The New England Patriots didn’t have Mike Vrabel on hand for Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, for reasons that have been quite publicly established.

As announced earlier this week, the Patriots head coach stepped away from the team to attend counseling after the release of several photos showing him with former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini in various social settings.

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Vrabel called the counseling necessary for his family while speaking with reporters Thursday, so it was curious when Peter Schrager reported on ESPN that he had been in constant contact with the franchise “via telephone and text message” over the course of Saturday.

Schrager later retracted that report, tweeting there was originally a plan for Vrabel to be in contact, but the Patriots “ultimately chose not to interrupt him and his family.”

Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf confirmed that was the case while speaking with reporters following the end of the draft, via the Patriots’ official transcript:

Q: Were you in contact with Mike at all today, and if so, how often were you guys in contact?

EW: So, last night we kind of talked through things and made the decision that the time away really needs to be time away, so we were not in contact with Mike today other than some just, ‘Hope everything’s going OK’ kind of texts early this morning.

Q: And just to follow up, when you talked to him last night when Day 2 ended, what kind of message did he leave you guys with headed into today?

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EW: Just words of encouragement. He knows he knows our process, and again, we talked about what kind of players we needed to add. We knew what kind of players that he liked, and obviously we drafted some of the guys that he had an affinity for today.

It’s unclear if Vrabel will be missing anymore activities for the Patriots following the draft, though the NFL has made it clear he won’t be investigated for possible violations of the league’s personal conduct policy.

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Patriots owner Robert Kraft has also voiced full support for him.

Russini, meanwhile, resigned from The Athletic last week and deleted some of her social media accounts not long before the draft started. She said she made the decision to not give the story “further oxygen,” but The Athletic is still conducting an investigation into her conduct.

This is a story that changed quickly for its participants, as Russini and Vrabel had previously downplayed the initial photos as a mere encounter during trips with their respective friends. That story seems to have fallen apart via questions from The Athletic and more photos of the pair in other locales, and Vrabel has now said “My previous actions don’t meet the standard I hold myself to.”

Super Eagles striker Sadiq Umar was on target for Valencia CF as they secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Girona FC at the Estadio de Mestalla on Saturday.

After scoring in Valencia’s draw away to RCD Mallorca last week, Sadiq was handed another start by coach Carlos Corberan in a crucial clash between two sides battling to avoid relegation.

Valencia started brightly, controlling possession and creating the better chances. Sadiq had an early opportunity in the 19th minute but fired wide from inside the box. Despite their dominance, the hosts were unable to break the deadlock before half-time.

The breakthrough came shortly after the restart when Largie Ramazani combined well with Javi Guerra before finishing low past Paulo Gazzaniga to give Valencia the lead.

Sadiq then doubled the advantage nine minutes later with a well-taken header from a cross by Jose Gaya. The Nigerian forward showed great movement to lose his marker and power the ball home despite pressure from the Girona defence.

Girona responded in the 63rd minute through Joel Roca, setting up a tense finish. Sadiq was later substituted in the 71st minute, with Hugo Duro coming on in his place.

Valencia held on for the win, with Sadiq’s goal proving decisive as they moved up to 11th place in the league table with 39 points from 33 matches.

The goal marks back-to-back strikes for Sadiq, who has looked sharp in recent games. With international fixtures approaching, including matches against Poland and Portugal, his form could catch the attention of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle as he prepares his squad.

The running back position carried the Minnesota Vikings for a long time, which is no surprise with talented backs Adrian Peterson and Dalvin Cook in the backfield for 1.5 decades. Under Kevin O’Connell, the importance of the position group has seemingly faded.

Still, the club drafted a running back on Saturday, using pick 198 to bring Wake Forest ball-carrier Demond Claiborne to the Twin Cities. That pick was acquired via trade from the Patriots for a seventh-rounder this year and a sixth-rounder from next year’s draft.

Funny but true: That exact draft pick, 198 from the 2026 draft, was used three times by the Vikings to acquire a new running back.

How did that work? Well, time appears to be a flat circle in the NFL.

On a serious note, that pick was originally Minnesota’s organic 2026 sixth-rounder. In October of 2024, the organization traded that pick to Houston in exchange for running back Cam Akers.

Akers had already played for the Vikings in 2023, joining via trade from the Los Angeles Rams. He played a rotational role behind Alexander Mattison and his snap share slowly increased. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon halfway through the season.

In the 2024 offseason, Akers signed with the Texans. Once again unhappy with the depth in the running back room, the Vikings traded for him a second time in 2024. This time, pick 198 was used.

The Texans shipped that pick back to Minnesota in a trade for Vikings guard Ed Ingram last offseason. The former second-rounder couldn’t establish himself as a starter here, but left a mark in Houston. Pick 198 was back in the State of 10,000 Lakes.

A few days later, the Vikings swapped 198 for Jordan Mason. A second back arrived with that same exact draft choice. Mason became the running mate of Aaron Jones after his breakout season in San Francisco. The 49ers didn’t want to hand him a contract extension, opening the door for the Vikings. Mason led the Vikings in rushing with 758 yards and six touchdowns.

In October, six months ago, the 49ers rerouted Minnesota’s sixth-rounder to the New England Patriots in a trade that landed them defensive lineman Keion White. San Francisco’s defensive unit had a horror season, as injuries depleted that group all year long. White was a needed reinforcement.

That brings us to Saturday. The Vikings wanted to trade up into the sixth round to secure the speedy back out of Wake Forest. In exchange for picks 234 and a 2027 sixth-rounder, Minnesota once again controlled pick 198.

The draft pick underwent a long journey and somehow gave Minnesota three running backs along the way.

Claiborne joins Mason and Jones in the running back room, with Zavier Scott providing depth. He became Minnesota’s first running back drafted since DeWayne McBride in 2023.

The 22-year-old provides the breakaway speed and the youth that the Vikings lacked in recent years. He demonstrated his pace with a 4.37 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote about Claiborne in his pre-draft analysis, “A twitched-up ball carrier, Claiborne has darting quickness and speed to burn, which allows him to gear down, plant and hit the accelerator in unison. He is a competitive runner but lacks the power of an inside runner and is at his best on the move, when he can get defenses flowing east-west and set up cutback opportunities. Minimizing fumbles and drops and expanding his catch radius would vastly increase his chances of finding regular playing time in the NFL.”

Over the last two years, Claiborne rushed for over 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns, adding another 394 yards as a pass-catcher and two more scores. He also returned two kick returns for touchdowns in his collegiate career.

Depending on his success in a purple uniform, pick 198 could reach legendary status in Minnesota.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

Some Minnesota Vikings fans thought the franchise would leave the NFL draft with Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy in Round 1 or perhaps Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds in Round 2. Instead, interim general manager Rob Brzezinski waited until Round 5, picking Stephen F. Austin’s Charles Demmings.

Minnesota waited out the board and landed an athletic FCS cornerback with real developmental appeal.

Minnesota got a corner nicknamed “Chucky Dee.”

Demmings Gives Brian Flores a New Project

Maybe a Vikings cornerback will work out for once?

It’s Demmings to MIN in Round 5

A possible small-school gem for Flores’s defense, Demmings turned purple on Saturday. Vikings.com’s Rob Klefield wrote, “The Vikings have added some serious athleticism to their secondary. Minnesota tabbed cornerback Charles Demmings out of Stephen F. Austin. Called ‘one of the most intriguing FCS prospects’ in this year’s draft class by Pro Football Network, Demmings twice led the Lumberjacks in interceptions and passes defensed.”

“Demmings flew largely under the radar but received an invitation to the Senior Bowl — as the only FCS defensive back — and the NFL Scouting Combine; at the latter, his traits garnered positive attention. His vertical jump of 42 inches was second best among cornerbacks, and he impressed in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.41 seconds.”

There’s reason to believe Demmings could blossom into a meaningful contributor, solely because of the fact that the Vikings haven’t drafted a corner who stuck around past a rookie contract since Xavier Rhodes — 13 years ago. By sheer probability, a CB is destined to work out for Minnesota. It has to happen at some point.

The Scouting Report

Demmings is 6’1″ and 195 pounds with 4.41 speed. He’s an interception machine, banking nine in college. He’s known for his length, tackling improvement at SFA, and ability to stay with explosive wide receivers on vertical routes.

Weaknesses? His competition in college wasn’t much to note, and he got too “grabby” by a defensive back’s standards.

NFL Draft Buzz on Demmings: “The coverage production from his final two college seasons was strong, and nine interceptions over four years tells you this is a player whose hands show up when the ball is in the air. He will need time to improve his off-coverage reads, but in a press-heavy system he can contribute early.”

“The competition jump from the Southland Conference to the NFL is the fair question with this evaluation, and it cannot be dismissed. But Demmings did everything he could at his level, and the athletic testing backs up what the tape shows.”

The best NFL comp for Demmings is Ahkello Witherspoon or diet Tariq Woolen.

TBD added, “He has real tools to work with at the next level, and the nearly 2,000 career snaps at one program give him a foundation of experience that matters when the game speeds up. He should be able to push for a CB3 or CB4 spot relatively quickly while contributing on special teams from day one as a gunner.”

“The man coverage ability and ball production are real enough to earn defensive reps in sub packages, and there is room to grow into a reliable outside corner in the right system. The off-coverage and play strength concerns are worth monitoring, but the overall package here is a roster-worthy corner with a clear development path ahead of him.”

The Updated CB Room

The Vikings needed an extra cornerback — from somewhere — so nine draft picks on the 2026 menu came in handy.

Heading into organized team activities (OTAs), this is Minnesota’s CB group:

• Byron Murphy Jr.
• Isaiah Rodgers
• James Pierre
• Charles Demmings
• Dwight McGlothern
• Zemaiah Vaughn

Demmings imminently projects as the CB4 for 2026. It’s also worth noting that the Vikings will likely add a cornerback or two from undrafted free agency on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

GophersGuru‘s Daniel House on the Demmings selection: “The Vikings ended up with Charles Demmings. He gives them a longer CB who moves very well. Not only can he provide value in man, but he has the movement ability and length to make plays from zones.”

“He can confidently play the flat/re-route WRs in Cover 2, react from Cover 3 and also has the range to invert deep for some unconventional zones. Gives them man/zone versatility, physicality and length. They needed that type of skill set in the room.”

The Rest of the Haul thru 5 Rounds

Demmings joins this class of rookies before the start of Round 6:

• Caleb Banks | Florida, DT — Round 1
• Jake Golday | Cincinnati, ILB — Round 2
• Domonique Orange | Iowa State, DT — Round 3
• Caleb Tiernan | Northwestern, OT — Round 3
• Jakobe Thomas | Miami, S — Round 3
• Max Bredeson | Michigan, FB — Round 5
• Charles Demmings | Stephen F. Austin, CB — Round 5

The Vikings have two more selections on tap for Round 7 to be completed Saturday afternoon.

Demmings turned 23 three weeks ago.

Leichhardt Oval will play host to Thursday’s
Round 8 NRL game between Wests Tigers and
Canberra Raiders. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Wests Tigers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Wests Tigers vs.
Canberra Raiders
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday April 23, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: Leichhardt Oval

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Wests Tigers vs Canberra Raiders Odds

Wests Tigers vs Canberra Raiders Preview

Wests Tigers return to Leichhardt Oval aiming to rebound after a missed opportunity last week, where poor finishing let them down despite territorial dominance. The Luai–Doueihi combination is still settling, but the Tigers have shown clear improvement in 2026. Canberra arrive undermanned through the middle, which could prove decisive against a Tigers pack building momentum. If Wests can sharpen their execution in good-ball, they look well placed to capitalise at home.

For so long, the trip to Manchester City was weighing on Arsenal’s mind. The fear of the worst-case scenario was torturing their psyche: that their nine-point advantage would be wiped out in a matter of 11 days. That’s exactly what transpired – and suddenly, Arsenal are playing with a semblance of freedom again.

Arsenal came into their clash with Newcastle – one of five potentially title-deciding outings remaining in their Premier League season – knocked off the top of the table after a 200-day stint. Mikel Arteta denied there was any psychological impact to being second, but it didn’t seem that way.

Both on the pitch and in the stands, anxiety at the first whistle had eased, perhaps taking a liking to the growing perception that they are now the underdogs in this title race. The worst had happened – now it was their job to stage a fightback.

By the final whistle, that anxiety had admittedly returned in droves – but crucially, for the first time in over a month, Arsenal had won on English soil. They were back on top and their performance, and response, was worthy of that outcome. “We talked about this being ‘game one’ and how important that was,” Arteta said. “We did the job.”

From the outset, Arsenal played with vigour and intent against a side who themselves are in the throws of a rough period. Eddie Howe may have seen an Arsenal side without a domestic win in four as an opportunity to win back positive sentiment, but their gulf in quality quickly became apparent, regardless of blips.

In the London sunshine without a cloud in the sky, the Gunners were feeling themselves. They showcased creativity and spark that wasn’t apparent in their last home game, an uneasy goalless draw with Sporting that saw them just scrape through to the Champions League last-four. It wasn’t long until they reaped the fruits of their labour, and in slightly unfamiliar means.

A team who have been lamented for their reliance on set pieces that harness “anti-football” this season, such as crowding the goalkeeper and dumping the ball on his head, Arsenal had actually gone over a month without a goal via set play – their last coming against Chelsea on 1 March. Maybe that’s why the hosts went refreshingly creative from the corner, Noni Madueke feeding a low ball into the feet of Kai Havertz, who laid it back for Eberechi Eze to fire a rocket into the top-left corner and break the deadlock on nine minutes.

His first league goal not against Tottenham since October, Eze has been showing signs of becoming a real difference-maker for Arsenal after a difficult start to his career in N17. His stunner against the Magpies followed an excellent performance against Man City, despite defeat. Such an upturn in form made later events all the more cruel, with the Englishman being forced off with an ankle injury soon after half-time.

He followed Havertz, his provider, down the tunnel, who looked dejected as he suffered yet another injury setback in the first half. On a day when Arsenal were joyous at the return of Bukayo Saka, who came off the bench for his first appearance since the Carabao Cup final, Arteta was left with another pounding injury headache. However, the Spaniard is hopeful the damage isn’t too bad. “Muscular niggles, we don’t think it is too much,” he said.

Arsenal made an effort to remain free-flowing in spite of their casualties, though after failing to make good on their good play before the break, the nerves began to creep back in. That was first exhibited by David Raya, who has been susceptible to an error of late, who completely misjudged the flight of Sandro Tonali’s effort from range and had to readjust sharply to keep out what should have been a simple save down the middle.

Up the other end, conviction was slipping slip. Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi both had good shooting opportunities that were snuffed out by Newcastle bodies.

The hosts entered the final quarter-hour with their advantage still only a goal, but they felt that should’ve also included a man after Nick Pope, showing shades of his red card against Liverpool in 2023, wiped out Viktor Gyokeres after venturing way out of his goal to deal with a loose ball, only to miss it completely. With Malick Thiaw covering and Gyokeres still with a third of the pitch to cover, Pope escaped with a yellow. He was fortunate. “In my opinion, it’s a clear red card. I’ve watched it 10 times. If you have ever played football, it is a red card,” Arteta asserted.

Newcastle got away with one in that moment, but it wasn’t long until Arsenal were left counting their blessings. Nick Woltemade dinked one over the Arsenal back line for substitute strike partner Yoane Wissa, only for the Congolese to blaze his volley from 10 yards well over. For a combined £124m, Howe would’ve expected a lot more, both in that moment and the season as a whole.

Such a close call led to Arteta finally bringing Saka into the game on 81 minutes. He nearly made an instant impact but saw his deflected shot fly wide.

But it was then another Magpies chance that came and went, with Dan Burn coming in at the back post but heading only straight at Raya. Arsenal survived in a way they haven’t in recent times.

While the quality of play had grown clumsy and desperate as the clock ran deep into seven minutes of added time, Arteta simply did not care when the whistle was put to the referee’s mouth, his team back at the Premier League pinnacle.

The superstitious among you will say some sort of curse has been broken. With a Champions League semi-final trip to Atletico Madrid to come, there is once again belief that the Gunners have two trophies to win rather than lose.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Ishan Kishan (ANI)

Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan played a composed yet aggressive hand in their thrilling five-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals, as he reflected on leadership, batting freedom and chasing a massive target of 229. Speaking after being named Player of the Match for his 31-ball 74, Kishan made it clear that captaincy had not changed his approach. “No, I think as a wicket-keeper also you’ve got to do the same job. So I was just keeping it simple because I felt that it’s a very good wicket to bat on and we just tried to restrict them under 230 and we were able to do that,” he said. On handing back leadership duties to Pat Cummins, Kishan was full of respect for the Australian captain. “It was quite fun leading the side for seven games and Pat coming in, giving us that extra bowling power. So I was really happy when he was coming in the team anyway because he’s such a tremendous captain anyway. So I was just thinking about my batting and wicket-keeping more than leadership,” he added. Reflecting on SRH’s aggressive batting approach against the Rajasthan attack, Kishan said confidence and clarity were key. “You just have to keep on watching the ball and play your shots. You can’t get into a zone where you have fear of failure. You just have to keep it simple and play your game.” He also spoke about the challenge of facing a rising total early in the innings, highlighting the importance of a strong powerplay. “When you’re chasing a total like 228, you need a good powerplay. Having Head and Abhishek as openers makes the job easier even if they bat for four overs. I was just communicating with Abhishek. He knew exactly what was happening with the game and the run rate.” Kishan stitched a vital 132-run partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 57 off 29 balls, after SRH were set a daunting 229. Heinrich Klaasen (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (36) then ensured the chase was completed with nine balls to spare in what became the fourth-highest successful run chase in IPL history. Earlier in the day, Rajasthan Royals had posted a massive 228 for 6, powered by a sensational 103 from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Despite the onslaught, SRH held their nerve in the chase, with Kishan and Abhishek setting the platform for a commanding win. Kishan also reflected on his mindset at the crease. “Calmness is about skill set. You have to watch the ball and not be predetermined. It was a big ground, so there were gaps. Just bat and enjoy it.” When asked if this was the best phase of his batting career, he was quick to downplay it. “No, I think my best is yet to come.”

Mikel Arteta hit out at Arsenal being on the wrong end of two red card decisions in as many matches with “everything at stake” – after seeing his side return to the top of the Premier League.

Eberechi Eze’s wonderful ninth-minute strike was enough for the Gunners to see out a much-needed 1-0 win over Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium as they moved three points clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand.

But after the win, Arteta claimed it would be a “different world” if Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope was sent off here, after he scythed down Viktor Gyokeres, and City’s Abdukodir Khusanov had been delivered his marching orders for a last-ditch tackle on Kai Havertz in last weekend’s crunch top-of-the table clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Pope was booked on Saturday, while the challenge from Khusanov did not even register as a foul.

Reflecting on Pope’s caution, Arteta said: “In my opinion, it’s a clear red card. I’ve watched it 10 times. If you have ever played football, it is a red card.

“It’s the second time in two games because at Manchester City, when Kai goes through, Khusanov fouls him, 1-1, the title is there, it is a red card. So these are the margins, and hopefully that’s going to change.”

Pressed on why referee Sam Barrott did not send Pope off, Arteta replied: “I’m here to give my opinion. I have been in the game for a long time, and you talk to any of the players, because the trajectory of where the ball is, there’s no keeper there.

“And the reality is, that in the last two games, in crucial moments when everything is at stake, we need everything to go our way, and it hasn’t.

“I’m not making excuses. I didn’t talk about it when we lost the game (against City). I’m doing it when we won. It’s a red card today. It’s a red card in Manchester. And the world is different, and that’s it.”

Despite Arteta’s frustrations, he was relieved to see Arsenal return to winning ways following consecutive defeats against Bournemouth and City.

He continued: “We talked about this being ‘game one’ and how important that was. We did the job. I don’t expect that after 22 years of not winning the title, it’s going to be a path of roses and beautiful music around it. It’s going to be like this and we are ready for it.”

Havertz and Eze were unable to continue through injury on Saturday, and Arteta said both will be assessed following “muscular injuries” ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Atletico Madrid for the opening leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

For Newcastle, they have now lost five consecutive games, and are 14th in the league.

Manager Eddie Howe said: “I thought it was much better from us as a group. We stood up to Arsenal’s physical challenge, and we were better off the ball, and defended well and were more like ourselves.

“I can’t be too critical of the players, I have been in previous weeks, there were positive signs and I am more satisfied. But it is another defeat and we can’t lose sight of the fact that we are losing too many games.”