This year’s Vikings draft class is headlined by boom-or-bust prospect Caleb Banks, who has all the size and athleticism in the world but lacks the college production and has significant injury concerns.

After his selection, the franchise adjusted its strategy and picked players who appeared safer. With the second-round pick, the club acquired Cincinnati’s linebacker Jake Golday. An intriguing college player with experience on the edge and as an off-ball linebacker is just the athlete Brian Flores can unlock at the next level.

His role in the new defense remains a mystery. He might just sneak into the lineup as an off-ball linebacker, such as Blake Cashman, but some have likened him to pass-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel and could see him thrive in a hybrid role.

Regardless, Golday, like all rookies, isn’t a sure thing. The draft is a lottery and even prospects that are labeled “generational” can fail.

Golday’s former coach doesn’t foresee him failing, however. Alec Lewis of The Athletic shared an anecdote:

Cort Braswell, the linebackers coach at Cincinnati, said one NFL linebackers coach asked him an interesting question during the draft evaluation process: “If I come back here in five years, and Jake Golday didn’t make it, why would that be?”

Braswell paused.

“That’s a really good question. Nobody has asked that.”

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After a few seconds of thought, he said, “If he doesn’t make it, it’s your fault.”

“What do you mean?” the coach responded.

Braswell said, “There’s nothing you can put in front of him that he cannot accomplish.”

Some players land in unfortunate situations. That can’t be said about Golday, though, who was hand-picked by a defensive mastermind for his attacking system. Versatile and smart players generally thrive in the NFL, but Flores can especially unlock their skill sets.

Golday, 22, was a zero-star recruit and headed to Central Arkansas, where he lined up on the edge for a couple of years before moving to linebacker. After his three years playing at a lower level, he transferred to Cincinnati, where he continued his linebacker journey.

In his two seasons in the Big 12, he registered 163 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. His athletic profile was one of the best in this year’s draft class, helping him generate second-round interest from the Vikings.

Golday is expected to start out in the linebacker position early in his career.

At the rookie minicamp, head coach Kevin O’Connell said, “We’ve got some thoughts on how the ultimate picture may look, but you want to allow [Jake] — because he’s doing it physically from today on — you want to allow him to get comfortable in a spot before maybe you start throwing multiple things at him.”

The next item on his agenda is to get comfortable with the linebacker duties, while other responsibilities could follow later in his NFL journey. The first-year player is ready to put in the work required for that jump.

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The rookie commented, “I’m going to spend as much time as I need in the playbook to make sure I know all the positions so that I can be put at any spot on the field [and] so I don’t have to be taken off the field.”

At linebacker, the Vikings have starters Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson returning for another season, but injury struggles, age and contract duration could open the door for Golday to assume one of the linebacker spots sooner rather than later.

If he isn’t needed in one specific position, he can still be a piece in Flores’ defensive puzzle as a rotational and situational linebacker and rusher. Flores experimented with Wilson on the edge a year ago, which would vacate a linebacker spot.

One thing is clear: The Vikings didn’t draft him to sit on the bench for years to come; he will see playing time early in his career. It’s just a matter of where.

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

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

With just a few hand gestures, Salim Mehdaoui indicates what he wants from the children collected in the gym of an elementary school in Bonn. They gather in the middle of the room and form a circle. Some shift their weight nervously as they look wide-eyed at the coach and wait for their turn.

Salim holds a football under his arm, and after he’s said every child’s name, he starts practice. “The kids are getting used to our rituals. Like the collective greetings and goodbyes,” said the coach to DW. Aside from sports, it’s also about the social togetherness of the participants, Salim emphasized.

The social environment at the club is important, as the participants come from a nearby initial reception facility for refugees.

“This kind of training is important for the kids because while they fled many had the experience of the strongest coming out on top. Often their demeanor can be a bit brutal,” Antje Nekhili told DW.

“Here they’re taught to be considerate again. The children can have good, playful social relations again.”

Nekhili is the refugee housing’s volunteer coordinator and launched the project “Football Connects” with Hertha Bonn in March 2022.

Language barrier proves a challenge

Finally the ball gets rolling, and things get loud in the small gym. Bursts of laughter intermingle with goal celebrations – the delight is as visible as it is contagious.

“It fills me with joy,” said Mehdaoui. “You see that it does the kids good, which really motivates me.”

When the project launched two years ago, the now student had just finished a gap year doing volunteer social work at Hertha Bonn. Salim developed a set of guidelines, as communication in particular challenged him and his colleagues.

“Of course it’s a challenge, as there are language barriers and there are new kids at every training,” Jörg Michael, Hertha Bonn’s vice president, told DW.  “The kids come from different countries and often don’t speak a common language.” 

According to Michael, this makes it difficult for coaches to reach all the children.

Mehdaoui tackled the problem head on and developed solutions along with responsible parties at the club. Communication – when not in English or French – is practiced nonverbally with small cards that Mehdaoui shows the children.

This means a common language isn’t always necessary, said Nekhili. “This way we can make friends out of what might in other contexts be antagonistic cultures, since they’re playing on the same team.” 

The club uses football as common language, which Michael says is understood all over the world.

DFB: ‘An impressive example of selflessness’

“Five minute break,” or a simple stop sign on a card are displayed so the children understand what’s going on. And it works – the project is a roaring success and was recently awarded a prize for integration and tolerance in football by the German Football Association (DFB).

Under the leadership of DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, Hertha Bonn was selected from 134 applicants for the prize. The association called it “an impressive example of selflessness, as it’s not a way to win future club members.” Children move on from the Bonn refugee facility within a couple days or weeks.

Clubs can help with integration

Despite the typically short stays, the kids benefit from the weekly training sessions. In addition to being a welcome distraction from their daily lives in refugee housing, they learn important social skills and are exposed to German culture.

“The training sessions change how the kids behave. If they’ve already been to one, they can then help other children,” said Nekhili. “They support one another and share their knowledge.”

For Jörg Michael, the project demonstrates how important institutions like football clubs can be for integration. “It should be a duty of clubs to be socially engaged,” he said. “That’s why we developed the guidelines and want to show just how simple it can be to offer these trainings.”

After just 60 minutes, today’s session comes to a close, with the children once again circling up and using their last remaining energy to yell “Fussball” – all in one language, and all with a beaming smile.

This article was translated from German

Rory McIlroy’s Tuesday practice round at the second major of the year was cut short due to a nagging blister that’s bothered him for several days.

According to reports on-site at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., McIlroy’s session on Tuesday lasted only three holes due to discomfort he felt from a blister on the pinky toe of his right foot.

Reporters following McIlroy Tuesday said he took his shoe off in the third fairway but finished the hole. He took it off again on the 4th tee before hopping in a cart for a ride to the clubhouse.

McIlroy later told Golf Channel’s Kira K. Dixon he soaked his foot on Monday night and ripped the toenail off afterward.

After the final round of the Truist Championship on Sunday, a reporter asked McIlroy if he was limping.

“Yeah, I’ve got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot, but it’s underneath my nail,” he said Sunday. “So I can’t really get to it or so it’s a little sore, but I’ll be all right.”

McIlroy said he started to feel it on Friday afternoon but joked he couldn’t use it as an excuse for poor play. He added Sunday he wasn’t concerned about it long term: “No, it’s fine. I’ll be OK.”

Earlier Tuesday, when speaking with the media, McIlroy said he likes “the style of golf” Aronimink presents.

“There’s a lot of bunkers. I think it provides quite a nice bit of variety with shorter par-4s, a couple of longer par-4s. The par-3s, there’s three pretty long ones and a shorter one,” he said. “I think in this day and age I’m not sure if it’s going to test all aspects of your bag. Strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent. It’s basically bash driver down there and then figure it out from there, which I think is a lot of these newer, newly renovated — I think about Oak Hill in 2023, here — when these traditional golf courses take a lot of trees out, it makes strategy not as much of a concern off the tee.

“But the greens are the main focus this week, and I think getting yourself in the right sections of the greens, making sure you leave yourself below the hole for the most part; that’s the key this week,” he continued. “Again, I’ve only played four competitive rounds here. I don’t know the place that well to give you a great answer on what I like about it, but Philadelphia’s a wonderful golfing city, a lot of great golf courses, and this is certainly one of them.”

They say you should never go back, but Jose Mourinho is in advanced talks to be Real Madrid’s next head coach, 13 years after his first spell at the Bernabeu.

“The Special One” has managed 10 clubs, including two on more than one occasion. Can you name them all?

Be aware, there’s a leaderboard on this quiz which is affected by the speed of your answers.

Press the Next button after finishing to see where you come.

Those in the Ciaron Maher yard understand precisely the obstacles Jimmysstar faces each time he races.

A product of New Zealand breeding, the horse is viewed as one of the nation’s finest, though his racing tendencies expose weaknesses.

Jimmysstar’s statistics are outstanding: 11 conquests from 26 efforts and prizemoney past $8.5 million, with aspirations to add to it in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on Saturday.

Of note, Ethan Brown has obtained clearance from Hong Kong commitments to return and steer Jimmysstar Saturday.

Brown partnered the gelding to his four most recent wins and was on board for third in Randwick’s All-Aged Stakes (1400m) on April 18, latest start.

Jack Turnbull from Ciaron Maher Racing, as National Assistant Trainer, indicated the outfit hasn’t been disheartened by Jimmysstar’s surface-level disappointments.

“The only run that was sub-par was at Caulfield and you could really argue the track that day,” Turnbull said.

“Our team have been complimentary of his performances, but it’s been whether he’s copped a bump out of the gates, or whether he’s got too far back.

“I know there was this expectation that he was going to go bang, bang, bang, but unfortunately his pattern is to get back and against that class of horse, he needs to be scintillating to be reeling them off and winning.

“His runs have been good and improving and he will continue to improve, especially poking up to Queensland at this time of year.”

Since the All-Aged Stakes, Jimmysstar has trained from Bong Bong, paddock-sharing with Pride Of Jenni, who won again at Gold Coast last Saturday, per Turnbull.

Travel to Brisbane occurs this week for the Doomben 10,000, barrier 11 secured.

Stablemate Another Wil draws the outside gate 19 amid 19 competitors.

Absent since spring, Another Wil struggled home in Caulfield’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

The gelding, successful nine times in 18 races, was earmarked for Brisbane Winter Carnival by the Maher team.

“The 1200 metres is probably not his best and it’s not a good draw, but he’s up there and has galloped at Doomben,” Turnbull said.

Ryan Maloney takes the steer, while Warnie has gate nine under Mark Zahra.

Check the latest racing odds for the Doomben 10,000 at trusted betting sites.

Lionel Messi more than doubled his salary to $25 million (approx. Rs 257 crore) in his new contract with Inter Miami and earns more more than twice as much as the second-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, Los Angeles FC’s Son Heung-min. Messi’s new contract includes $25 million in base salary and $28,333,333 (approx. Rs 267 crore) in guaranteed compensation, the MLS Players Association said Tuesday in its first release of 2026 salaries. Miami’s $54.6 million payroll is more than $20 million higher than LAFC, which is second at $32.7 million, and nearly five times as much as Philadelphia’s league-low $11.7 million. Miami’s payroll is up from $46.8 million at the start of last season.

Toronto cut payroll to $21.4 million from $34.1 million at the start of 2025, and LAFC boosted its spending to $32.7 million from $22.4 million.

Total league compensation was $631 million and the average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 on April 16 was up 8.9% from $632,809 as of last Oct. 1.

Messi’s initial MLS contract, agreed to in July 2023, included a $12 million base salary and annualized guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667. Messi agreed last October to a three-year contract through the 2028 season, then led the team to its first MLS title.

An attacker who turns 39 next month, Messi is captain of defending World Cup champion Argentina and is expected to play in his sixth World Cup. Messi has 59 goals in 64 regular-season games with Miami, including nine in 11 matches this season. He led MLS with 29 regular-season goals last season and won his second straight MVP award.

His salary figures are for his MLS contract and include any marketing bonus and agent’s fees but do not account for any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or for any performance bonuses.

Son is second at $10,368,750 in base salary and $11,152,852 in total compensation, the same as his figures last season. The 33-year-old winger joined LA last August.

Midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, who signed with Miami last summer, is third at $7,569,000 in salary and $9,688,320 in total compensation, followed by Atlanta winger Miguel Almirón ($6,056,000, $7,871,000), San Diego winger Hirving Lozano ($6 million, $9,333,333), New York Red Bulls winger Emil Forsberg ($5,405,000, $6,035,625), Nashville forward Sam Surridge ($5.27 million, $5,933,000), LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig ($5,125,000, $5,792,188), Vancouver attacker Thomas Müller ($5,000,004, $5,152,504) and Chicago winger Jonathan Bamba ($5 million, $5,581,806).

Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson topped MLS players in contention for spots on the U.S. World Cup roster at $3.5 million in base salary and $3.95 million in total compensation, followed by New England goalkeeper Matt Turner ($1,776,136, $1,942,886), Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldan ($1,645,000, $1,766,000), Charlotte midfielder Tim Ream ($1 million, $1,127,750), Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte ($900,000, $1,032,083), Columbus left back/winger Max Arfsten ($800,000, $895,000), New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese ($675,000, $795,833), Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano ($525,000, $574,000), Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna ($450,000, $500,833), Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter ($480,000) and Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady ($250,000, $348,333).

Newcomers to the league include Toronto forward Josh Sargent ($3.21 million, $5,265,667), San Jose forward Timo Werner ($3,738,872, $4,268,039), Salt Lake winger Morgan Guilavogui ($2.2 million, $2,225,500), Houston forward Guilherme ($1,528,572, $1,925,230), LAFC midfielder Stephen Eustáquio ($1.8 million), D.C. forward Louis Munteanu ($1.19 million, $1,634,100) and Minnesota midfielder James Rodríguez ($684,000).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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DHARAMSHALA: Madhav Tiwari still remembers how tiring bowling used to feel. As a 13-year-old kid in Indore, newly introduced to leather-ball cricket after changing schools, batting was the only thing that truly excited him. Bowling, in comparison, felt like labour. “I really liked batting. I wanted to become a batsman. Bowling was very tiring. You have to use your body a lot. I find it easy to bat. You can bat for as long as you want,” Tiwari told TOI after scripting Delhi Capitals’ thrilling three-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on Monday.