Confidence exudes from Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson when he’s on the field, and that carried over to the pre-NFL Draft process.

Simpson has steadfastly supported himself when asked if he can be a starting quarterback in this league, and he feels he has the first-round talent to do so.

Before he learns where he goes in the NFL Draft, whether it’s Thursday night in the first round or beyond, Simpson spoke with Fox News Digital about where his patented confidence comes from.

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Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide throws a pass during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

“I think it goes with my faith,” he said, while discussing his partnership with Toyota ahead of the draft. “My faith is very important to me. I fully believe that my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, and knowing that football is just a minor stepping stone in why I’m on this earth. I feel like I’m on this earth for a bigger reason, to get people together to spread the word. The fact that I can do that on a huge stage, the Lord has blessed me in so many ways, that just gives me confidence.

“I get to play a kid’s game for fun, but I also know that everybody’s watching every move that I make. Understanding that I can impact so many people’s lives by spreading the good news.”

Simpson, who spent all four of his college seasons at Alabama, embodies the “Faith, Family, Football” motto, as he also talked about his hometown of Martin, Tennessee.

PROJECTED TOP PICK FERNANDO MENDOZA REVEALS WHY HE’S SKIPPING NFL DRAFT

No matter where his NFL journey may take him, he will always be repping the place that made him who he is.

“I think that being able to impact my community is something I really look forward to because I know how much my community means to me,” he said when asked about charitable work off the field in the city he ends up in. “Martin, Tennessee is a special place. It’s where I grew up. The 713-area code, we take pride in it. We always say in our household, ‘Martin made.’ So, it’s something where I look forward to, wherever I end up, to be able to give back to my community.”

Simpson showcased his desire to give back Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, joining fellow NFL Draft prospect wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Steelers receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and members of the U.S. Women’s National Flag Football team at Toyota’s NFL Draft Flag Football Training Camp for Pittsburgh-area high school girls. He was wearing the coach’s hat, helping coordinate drills and share some of his quarterback wisdom before preparing for the draft on Thursday night.

Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide runs with the football against the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2026. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)

“My sister was a basketball player and softball player growing up, so it’s really exciting and awesome to see Toyota put a spotlight on girls in sports,” Simpson added.

Toyota also covered NFL FLAG fall registration kit fees for current players in the Pittsburgh Flag Football League coed youth and high school girls leagues as part of this activation before the live draft in the city.

Simpson waited until his fourth season to finally take the reins of the Alabama offense, and he made the best of the situation. He threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and only five interceptions across 15 games for the Crimson Tide. But the 6-foot-2, 211-pound quarterback, who has gotten comparisons to Mac Jones, a fellow Alabama alum, is all over the place in terms of mock drafts.

In short, not even Simpson has an idea where he might end up when the draft begins. But no matter where he goes, Simpson knows he can make an impact.

Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up before the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2026. (CFP/Getty Images)

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And it starts with his faith.

“The first round is great, [but] any time you get drafted is great. There’s so many different players that are great at my position that are from each different round of the NFL. So, I’m in the mindset of wherever I go, whenever that will be, I’m gonna put my best foot forward. Trust the process and be the best player I can be.”

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Following Terence Crawford’s retirement, most fans are debating whether it is Oleksandr Usyk or Naoya Inoue that can be considered as boxing’s pound-for-pound number one. However, Tim Bradley believes that an another fighter deserves the top spot.

Crawford, Usyk and Inoue are the only three men to have become the undisputed champion in multiple weight divisions during the four-belt era; making all three worthy candidates of being recognised as the best fighter on the planet in recent years.

In 2025, it was ‘Bud’ who pushed ahead in the eyes of many, after becoming the second fighter in boxing history to claim the undisputed throne in three weight-classes and doing so with a stellar victory over Canelo Alvarez.

After his retirement, the debate has been resurrected around his two standout pound-for-pound rivals, but former two-division world champion Tim Bradley told his YouTube channel that his pick is fellow American, Shakur Stevenson, who became boxing’s third youngest four-division world champion back in July.

“Shakur Stevenson is the best fighter in the world. He ain’t got the accolades of an Usyk, in terms of undisputed and all of that s**t, he ain’t done all of that s**t that Inoue did in the lower weight classes.

“No, he ain’t done none of that, but he is a four-division world champion and he is the best fighter in the world. He gets touch the least, out of any fighter in the world.

“He the best fighter in the world. Period.”

Stevenson has built his reputation on control over power, combining a southpaw stance with sharp footwork and defensive awareness to dictate range and tempo.

An Olympic silver medallist before turning professional, he has, as Bradley points out, consistently limited opponents to low output.

If the Newark native manages to land more fights against big names – the likes of Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia or Devin Haney – more will begin to agree with Bradley’s take. However, he will still be competing with Usyk, who returns next month against kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven, and Inoue, who has a mega fight in Japan against Junto Nakatani.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Oneil Cruz had the hardest-hit homer in the majors this season, a three-run shot off the top of the right-field foul pole in the ninth inning that powered the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.

The Pirates took a 5-4 lead in the ninth when Nick Gonzales broke for the plate on pinch-hitter Jake Mangum‘s one-out chopper to third base off Cole Winn (1-1). Josh Jung’s throw home pulled catcher Kyle Higashioka into foul territory, and Higashioka could not make the tag.

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Cruz followed with his 116.9 mph liner that bounced off the top of the foul pole and into the stands. It was the second hardest-hit ball in the history of Globe Life Field, which opened in 2020.

Pittsburgh’s big ninth gave Gregory Soto (1-0) his first win as a Pirate, following his first blown save. The lefty reliever allowed Jake Burger‘s two-run single in the eighth that tied the score at 4-all. Dennis Santana pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in four opportunities.

Bryan Reynolds’ fifth-inning single, which produced his 500th career RBI, was part of a three-run frame that gave the Pirates a 4-2 lead. Reynolds is tied with Bobby Bonilla for the most RBIs by a Pirates switch-hitter. He also scored Pittsburgh’s first run on Marcell Ozuna’s first-inning double.

Pirates starter Braxton Ashcraft set career highs with seven innings and 94 pitches, allowing Jung’s two-run homer in the second inning among four hits. Ashcraft grew up about 100 miles south of Globe Life Field near Waco and had a personal cheering section of about 200 people.

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Jung has an RBI in a career-best six consecutive games.

Texas starter Jack Leiter, who turned 26 on Tuesday, allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings. He hasn’t won since his first start this season, at Baltimore on March 30.

With a single and a walk, Pittsburgh’s Ryan O’Hearn has reached base in 20 of 22 games.

Up next

Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (1-0, 2.29 ERA) will pitch on five days’ rest in Wednesday night’s series finale against Pirates rookie RHP Bubba Chandler (1-1, 3.15).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Next weekend, a classic Cinco de Mayo showdown takes place, as David Benavidez steps up to cruiserweight to challenge Gilberto Ramirez for the unified world titles in the 200lb division. Now, two-division world champion Andre Ward has provided his prediction for the bout.

Ramirez got his hands on the WBO super-middleweight world title back in 2016 and made five title defences before a move up to light-heavyweight, where he suffered a first career defeat when challenging for Dmitry Bivol’s WBA crown.

A move up to cruiserweight soon followed and ‘Zurdo’ has since won four straight contests by unanimous decision; including the dethroning of both Arsen Goulamirian (WBA) and Chris Billam-Smith (WBO) to become the unified champion of the division.

Yet, despite losing only once in his 49 career fights and being the reigning champion, Ramirez enters his showdown against divisional debutant Benavidez as the underdog.

Speaking on the All The Smoke Fight podcast, Ward agreed with the oddsmakers’ assessment, admitting that he makes undefeated two-division world champion Benavidez the favourite ahead of next weekend’s intriguing scrap.

“He has got the age advantage, he is younger, he is 29 years old. He has less miles [on the clock], he has never been beaten. Anytime you have been knocked down or beaten, that is a scar that you have to wear – he don’t have that scar going into this fight, but Zurdo does.

“I think that it’s going to be a great fight, that I give David Benavidez a slight edge to. This is a 60/40 situation for me, maybe a little more in his favour, maybe 65/35, but that is just because he hasn’t lost.

“We haven’t seen that blueprint [to beat him] and, even if guys have good rounds, they don’t have good fights against him. Ultimately, they are worn down, mentally, physically and emotionally, and David Benavidez takes over. Ultimately, he stops guys or he beats them up and gets his hand raised.”

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Ramirez vs. Benavidez takes place Saturday, May 2, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where Jaime Munguia challenges for the WBA super-middleweight throne on the undercard.

Man Utd U18s lost on penalties against Crystal Palace in the Premier League Cup final, suffering defeat in sudden death.

22:26, 22 Apr 2026

Chido Obi looked just as happy to assist as he would if he’d scored himself in the Premier League Cup final, which was another sign of progress for Manchester United’s young striker.

United academy coaches have laid down the gauntlet to Obi to improve his off-the-ball work. There have been challenging moments for Obi this term, and his deficiencies have been more obvious in some games than others, but he turned up in the Premier League Cup final.

Dean Benamar, Ben Casey and Joel Drakes-Thomas have already made their senior debuts for Crystal Palace, and they all started, but Obi was the only player in United’s XI with a first-team appearance under his belt.

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The decision was made to keep Obi in the academy this season. The young striker made eight senior appearances last term, so he was disappointed to learn he would exclusively play in youth games this season, but the decision has benefited him.

It was obvious that Obi was switched on when he played a slick lay-off to JJ Gabriel, and shielded the ball intelligently and played it wide in the subsequent phase of play. Then he assisted the United goal.

The weight of the pass to Noah Ajayi was perfect from the left flank. The young winger still had plenty to do, but his first touch in the box was superb, and he calmly finished into the bottom right corner.

There are shades of Marcus Rashford when Ajayi plays for United’s academy. The way Ajayi glides on the left and finishes with a low shot is eerily similar to how Rashford played in a United shirt. That is a huge compliment.

Ajayi has gone under the radar in the academy this season – and that is about to change. He was forced off with an injury at the start of the second half at Selhurst Park, but it spoke volumes that he wanted to continue.

The quirk of the Premier League Cup final was the U18s had faced Palace last week in the FA Youth Cup semi-final. United needed extra time to put Palace away in that tie, suggesting it would be tight again with a trophy at stake.

Gabriel scored against Palace at Old Trafford, but he otherwise wasn’t in the game, struggling to have an impact against heavy marking. The 15-year-old has been the talk of youth circles, so it’s not a surprise to see teams doubling up with markers in an attempt to stop him.

Palace’s efforts worked again in the Premier League Cup final, meaning Gabriel was replaced with 20 minutes remaining. The youngster looked furious as he trudged off the pitch to be replaced by Amir Ibragimov.

Gabriel is the talisman in the U18s’ dressing room, but it’s a team game. Obi had that status last season and also looked disappointed to be substituted, but the 18-year-old has matured to the extent that he will get the chance to audition for the first-team in pre-season.

Jim Thwaites is another player with first-team aspirations who started in the cup final. The talented midfielder would not look out of place in Barcelona’s esteemed academy, ‘La Masia’, such is his ability to pull the strings from the engine room, but his set-piece ability is what sets him apart.

Thwaites has already been compared to David Beckham because of his quality when he stands over a set-play, and he looked bullish when United were awarded a free-kick around 25 yards out in the first half.

The Manchester Evening News interviewed Thwaites at the beginning of the week, and his eyes twinkled when trophies were mentioned. “This club is built around trophies,” he said, outlining his ambition to get his hands on silverware in Croydon.

Fletcher made the decision to return to his U18 head coach role after serving as first-team caretaker. United sources were extremely impressed with how Fletcher conducted himself as caretaker, but he stepped back down to the academy to further his coaching development.

The Scot got a taste of the Premier League and FA Cup during his first-team stint. That experience will stand Fletcher in good stead in his career, although coaching in the academy sphere is similarly useful because youth fixtures are bound to expose coaches to mid-game conundrums.

That’s exactly what happened in Croydon on Wednesday night. United could not find a second goal to kill Palace off in the second – Obi came closest when striking the crossbar – and that proved to be costly.

When the fourth official confirmed five minutes of added time would be played, the trophy was in sight, but Albert Mills conceded a penalty at the death, pulling down the Palace forward in United’s box.

Mills was shown a straight red card, and he was spotted watching Ben Casey convert the spot kick from the tunnel. The young defender instantly turned around and disappeared from view to return to the dressing room.

Palace were buoyed by the sending off and the Holmesdale Fanatics got a little louder. Fletcher switched to five at the back in an attempt to shore up the defence, and the game went to a penalty shootout.

The home side won 6-5 on penalties. United’s youngsters slumped to the turf and it was at least reassuring to see United’s coaching staff quickly make their way to the centre circle to offer some support.

The silver lining for United is that they could still win the league title, and they have reached the FA Youth Cup final. The treble is now off the table, but there is still silverware to be won this season.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

For the first time since April 3, Juan Soto was in the lineup for the New York Mets on Wednesday. And for the first time since April 7, the Mets were winners. New York’s losing streak came to an end at 12 games with their win over the Minnesota Twins (NYM 3, MIN 2) at Citi Field. The 12-game losing streak was their longest since 2002.

“It’s always good when you win baseball games at the big league level,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. “(Now we can) concentrate on playing baseball and not about the losing streak.”

Wednesday’s win came with a price: Francisco Lindor exited the game after the fourth inning with what the Mets called left calf tightness. He came up lame as he scored from first base on Francisco Alvarez’s double in the bottom of the fourth. Lindor will go for an MRI on Thursday to determine the severity of his injury. Soto missed 17 days with his Grade 1 calf strain.

“We lost Soto and we had a hard time,” Mendoza said about Lindor’s injury. “Now we could be potentially dealing with losing with another player and we have to figure it out.”

The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning, but the Twins rallied to knot things up both times. The 2-2 tie was broken in the bottom of the eighth inning when Mark Vientos dunked a two-out bloop single into right field to score Brett Baty from second base. Here is the bloop single that snapped the losing streak:

“I’m glad he got that hit and redeemed himself there,” Mendoza said about Vientos, who ran through the third base coach Tim Leiper’s stop sign and got thrown out at the plate to end the sixth inning.  

Luke Weaver, not Devin Williams, pitched the ninth inning to preserve the win. Williams did not retire any of the five batters he faced Tuesday, and blew a save earlier in the losing streak as well. Weaver recorded the final four outs on Wednesday and got the win, not a save. He had New York’s last win before the losing streak as well.

Here are the longest losing streaks in Mets’ history:

As for Soto, he returned from his right calf strain on Wednesday and went 1 for 3 with a single and a walk as the DH. He also got picked off first base with one out and the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, which is a big no-no. Before the game, Soto said he didn’t talk to his teammates while on the injured list.

“No, not at all,” Soto said prior to Wednesday’s game. “They’ve been on the road most of the time. I haven’t talked to them.” 

The Athletic spoke to several veteran Mets players who said it is common for players to keep their distance while on the injured list. It is also common for injured players to rehab away from the team, especially during road trips. The Mets played eight of their 15 games without Soto on the road, including five on the West Coast.

The losing streak is over, but, at 8-16, the Mets have the worst record in the National League. No team has ever had a 12-game losing streak and rallied to reach the postseason, though the obvious caveat is that there were not three wild card spots for most of baseball history.

The Philadelphia Phillies now have baseball’s longest losing streak at eight games. They lost to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday (CHC 7, PHI 2) and, like the NL East rival Mets, are 8-16 on the young season.

The Indiana Fever held their annual media day on Wednesday ahead of the 2026 WNBA season, which will get underway in just over two weeks. On May 9, the Fever will host the Dallas Wings in a highly anticipated season-opener that will feature the last four No. 1 picks: Aliyah Boston (2023), Caitlin Clark (2024), Paige Bueckers (2025), and Azzi Fudd (2026). 

In many ways, last season did not go to plan for the Fever. They lost six players to season-ending injuries, including Clark, and saw DeWanna Bonner depart under unceremonious circumstances in the middle of the campaign. And yet, despite all their health issues, they were five minutes away from a trip to the Finals. Had Kelsey Mitchell not left the winner-take-all Game 5 of the semifinals with rhabdomyolysis, they may have knocked out the Las Vegas Aces. 

The Fever re-signed Mitchell, Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull to keep their core intact, added Monique Billings, Tyasha Harris and Myisha Hines-Allen in free agency and drafted Raven Johnson with the No. 10 pick. Heading into 2026, the Fever are once again projected to be one of the primary title contenders. 

As we wait for them to take the court for the first time, here are some key takeaways from media day. 

Clark: ‘I’m the best transition player in the league’

Clark has never been short of confidence, and on Wednesday she called herself the “best transition player in the league.”

Here’s the full comment, which came amid a discussion about finding the balance between her on-ball and off-ball usage:

“I think I’m the best transition player in the league,” Clark said. “That’s where I thrive. Everybody knows that’s my game. So, getting the ball off a rebound in transition, that’s probably when I’m going to be a primary ball handler more than anything.”

Clark’s comment has created plenty of buzz, but it’s accurate. When she grabs a rebound and takes off the other way, the opposing defense is immediately in panic mode. No one in the league can match her threat as both a playmaker and shooter, or her combination of volume and efficiency. 

As a rookie, Clark averaged a league-leading 7.3 transition possessions plus assists per game and generated 1.290 points per possession plus assists. Last season, even though she was never 100% healthy, Clark again led the league in transition possessions plus assists per game (6.5), and generated 1.365 points per possession plus assists. 

A more experienced and fully healthy Clark should be even better on the break this season, which is bad news for the rest of the league. 

Clark, Johnson haven’t spoken about Final Four moment

During Iowa’s upset win over South Carolina in the 2023 Final Four, Clark went viral for dismissively waving off Raven Johnson instead of guarding her when the then-Gamecocks point guard had the ball at the top of the key. Johnson, who got revenge on Clark and the Hawkeyes during the 2024 NCAA national championship game, has admitted that she struggled to deal with that moment. 

“I was all over the internet,” Johnson said on the “I Am Next” podcast last month. “That’s one reason I hate the internet now, because of that situation. I got bashed. I got bullied. I got called all these things that I wasn’t — aka, like a monkey. … It was just things like that, and I just thought I wanted to quit basketball at that time. I wanted to go in this little bubble of isolation and just be by myself.”

One question for every WNBA team: Caitlin Clark’s health, Azzi Fudd’s fit, Angel Reese’s impact and more

Jack Maloney

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Clark and Johnson are now teammates after the Fever selected Johnson with the 10th overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, and Johnson said Wednesday that Clark has been a big resource to her early in training camp. 

“It’s fun to learn from the vets here, they definitely make sure I get the plays,” Johnson said. “Yesterday they were just throwing plays at me and I’m like, ‘Oh gosh, jeez, they run a lot of plays.’ But Caitlin Clark, she was helping me through all the hard times, she was helping me… I asked her probably like a thousand questions yesterday.”

However, the Final Four moment has not been broached, and Johnson isn’t interested in looking back. 

“No, we haven’t [discussed the incident],” Johnson said. “I think that’s in the past, honestly. We’re teammates now and we have one goal, that’s to win a championship.”

Fever plan to ease Clark’s burden

Clark was limited to 13 games last season due to an array of lower-body injuries, and the Fever are already putting measures in place to try to ensure she stays healthy this summer. 

Earlier this month, coach Stephanie White said the team would monitor her workload during camp. “She doesn’t have to be out there every rep, just being mindful of reps,” White said. Though Clark, who was named MVP of the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico last month, is now fully healthy, she understands the approach. “I think it’s just being smart. No need to overdo it at this point,” Clark said Sunday. 

Once the season begins, the Fever will also try to manage Clark’s on-court responsibilities by giving her more off-ball reps. 

“It is exhausting, bringing the ball up 94 feet versus pressure every single time,” Clark said Wednesday. “So, we certainly need to find somebody that can handle the ball a little bit and give me a little bit of a break.” 

Clark was third in the league in usage rate last season (31.5%) and ninth as a rookie (27.7%), and has been fouled 233 times in 55 total games with the Fever, including both the regular season and playoffs. As a rookie, Clark’s 175 fouls taken were fifth in the league, and White has previously noted that the physicality teams use against her was a “factor” in her health issues. 

The Fever want to make Clark’s life easier on a night-to-night basis, which is part of the reason they drafted Johnson. 

“[Johnson] can alleviate some pressure with Caitlin having to bring the ball [up],” White said Wednesday. “Look at the way the teams play her, 94 feet all the time. Again, how do we find ways to rest her on the floor? It’s having somebody else bring the ball up, initiate offense, and then get Caitlin into action, in the second or third action, or the second or third side.”

The challenge with that, of course, is ensuring that Clark actually gets touches when she doesn’t bring the ball up the floor.