasn’t aching on Tuesday against the Marlins, but the Dodgers were playing a game for the 12th consecutive day and Ohtani was pitching on five days of rest for the first time this season. In addition, the next day was a day game in which Ohtani would be assuming his usual DH role. Roberts didn’t feel the need to go through the whole reasoning process for the decision with Ohtani again, believing that his star player understood the decision. “I’d like to think he would tell me if he didn’t agree with it, and then there’s a deeper conversation,” Roberts said. “But I think that he’s just very respectful of a decision that the manager of an organization makes.” Tuesday’s start was more of a grind than Ohtani’s previous four, but he still allowed just two runs (one earned) and struck out nine in six innings. He threw 104 pitches, his most as a Dodger. “I think his goal is to make every start,” Roberts said. “And so, with that, there has to be some compromise and some openness to kind of read and react. And so far, I think we’re doing a nice job, and he’s open to that.” Edwin Díaz ‘100% confident’ he can return to form in second half Just seven appearances into his three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers, Edwin Díaz had an ERA over 10.00. His velocity was fluctuating, and his arm felt “tired and tight.” The star closer was sent for imaging, which led to surgery last week to remove five loose bodies from his elbow. Díaz expects to return sometime in the second half and said he’s “100% confident” he can return to his usual form when he does, especially considering how good his arm was feeling just days after his procedure. “I can move my arm really good,” Díaz said Monday. “My range of motion is completely back to normal, so that’s something I like. Just get stronger and be ready for the second half.” Díaz’s average fastball velocity this year of 95.7 mph was down from 97.2 mph last year. Still, he looked mostly like himself through his first five appearances with the Dodgers, striking out eight batters and allowing just one run to that point. But he didn’t look right while surrendering three runs to the Rangers on April 10, and he missed the next eight days while reporting fatigue in his surgically-repaired right leg. He was feeling better leading into his appearance on April 19 in Colorado, when he failed to record an out against the four batters he faced. Díaz said his arm felt fine until that outing against the Rockies. He has known about the loose bodies in his elbow since 2012, but they hadn’t caused him any pain until recently. “I think my range of motion was a little bit shorter than normal,” Díaz said. “Now, after surgery, I’m getting close to what I was, what I am when I was good. So, I think that maybe that’s why the velo was a little bit inconsistent.” Díaz was brought in to help remedy a Dodgers bullpen that imploded last season. They’ll now need to rely on many of the same characters. Tanner Scott is expected to receive the majority of save opportunities with Díaz down and has performed much better in year two of his four-year, $72 million deal. Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia could also figure into the ninth-inning mix. “That sucks, you know, to miss the first half with a team,” Díaz said. “But that’s something I can’t control. Everyone here is supporting me. All of my teammates, they’re supporting me, they’re happy that I’m doing way better than before. They just can’t wait to see me on the mound in the second half. They say take your time, we need you in October, but I want to come back as soon as possible and help this team to win games.” Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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

Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers placed the unrestricted free-agent tender on veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who led the team to an AFC North title at 10-7 last season … but he still hasn’t signed a contract, and we don’t definitively know who the team’s 2026 starting quarterback is. That leads us to second-year quarterback Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar. Who does Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger — the franchise leader with 64,088 passing yards and 418 passing touchdowns — prefer? “I’m not sure yet if I love it or hate it. I don’t watch a lot of Penn State games. When I did watch, he never jumped off the page to me,” Roethlisberger said about Allar, whom Pittsburgh selected with the No. 76 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, on his podcast, “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger.” “Is he big? Can he move? Can he throw? Yes. But there was never a time when I was like, ‘Whoa.’ … The jury’s still out for me right now. Again, there was nothing that just jumped off the page for me. Whether that’s good or bad, I don’t know. We’ll see about this one.” As for the other former Big Ten signal-caller? “Will Howard jumped off the tape to me way more than Drew [Allar] did,” Roethlisberger said. The Steelers selected Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Howard spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career with the Kansas State Wildcats (2020-23) before transferring to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2024, with whom he won the National Championship. In said championship season (2024), Howard totaled 4,010 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 175.3 passer rating, while completing 73.0% of his passes. Howard led the Big Ten in passing yards, passing touchdowns and completion percentage, while rushing for 226 yards and seven touchdowns. He didn’t appear in a game during his 2025 rookie season. As for Allar, the former five-star recruit’s 2025 campaign at Penn State was cut short after six games due to a broken ankle. Over his two healthy seasons as the Nittany Lions’ starting quarterback (2023-24), the 6-foot-5 Allar averaged 2,979 passing yards, 24.5 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a 145.2 passer rating per year, while completing 63.2% of his passes. In 2024, Allar helped Penn State reach the College Football Playoff semifinals and led the Big Ten with 25 passing touchdowns in 2023. In all, Pittsburgh’s quarterback room currently includes Allar, Howard and Mason Rudolph, who has made a combined 14 starts over his two stints with the Steelers (2018-23 and 2025-present).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Kyle Busch has a new crew chief. Jim Pohlman is out; Andy Street is in. No one should act surprised over the move. Yes, Pohlman joined the team after the 2025 season and lasted only 10 races. But Busch sits 27th in the Cup Series standings, and that won’t cut it for a two-time series champion. He’s also finished better than teammate Austin Dillon five times and finished worse than him five times, but Dillon sits 24th in the standings. Busch told me and other reporters Saturday that he could see some light in the tunnel, that they made an adjustment at Kansas that worked. But Pohlman was possibly just a little too fiery to be Busch’s crew chief. He aired some of his frustration on the secondary radio channel when talking to Busch’s spotter earlier this month at Bristol. “Just same [expletive] every week.” Pohlman said. FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick, a former Cup champion, said that type of attitude, where Pohlman questioned why Busch wasn’t running better after an adjustment, is not the way a crew chief should talk about his driver. “He can be mad at me,” Harvick said on the “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour” podcast. “But talking like the way they talked on Channel 2 after Bristol that week, that was unacceptable. That is the wrong guy.” Now Busch has Street, the RCR performance director who appeared to do a good job as the interim crew chief for the end of 2025 with Busch when Randall Burnett announced he would move to Trackhouse Racing in 2026. It was pretty clear there would be a change in the Burnett-Busch relationship after 2025 considering the struggles that have haunted Busch the last few years. Can Street help turn it around? Is it possible he could spark enough of a turnaround that Busch and RCR continue their relationship beyond 2026? Street won 11 O’Reilly races (10 with Austin Hill) and appeared as the best in-house candidate to be Busch’s crew chief at the end of last season. But RCR brought in Pohlman, who used to work at the organization, and Street could continue in the performance director role at RCR, which is a key position in trying to build the program. So this isn’t a change from a known to an unknown. It is a change from a known (or at least as much as you could know after 10 races) to a known (or at least as much as you could know after five races). It should bring stability. [POWER RANKINGS: New Cup Winner Carson Hocevar Joins List] This appears as one last gasp to see if the team can turn it around for Busch, who will likely decide in the next couple of months whether to start talking to other teams or commit to RCR. No one would expect him to want to stay if he’s running 27th. Hopefully Pohlman gets another chance with a driver more compatible to his style. His winning an O’Reilly title with driver Justin Allgaier wasn’t a fluke. He helped Allgaier win that championship in 2024. But that didn’t mean much when working with Busch. If you are the crew chief for a two-time Cup champion and you fall out of the top 25 in points, you’re going to get replaced. Especially when it seemed like an oil-and-water relationship. That’s what happened. It makes sense. Busch is not the 27th-best driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. If he’s going to be able to show that at RCR for future seasons, the time is now to find that out. It wasn’t going to be that way with Pohlman. So RCR made a change.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

We’re right in the middle of the NFL offseason, but there seems to be a clear team to beat emerging. Colin Cowherd agrees with that sentiment. In the latest edition of the Herd Hierarchy, Cowherd placed a team that’s been at No. 1 in several other power rankings in his top spot as well. However, Cowherd thinks that a Super Bowl contender had a sneaky good draft to move them into the No. 2 spot, and the Chicago Bears continued their ascent with a strong performance over the weekend. So, now that the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, let’s take a look at Cowherd’s updated top 10, with Super Bowl odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. Cowherd’s thoughts: “Mike McDaniel, I think, is a perfect fit for Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh. This team knew its issue. They had to get an edge rusher and they had to fix the O-line. Four of their eight pick were offensive linemen. I think I probably have them rate several spots below where they’ll finish.” Super Bowl odds: +1600 Cowherd’s thoughts: “I think [Eagles offensive coordinator] Sean Mannion is young, but he works. I think between Makai Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown, they’ll be OK once they move off A.J. Brown. It’s a very coordinator-dependent franchise. I think they upgraded in the draft, getting Jonathan Greenard from Minnesota, that will help their pass rush. I have so much respect for the organization and the GM [Howie Roseman].” Super Bowl odds: +1600 Cowherd’s thoughts: “I think the Houston Texans have the best defense I’ve seen in this league, in probably about seven to eight years. It’s unbelievable. Then they went and got David Montgomery to go with Woody Marks. So they have upgraded the running back room. They added three new starters on the offensive line. The old line has been their enigma and they’ve won multiple playoff games last year with the 27th-ranked O-line. They upgraded their running back room. Tank Dell comes back. They upgraded their O-line and I think have one of the top two or three defensive minds in the game.” Super Bowl odds: +1800 Cowherd’s thoughts: “Listen, folks, much like Philadelphia, much like the Rams, the good teams have selective drafts. They need like three or four spots, so they made splash moves getting the best running back in free agency, Kenneth Walker, the best cornerback in the draft [Mansoor Delane] and two guys in the defensive front [Peter Woods and R Mason Thomas] also. Rashee Rice is back from injury. Josh Simmons is back from injury. Patrick Mahomes, ahead of schedule, is back from injury. It’s a quarterback-and-coach league. Don’t sell your Chiefs stock, I’ll buy it.” Super Bowl odds: +1500 Cowherd’s thoughts: “I think Drew Petzing, former Cardinals OC, is a huge upgrade. I don’t think he’s Ben Johnson, but Arizona last year was like a top 10 third-down offense, and we’re like, how? I got a bad offensive line. They have a defensive coach when they were doing it because they have a really smart offensive coordinator. I love their GM [Brad Holmes]. They had to go get a left tackle. They were drafting for specific needs. I think their roster is excellent. It may not be Philadelphia, but it’s close. I think they’re a playoff team.” Super Bowl odds: +1800 Cowherd’s thoughts: “Denver upgraded with Davis Webb at offensive coordinator. A lot of people were interested. They trade for Jaylen Waddle to ensure Bo Nix’s continued growth. They were the No. 1 seed last year. Now the Raiders will be better in the division and so will the Chargers. I don’t know if they’ll be the number one seed, but they went and got Jonah Coleman. They went and got another running back with [RJ] Harvey. Obviously, Sean Payton knows quarterbacks and has a lot of leverage, like Ben Johnson, when it comes to building this team through the draft. They’ve got a stacked offense. Tremendous pass rush. Big home field advantage early in the season in the altitude.” Super Bowl odds: +1900 Cowherd’s thoughts: “I think their first two draft picks are home runs. Dillon Thieneman and Iowa center Logan Jones are going to last a long time in this league. Everybody can say they didn’t get a pass rush in, but did they upgrade their offense again and right now, this is an offensive franchise. Their young receiver group is going to grow and Sam Roush is arguably the best blocking tight end that allows them to run 13 personnel. The team lost to the Rams in a playoff game in which the Rams literally played perfect. No drop passes. One or two penalties. No turnovers. This team will vie for the NFC Championship.” Super Bowl odds: +2500 Cowherd’s thoughts: “I don’t think they’re going to be as good. Klint Kubiak … are they as good at coordinator? Tariq Woolen, I mean, he made some mistakes, but he was a large, fast corner. Coby Bryant, Kenneth Walker, I just don’t think they’ll quite have the juice they did last year. But I love the coach. I love Sam Darnold. John Schnieder drafts and develops. They did get a running back out of Notre Dame [Jadarian Price] that should solve, to some degree, their running back shortage going into the draft.” Super Bowl odds: +950 Cowherd’s thoughts: “I like Buffalo’s draft. Everybody now, low-hanging fruit, let’s beat up on Brandon Beane. … Skyler Bell, to me, could be one of those players that goes in the fourth round and I keep hearing how bad the draft is. Go watch Skyler Bell from UConn go to Buffalo and end up being a really nice, pleasant surprise. He won’t be their No. 1. He may be their No. 3 receiver, but now, when you put him with their slot, their tight ends, James Cook, Josh Allen, Dion Dawkins and Keon Coleman, [Bell] is going to continue to grow. I like him, and they went out and got Bradley Chubb. Their first pick was T.J. Parker, the rush end. I like their draft. I thought they did really well. My take is they’ll have a greater sensibility, a little more nuance and touch and satisfaction to their offense. Offensive guy now in the building. I like their draft. I thought they did a really good job with DJ Moore, who’s durable. A total pro. The Bears may miss DJ Moore more than people think.” Super Bowl odds: +1000 Cowherd’s thoughts: “The Rams knew they were taking Ty Simpson. They ended up getting a vertical tight end and an offensive tackle. Keep your eye on the receiver out of Miami [CJ Daniels] in the sixth round, the guy that made that great catch against Notre Dame. The Rams have a history of grabbing receivers in the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds that can play. The Puka Nacua situation bothers me, but young people make mistakes. They’ve got their arms wrapped around that.” Super Bowl odds: +800​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Iconic voices. Insightful commentators. And plenty of notable United States men’s national team alums. FOX Sports announced on Wednesday its FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast crew, composed of nine commentary teams, that will travel across North America calling all 104 matches on-location from every one of the tournament’s 16 host cities. Acclaimed play-by-play announcer John Strong pairs with former U.S. men’s national team standout and match analyst Stu Holden for their third consecutive men’s FIFA World Cup as the network’s lead broadcast booth. Famed broadcaster Ian Darke reunites with USA icon and match analyst Landon Donovan after first calling matches together four years ago with FOX Sports in Qatar. In 2010, Darke captured the hearts of American soccer fans when he called Donovan’s revered injury-time World Cup goal for the U.S. against Algeria. Additional U.S. Soccer notables serving as FOX Sports match analysts include Cobi Jones, Maurice Edu and Lori Lindsey. Jones and Edu (who also played for the U.S. men’s national team at the World Cup) pair with new play-by-play announcers Mark Scott and Tyler Terens, while Lindsey (who played at the 2011 Women’s World Cup) will be joined by veteran voice JP Dellacamera. Dynamic announcer Derek Rae pairs with former England goalkeeper Robert Green, while celebrated commentator Darren Fletcher returns alongside venerable England midfielder Owen Hargreaves. Former England national team defender Warren Barton also joins esteemed announcer Jacqui Oatley. The Oatley-Barton booth also reunites this summer after also calling games four years ago in Qatar. Play-by-play announcer Ian Crocker and renowned defender and match analyst Danny Higginbotham round out the announcer pairings in their FOX Sports debuts. Match assignments will be announced before the tournament begins. Joining those broadcast teams will be reporters Jenny Taft and Geoff Shreeves, in addition to a trio of new additions to the FOX Sports roster in Alex Aljoe, Katie Shanahan and Natalie Gedra. Seventeen-time Emmy Award-winning storyteller Tom Rinaldi also features on the network’s coverage as an at-large correspondent.  Additionally, former referees Dr. Joe Machnik and Mark Clattenburg serve as FOX Sports’ dedicated rules analysts delivering in-match analysis throughout the competition. These talented personalities will join a FOX Sports coverage team that already includes numerous legends of the game. Earlier this month, Netherlands great Clarence Seedorf and Mexico’s all-time leading scorer Javier Hernández announced they will join FOX Sports for the World Cup. In March, global icon Zlatan Ibrahimović announced he will also be an analyst for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. France legend and World Cup winner Thierry Henry, who made his FOX Sports debut at the FIFA World Cup draw in December, will also be part of the network’s broadcast crew this summer. Award-winning presenter and celebrated broadcaster Rebecca Lowe will make her FOX Sports debut this summer as one of the network’s hosts for the FIFA World Cup. Commentary teams Darren Fletcher – Owen Hargreaves Derek Rae – Rob Green Ian Crocker – Danny Higginbotham Ian Darke – Landon Donovan Jacqui Oatley – Warren Barton John Strong – Stu Holden JP Dellacamera – Lori Lindsey Mark Scott – Cobi Jones Tyler Terens – Maurice Edu Reporters Alex Aljoe Geoff Shreeves Jenny Taft Katie Shanahan Natalie Gedra At-Large Tom Rinaldi Rules Analysts Dr. Joe Machnik Mark Clattenburg 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch From June 11 through July 19, 2026, FOX Sports presents its largest World Cup production and broadcast slate to date featuring all 104 matches live across FOX (69) and FS1 (35) with every match live-streaming on FOX One and the FOX Sports App. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

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