Sports
2026 NBA playoff picture: Standings, tiebreakers as Lakers try to hang onto No. 3 seed without Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) are going to miss the rest of the regular season, which makes the Lakers’ fight for the No. 3 seed in the West a lot tougher. They have an effective two-game lead over the No. 4 Nuggets with the tiebreaker secured and five games to play.
In the East, the Pistons are one win or one Boston loss from officially clinching the No. 1 seed.
The final day of the regular season will be on Sunday, April 12. Between now and then, we will be updating this playoff picture each day to keep you up to date on the standings, important magic numbers, all relevant tiebreakers and our SportsLine projections.
Here is where we stand entering play on Saturday, April 4.
*Tiebreaker note: All tiebreakers are included for teams currently within one game (or one seed) of each other, but will only be listed in the current higher seed’s section.
2026 NBA Playoff Picture
If the season ended today…
Play-In Tournament
East first round
No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Celtics vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 6 76ers
No. 4 Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Hawks
West first round
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 TBD
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 TBD
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Timberwolves
No. 4 Nuggets vs. No. 5 Rockets
Western Conference standings
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (61-16)
- Tiebreaker vs. Spurs: Spurs clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 1 seed
2. San Antonio Spurs (59-18)
- SportsLine projection: No. 2 seed
3. Los Angeles Lakers (50-27)
- Tiebreaker vs. Nuggets: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Lakers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Lakers clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 3 seed
4. Denver Nuggets (49-28)
- Tiebreaker vs. Rockets: Nuggets clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Nuggets clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 4 seed
5. Houston Rockets (48-29)
- Tiebreaker vs. Wolves: Tied with one game remaining
- SportsLine projection: No. 6 seed
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-31)
- SportsLine projection: No. 5 seed
7. Phoenix Suns (42-35)
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Series tied 2-2, Suns hold because of division record
- SportsLine projection: No. 7 seed
8. Portland Trail Blazers (40-38)
- Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead 2-1
- Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Blazers clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 8 seed
9. Los Angeles Clippers (39-38)
- Tiebreaker vs. Warriors: Clippers lead 2-1
- SportsLine projection: No. 9 seed
10. Golden State Warriors (36-41)
- SportsLine projection: No. 10 seed
Eastern Conference standings
1. Detroit Pistons (56-21)
- Tiebreaker vs. Celtics: Pistons clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 1 seed
2. Boston Celtics (52-25)
- Tiebreaker vs. Knicks: Knicks lead 2-1
- SportsLine projection: No. 2 seed
3. New York Knicks (50-28)
- Tiebreaker vs. Cavaliers: Knicks clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 3 seed
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-29)
- Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Raptors clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 4 seed
5. Atlanta Hawks (45-33)
- Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: Raptors clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. 76ers: Hawks clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 6 seed
6. Philadelphia 76ers (43-34)
- Tiebreaker vs. Raptors: 76ers via division record
- Tiebreaker vs. Hornets: 76ers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Magic: 76ers clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Series tied 1-1
- SportsLine projection: No. 7 seed
7. Toronto Raptors (43-34)
- Tiebreaker vs. Hornets: Raptors via conference record
- Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Raptors own
- Tiebreaker vs. Miami: Raptors lead 2-0 (two to play)
- SportsLine projection: No. 5 seed
8. Charlotte Hornets (42-36)
- Tiebreaker vs. Magic: Hornets clinched
- Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Heat clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 8 seed
9. Orlando Magic (41-36)
- Tiebreaker vs. Heat: Magic clinched
- SportsLine projection: No. 10 seed
10. Miami Heat (40-37)
- SportsLine projection: No. 9 seed
Notable magic numbers
- Pistons’ magic number to clinch East’s No. 1 seed: 1
- Wolves’ magic number to clinch playoff spot: 2
- Thunder’s magic number to clinch West’s No. 1 seed: 4
- Hawks’ magic number to clinch playoff spot: 3
Sports
LPGA Chevron Championship: Nelly Korda takes five-shot lead into final day
World number two Nelly Korda saw her lead at the LPGA Chevron Championship cut to five shots despite equalling the event’s 54-hole scoring record.
After shooting two rounds of 65 on previous days, the 27-year-old American went round in 70 on Saturday to go 16 under par at Houston’s Memorial Park.
If Korda can get over the line on Sunday and win a second Chevron title in three seasons, it would take her to the top of the world rankings after the current world number one, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul, missed the cut.
Korda got off to a fine start too, with four birdies on the opening six holes but failed to break par on any more holes as she lacked precision on the greens.
“The front nine was great,” said Korda, who said she was going to spend time on the putting greens before Sunday’s final round of the first women’s major of 2026.
“Just got to reset and hopefully it goes my way tomorrow,” she added.
Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit hit a 69 so was able to claw back a shot and reduce Korda’s overnight six-stroke lead to five, despite a bogey on the 13th – her first of the tournament.
She sits on 11 under heading into the final day.
Pauline Bouchard of France is a further shot behind, alongside China’s Yin Ruoning, who scored a bogey-free 66, the joint-best round of the day.
Korda’s 54-hole score of 200 put her level with record holder Jennifer Kupcho, who was the third-round leader on 200 in 2022 – she went on to win by two strokes.
Sports
NFL undrafted free agent tracker 2026: Full UDFA signings by team

Oh, you though the madness was over? Think again. Yes, we just spent three days watching NFL teams make a total of 257 picks over the course of seven rounds, but the roster building process wages forward. With the 2026 NFL Draft over, teams will now round out their rosters by dipping into the free agent pool of prospects that did not hear their names called.
This is one of the more hectic periods of the offseason as there is typically a fast-paced bidding way to land them almost as soon as the draft concludes. Just because these players weren’t drafted, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should tune out what goes on at this juncture. There have been plenty of diamonds in the rough that have emerged as a UDFA to become legitimate contributors in the NFL, and have even found themselves wearing a gold jacket as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the dust settled.
Top 10 undrafted NFL free agents of common era, ranked
Tyler Sullivan

As the chaos begins, allow us to spare you from having to scroll through various feeds to figure out which teams signed which UDFA. Below, you can find a full list of the undrafted free agents and where they’ve decided to begin their NFL journeys.
This tracker will be updated in real time with signings from team announcements and reports.
2026 NFL Draft essentials
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
- Reid Williford — LB, Charlotte (NFL Media)
- Matthew McDoom — CB, Cincinnati (CBS Sports)
- Nick Dawkins — C, Penn State (CBS Sports)
- Cortez Braham — WR, Memphis (CBS Sports)
- Aaron Graves — DL, Iowa (CBS Sports)
- Joey Fagnano — QB, UConn (ESPN)
- Diego Pounds — OT, Ole Miss (CBS Sports)
- Jahquez Robinson — S, Auburn (KPRC 2 Houston)
- Silas Walters — S, Maiami (Ohio) (NFL Media)
- Ladarius Webb Jr. — S, Wake Forest (Baltimore Sun)
- Dontae McMillan — RB, Eastern Michigan (KPRC2)
- Octavion Smith Jr. — WR, Maryland (The Athletic)
- Trevonte Sylvester — OT, Louisville (NFL Media)
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
- Miller Moss — QB, Louisville (NFL Media)
- KC Eziomume — CB, Tulane (agent)
- Gabriel Plascencia — K, San Diego State (NFL Media)
- Hayden Large — TE, Iowa (CBS Sports)
- Skyler Thomas — S, Oregon State (USA Today)
- Caden Barnett — IOL, Wyoming (USA Today)
- Coleman Bennett — RB, Kennesaw State (USA Today)
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
- Jack Stonehouse — P, Syracuse (NFL Media)
- Noah Whittington — RB, Oregon (CBS Sports)
- Jalen Walthall — WR, Incarnate Word (CBS Sports)
- Collin Wright — CB, Stanford (ESPN)
- Sabastian Harsh — DE, NC State (KPRC2)
- Daniel Sobkowicz — WR, Illinois State (KPRC2)
- Stephen Hall — C, Missouri (KPRC2)
- James Neal III — OL, Iowa State (KPRC2)
- Treyvhon Saunders — WR, Colgate (KPRC2)
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Joey Aguilar — QB, Tennessee (CBS Sports)
- Jalen Hunt — DT, Cincinnati (ESPN)
- Ben Patterson — WR, Texas-Permian Basin (NFL Media)
- Alex Bullock — WR, South Dakota State (ESPN)
- Bryan Thomas Jr. — EDGE, South Carolina (USA Today)
- Trebor Pena — WR, Penn State (USA Today)
- Jimto Obidegwu — OL, North Texas (USA Today)
- Brady Boyd — WR, Utah State (USA Today)
- Devon Marshall — DB, NC State (USA Today)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Jaydn Ott — RB, Oklahoma (NFL Media)
- Pete Nygra — C, Louisville (CBS Sports)
- Xavier Nwankpa — S, Iowa (CBS Sports)
- Michael Gyllenborg — TE, Wyoming (ESPN)
- Josh Thompson — IOL, LSU (ESPN)
- Bryce Phillips — DB, San Diego State (ESPN)
- Wesley Bissainthe — LB, Miami (ESPN)
- VJ Anthony — EDGE, Duke (USA Today)
- Jeff Caldwell — WR, Cincinnati (USA Today)
- John Michael Gyllenborg — TE, Wyoming (USA Today)
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
- Avery Smith — CB, Toledo (NFL Media)
- Jerand Bradley — WR/TE, Kansas State (NFL Media)
- Isaiah World — OT, Oregon (CBS Sports)
- Greg Desrosiers — RB, Memphis (ESPN)
- Sincere Brown — WR, Colorado (ESPN)
- Lander Barton — LB, Utah (CBS Sports)
Los Angeles Rams
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
- Caullin Lacy — WR, Louisville (NFL Media)
- DT Sherffield — WR, Rutgers (NFL Media)
- Sam Scott — RB, Wyoming (ESPN)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Dae-Quan Wright — TE, Ole Miss (ESPN)
- Deontae Lawson — LB, Alabama (CBS Sports)
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
- Fred Davis — DB, Northwestern (NFL Media)
- Malik Spencer — S, Michigan State (ESPN)
- Tanoa Togiai — G, Utah (CBS Sports)
Sports
Why Did Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Leave The Field – RR Wonderkid In Pain, Big Injury Scare After Record Ton vs SRH In IPL 2026
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi appeared to be in considerable pain and had to be helped off the field after suffering an injury scare during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. The incident occurred during SRH’s chase of 229 runs, after Sooryavanshi’s brilliant century had helped RR post a formidable total. In the third over of the SRH chase, Sooryavanshi was running after a shot from Ishan Kishan when he suddenly slowed down and clutched his hamstring. He appeared to be in intense pain, and the team physio assisted him off the field.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is off the field due to injury! #IPL2026 #RRvSRH pic.twitter.com/LTce02epAE
— Rahul Yadav (@Rahul3kr) April 25, 2026
➡️ FIRST : Ayush Mhatre already ruled out from IPL 2026 due to hamstring injury.
➡️ NOW : Vaibhav Sooryavanshi out off the field due to hamstring cramp. pic.twitter.com/jV3ZV89rfK
— Maina Singh (@Maina_Singhx77) April 25, 2026
Earlier, following a whirlwind second Indian Premier League (IPL) century, Rajasthan Royals’ 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became both the youngest and fastest player to reach the 1,000-run mark in T20 cricket.
During the clash between two potential playoff contenders, Sooryavanshi wreaked havoc on the bowlers, powering his way to a 37-ball 103, which included five fours and 12 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 278.38.
He is the youngest player to reach 1,000 T20 runs at the age of 15 and also the fastest to the milestone in terms of balls faced, achieving the feat in just 473 balls. This puts him ahead of Australian rising star Mitchell Owen (533 balls) and late Australian legend Andrew Symonds (558 balls).
Sooryavanshi reached the milestone in his 26th innings, making him the fourth-fastest batter to 1,000 T20 runs in terms of innings played. Australian batters Brad Hodge and Shaun Marsh remain the fastest, having reached the milestone in just 23 innings.
Of the 1,069 batters who have aggregated 1,000 runs in T20s to date, Sooryavanshi is the only one with a 200-plus strike rate (212.2).
He is also the first uncapped batter to score two IPL centuries.
Additionally, he brought up his half-century in just 15 balls, marking his third IPL fifty in 15 balls or fewer. In doing so, he surpassed Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk, who had registered two such half-centuries during the 2024 season with Delhi Capitals.
With his 12 sixes in the innings, Sooryavanshi overtook Chennai Super Kings and India legend Murali Vijay, who had hit 11 sixes against the same opposition back in 2010.
In eight innings this season, Sooryavanshi has scored 357 runs at an average of 44.62 and a strike rate of 234.86, including one century and two half-centuries. At the time of writing, he holds the Orange Cap for most runs in the tournament.
Rajasthan Royals will need to defend their total of 229 runs to register their fifth win of the season, while SRH must chase down the target to secure their own fifth victory. Sooryavanshi (103 off 37 balls, with five fours and 12 sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (51 off 35 balls, with eight fours and a six) put their foot on the accelerator with a 112-run partnership. A late cameo from Donovan Ferreira (33 off 13 balls, with three fours and three sixes) helped RR finish strongly.
Eshan Malinga (2/38) was the pick of the bowlers for Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Pat Cummins, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, and Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up a wicket each. However, Sakib proved expensive, conceding 62 runs in his spell
Featured Video Of The Day
Tushar Deshpande’s Brilliant Final Act Ensures Thrilling Win For RR Over Gujarat Titans
Topics mentioned in this article
Sports
Terence Crawford names one fight he wants to see Gervonta Davis make happen this year
Terence Crawford has named the opponent he would “love” to see Gervonta Davis face upon his expected return to the sport.
The former world champion has not fought since March 2025, when many believed he was fortunate to come away with a draw against Lamont Roach.
Nevertheless, ‘Tank’ retained his WBA lightweight title and was set to face Roach in an immediate rematch, only to then negotiate an exhibition match with Jake Paul.
Rather than having a move around with the YouTuber-turned-boxer, though, Davis was forced to face allegations of domestic violence from his ex-partner, Courtney Rossel.
Since then, the 31-year-old has been named ‘champion in recess’ by the WBA, who have been urged by No.1 contender Floyd Schofield to either order their fight or present him with a vacant title opportunity.
Davis, however, has expressed more of an interest in rematching Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz at 140lbs, despite having outpointed the Mexican in 2021.
Crawford, meanwhile, has little desire to see ‘Tank’ face Schofield or Cruz, but would happily sit down and watch him collide with Shakur Stevenson.
Speaking with Danielle Pirrello, ‘Bud’ named the WBO world super-lightweight champion a perfect opponent for Davis, believing their potential encounter represents one of the best fights that can be made.
“I would love to see Shakur vs ‘Tank’ Davis.”
Stevenson has previously called out Davis on several occasions, while perhaps becoming increasingly doubtful that the Baltimore man will ever sign on the dotted line.
It is therefore unrealistic to expect an immediate fight between ‘Tank’ and Stevenson, especially after the latter’s dominant performance against Teofimo Lopez in January.
Sports
Angel Reese says she’d rather pay a fine than talk to media after games
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WNBA star Angel Reese appeared on Michelle Obama’s podcast earlier this week and opened up about feeling mistreated by fans and the media with the former first lady.
At one point during the interview, Reese admitted she would rather take a fine than speak to reporters after games.
“The media has not always been great for me. And I’ll take a fine. I’ll catch a fine, especially in a WNBA. I’ll have a fine before I have to go to media and feel like my back is against the wall,” Reese said, while Obama repeatedly expressed agreement.
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WNBA players are required by their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was just ratified weeks ago so players can get higher salaries, to be available to the media after games.
Failure to adhere to these rules can lead to fines, such as a $10,000 fine for skipping required sessions.

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese reacts after being fouled by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in May as Michelle Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago Aug. 20, 2024. (Getty Images)
Obama’s brother and former college basketball player Craig Robinson, who co-hosts the podcast, told Reese during the interview that the sports media tries to “manufacture some stuff.”
“Sports is like reality TV. The media wants to manufacture some stuff. And I just want you to know that I noticed how you’ve handled yourself, and it has been absolutely with aplomb,” Robinson said.
Reese later said she likes to turn her phone off when she arrives home after Obama asked her how she stays sane.
“I love being able just to come home and turn my phone off and just relax,” Reese said. “I think the maturity of just understanding like social media isn’t real. … Years prior, I would comment back at things and let things continue to bother me.”
CAITLIN CLARK RETURNS TO WNBA COMPETITION AFTER 2025 INJURY IN FEVER PRESEASON GAME

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese walks on the court during the second half against the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Sept. 3, 2025. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
Reese claimed she can’t even “go to the grocery store” anymore.
Obama previously commented on the attention surrounding Reese and her longtime rival Caitlin Clark in a podcast appearance last year.
During an August appearance on the podcast “All the Smoke with Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson,” Obama spoke during a group discussion about the impact of the Clark-Reese drama on the WNBA’s popularity, the impact on the players’ well-being and “hate” involved.
“I think the tough thing is the social media element to it. But that’s true across the board. I mean, we’ve talked about this on our show; it just takes a normal occurrence. These young kids today, what they have to go through, what they have to be able to withstand, because social media is such a huge part of the world,” Obama said.
“There’s the hate. But now the hate is in your room, on your phone with you all the time. And you can’t, for whatever reason, tell these kids to turn it off, because they’re making their living that way. I mean, now they are expected to stay engaged.
“So, I think that makes it feel even worse. But I think, as you point out, that’s happening in sports across gender. It’s just harder not to withstand other people’s horrible, horrible opinions.”
Obama, like her brother, previously compared ESPN to reality TV during an episode of her brother’s podcast “IMO” in July.
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Michelle Obama speaks onstage during a recording of the “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” podcast at the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas, March 13, 2025. (Julia Beverly/WireImage)
“It’s all a sociological study. They think that sports is better reality TV, I’m like, ‘It’s the same thing.’ If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like watching the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?” Obama said. “It’s the same drama, and they’re yelling at each other and they don’t get along, you know?”
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Sports
Canelo warned his route back to undisputed will be blocked: “I’m in his way”
Canelo Alvarez could be confronted with a path of considerable resistance if he attempts to become a three-time undisputed champion at 168lbs.
The 35-year-old has not fought since last September, when he lost his four major super-middleweight titles following a unanimous decision defeat to Terence Crawford.
Based on his performance, though, the Mexican is still capable of competing at world level, just not against a generational great such as Crawford.
But still, Canelo is set to secure a world title shot for his next outing, which is expected to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 12.
Among the names being mooted as possible opponents is Christian Mbilli, who was elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBC champion shortly after Crawford’s retirement.
Prior to that, the Frenchman had boxed to an enthralling 10-round draw with Lester Martinez, featuring on the undercard of Canelo-Crawford.
As for the other champions at 168lbs, there is also Jose Armando Resendiz and Osleys Iglesias, while Hamzah Sheeraz bids to collect the vacant WBO world title on May 23.
Standing in his way is Alem Begic, who the 26-year-old must defeat on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven before targeting a showdown with Canelo.
Eventually, though, Sheeraz does see himself squaring off against the four-division world champion, telling Ring Magazine that he could use the WBO belt as a bargaining chip.
“I must admit, it would be nice to get Canelo. And, obviously, it would be far more lucrative if I win the world title before that.
“I am sure his plan is to try and become undisputed [champion] again so, God willing, I become world champion on May 23. I’ll be in the way of him becoming undisputed [champion].
“Maybe we will end up fighting for all the belts. I feel like that fight can definitely flourish in the future.”
For an undisputed clash between Canelo and Sheeraz to materialise, the pair must respectively win their next outings and collectively dethrone the remaining champions in their division.
Sports
Patriots confirm ‘no contact’ with Mike Vrabel on Day 3 of draft after retracted ESPN report
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?
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.”
Sports
Sadiq Umar Scores as Valencia Edge Girona in Relegation Battle
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.
Sports
Blue Jays Latest, April 25
Blue Jays Latest, April 25
Sports
Vikings Use 1 Pick to Acquire 3 Running Backs
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.
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