This year, the NFL draft takes place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25 and will be held on the North Shore, including Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park. The Minnesota Vikings will join the festivities with the 18th overall pick — barring any trades — in the first round. Here we will look back at the Vikings’ draft history with the 18th overall pick.

Past Outcomes at No. 18 Shape Vikings’ 2026 Draft Outlook

Since entering the league in 1961 as an expansion team, the Vikings have selected with the 18th overall pick just three times. It has not been a position in which Minnesota has had much success. There is no Randy Moss, Randall McDaniel, or Alan Page in this list. However, some players spent several years in Minnesota with solid performances.

1994 – CB – Dewayne Washington 

The Vikings first selected with the 18th overall pick in 1994, and it was the most successful of the picks from this position to date. The Vikings selected North Carolina State cornerback Dewayne Washington, who would have an immediate impact. Washington started all 16 games as a rookie, on his way to All-Rookie team recognition, thanks to recording 75 tackles and 3 interceptions for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Washington played four seasons for Minnesota, always as a starter, and totaled 10 interceptions, 3 of which were returned for touchdowns.

He swapped Minnesota for Pittsburgh in 1998, signing with the Steelers as a free agent, where he was a starter for the next six seasons before winding down a long career with a year in Jacksonville and then in Kansas City. Washington ended his career having played 12 seasons and caught 31 interceptions, five of which were returned for TDs.

2005 – DE – Erasmus James

The Vikings drafted again in 2005, selecting defensive end Erasmus James. The least successful of these three draft picks, James’ career was defined by injuries that saw him out of the league after just four seasons.

His rookie season was the highlight, in which he showed promise, playing in 15 games and making 29 tackles, including 6 for loss, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 passes defended. The rear of his career (two more seasons in Minnesota and one in Washington) amounted to just 13 games with just 9 tackles (4 for loss) and 1 sack to show from them. James suffered ACL injuries in back-to-back seasons, and his career never recovered.

2019 – C – Garrett Bradbury

The final time in Vikings draft history that Minnesota selected at 18 was Garrett Bradbury in 2019. Minnesota reached to fill a glaring roster need, and it never quite worked out. He was a six-year starter in Minnesota, but his athleticism was a plus point in the running game.

His unfortunate habit of being completely run over by big interior pass rushers was a problem that never resolved itself. It led to the Vikings releasing him last year, and Bradbury found his way to the New England Patriots.

Bradbury played in the Super Bowl for the New England in February after spending the season as the team’s starting center. The old problems were still there, though, and they chose to trade him to the Chicago Bears in March.

Bradbury did provide one of the most memorable plays I’ve witnessed in a Vikings game. A Sean Mannion pass to TE Tyler Conklin, who was hit by two Green Bay defenders, causing the ball to be deflected into the air, was caught by Bradbury and turned into a 21-yard reception. Unfortunately, the sight of Bradbury lying on the floor after being squashed in pass protection is just as memorable.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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One of soccer’s historic powers has reached a once-unfathomable low. Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup after getting beat in a penalty shootout with 10 men at 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs on Tuesday.

Moise Kean scored early on for Italy but then Azzurri center back Alessandro Bastoni was sent off with a direct red card before the break and Bosnia substitute Haris Tabakovic equalized in the 79th to send the game into extra time at 1-1.

The defeat added more misery for Italy’s once-proud national team after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.

“It’s too easy to say what’s working and what’s not working,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “The fact is that Italy has failed to qualify for three World Cups. We’re having a tough time achieving our goals, both with the national team and with our clubs.” 
Bosnia won the shootout 4-1 and qualified for the first time since 2014 – its only previous appearance.

In the shootout, Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their spot kicks and U.S.-born Esmir Bajraktarevic converted the decisive penalty for Bosnia.

“We still don’t believe it – that we’re out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola said. “It’s upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families, and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.” 
In Tuesday’s other European playoff finals, Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic each qualified. Sweden beat Poland 3-2; Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0; and the Czechs beat Denmark in a shootout.

Italy’s latest ouster means that the 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 champions will go at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.

Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions. Although the Azzurri did win the European Championship in 2021.

Italy’s last World Cup knockout match was when it won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.

“We realize we’re in a huge crisis,” Italian soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina said.

The only other World Cup that Italy did not qualify for was in 1958.

Lost generationAn entire generation – basically anyone under 15 – has no memory of the last time Italy played in the World Cup: An elimination loss to Uruguay in 2014 in Brazil remembered for Luis Suarez’s bite of Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder.

None of Italy’s current players have participated in a World Cup finals.

The defeat will raise questions about the status of Gattuso, who took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.

The Azzurri then went on a six-match winning streak before losing again to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.

Gattuso’s Italy overcame a nervy scoreless first half to beat Northern Ireland 2-0 at home in last week’s playoff semifinals. But the Azzurri struggled even more against Bosnia inside the intimate but imposing 14,000-seat Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, which is surrounded by apartment towers overlooking the field.

“I want to personally apologize since we didn’t make it,” Gattuso said. “Today talking about my future is not important. Today it was important to get to the World Cup.” 
Gyokeres the savior 
Viktor Gyokeres has sent Sweden back to the World Cup.

The Arsenal striker scored in the 88th minute to earn the Swedes a 3-2 win over Poland, five days after netting a hat trick in the playoff semifinal victory over Ukraine.

Poland great Robert Lewandowski, at age 37, was hoping to qualify for what would likely have been his final World Cup.

Former Chelsea and West Ham coach Graham Potter was hired by Sweden last year – initially on a short-term deal – with one goal: to get the team to the World Cup. He has succeeded.

Sweden reached the quarterfinals in its last World Cup appearance, in 2018.

No dream debut for Kosovo 
Turkey will be in the United States’ group at the World Cup after winning 1-0 at Kosovo to reach soccer’s biggest stage for the first time since 2002.

The hosts were hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time, fewer than 10 years since the national team was out of the international soccer family.

It was in May 2016 that Kosovo and Gibraltar were voted into FIFA as its 210th and 211th member federations. That was eight years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.

Kosovo had the best chance of an entertaining first half but Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir pulled off a superb one-handed save to push Fisnik Asllani’s strike onto the crossbar.

Turkey got the breakthrough eight minutes into the second half. Kerem Akturkoglu got finest of touches to ensure Orkun Kokcu’s cross-shot went into the far bottom corner.

Long wait ended 
The Czech Republic reached its first World Cup since 2006 with a penalty shootout victory over Denmark following a 2-2 draw.

Michal Sadilek converted the winning spotkick in the 3-1 penalty shootout success. It was the Czech Republic’s second straight victory on penalties after also prevailing on spotkicks against Ireland in the semifinal.

Devin Haney’s father and trainer, Bill, had previously announced his next fight as locked in. Now, it has collapsed.

After winning the WBO welterweight world title last November against Brian Norman Jr, dropping the hard-hitting champion once on his way to a unanimous decision victory, Haney opened himself up to some of the most exciting match-ups in the sport.

147lbs has typically been one of the most thrilling divisions in the sport, and the current stars in and around the weight keep that tradition alive. Haney has made it his business to collect belts, so to do so in these new ranks he would have to target either Ryan Garcia, who holds the WBC, Rolando Romero, the WBA champ, or Lewis Crocker, who won the vacant IBF belt last year.

The most intriguing fight for fans would be a rematch with Garcia, who faced Haney back in 2023, winning on the night before the result was overturned to a no contest when it was found that he had failed a doping test.

That match-up seems set to marinate, however, and Haney entered talks with ‘Rolly’ Romero for a two-belt unification. Bill Haney had previously said it was a done deal for May 30 in Las Vegas, however it has become clear this week that the sides have failed to reach a final agreement.

Speaking on social media, Romero explained, in his opinion, why that is the case.

“I tried my absolute hardest to make this Devin fight. Gave him 50% of the split – of everything – and apparently it’s not enough money. It’s a unification, it’s on PBC, Amazon Prime, it’s a pay-per-view. On top of that, you get Amazon promoting it, PBC promoting, me promoting it. Because Devin cannot promote anything to save his life. We’re talking about dude who was on my undercard.

“It’s actually insane. Obviously he’s afraid to get hit. We say what [I] did to Ryan with no effort at all, so can you imagine what I’d do to Devin?”

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Haney hit back on social media, saying there was no financial guarantee in the fight contract, that ‘big money’ is not the same in his world as it is Romero’s, and that a 50/50 split was not realistic.

Both men now re-enter the market for their next fights, but a rematch with Garcia next now looks unlikely for Haney, with the WBC champion recently revealing he is set to face Teofimo Lopez

In 20 days, longtime Vikings executive Rob Brzezinski will select the newest group of Minnesota Vikings players in the draft. As always, the draft remains a mystery, although analysts all over the country seemingly want to make it official with mock draft darling Dillon Thieneman joining the club.

There are other scenarios that don’t include the safety and Alex Ballentine from Bleacher Report has a different idea for Minnesota’s first-round pick in a perfect world.

He wrote, “Injury concerns push Jermod McCoy to the Vikings at No. 18. Even getting their choice of McNeil-Warren or Thieneman would be great. They need to stock up on secondary talent to take on Caleb Williams, Jared Goff and Jordan Love.”

Minnesota’s second could certainly use an infusion of youth, as the youngest member of that group who’s expected to play a significant role is Jay Ward, who’s set to turn 26 in the summer. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has made it work with veterans and patchwork one-year solutions. The Vikings featured an outstanding pass defense in 2025.

At some point, however, developing some in-house talent certainly makes sense and McCoy or the safety duo could fit his unit.

McCoy is in the conversation to be the first corner taken this year despite missing the entire season due to a torn ACL suffered in January 2025. He then skipped the combine workouts, which raised some alarms.

This week, however, he posted a 4.38 40-yard dash with test scores in the jumping department that confirm his athleticism. In 13 games at Tennessee, McCoy registered 44 tackles and four interceptions.

ESPN’s Matt Miller noted on Friday, “The feedback I received from teams was that McCoy is back in the running for CB1. There were some questions even from the morning of the workout about what drills he would participate in. But he did everything, including positional drills.

“Teams love McCoy’s size (6-foot, 193 pounds) and his over 1-inch advantage in terms of arm length over Delane — 31¼ inches compared to 30 inches. And while Delane’s elite final season might keep him in the top spot, both players feel like top-12 locks.”

Mansoor Delane (LSU) is the other cornerback in the mix for CB1. He also sent strong signals at his pro day and he played in the final season of his collegiate career. In most mock drafts, both are drafted before the Vikings are on the clock at 18.

It should be noted that cornerbacks tend to fall on draft day unless they are elite prospects like Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley in 2022 and Devon Witherspoon in 2023. The top true corner (Travis Hunter went second overall) last year was Jahdae Barron at 20. In 2024, Quinyon Mitchell was selected 22nd.

That recent history lesson, paired with McCoy’s injury, could put him in range for the Vikings. At cornerback, the club employs Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers from last year and James Pierre was signed in free agency. Only Murphy is under contract beyond the 2026 campaign.

More secondary help could arrive in the form of a safety, as Ballentine alluded to. McNeil-Warren and Thieneman could both add talent to a room that is set to lose Harrison Smith either this year or in 2027. They have the versatility to be used in the box and deep, which is crucial in a Flores defense.

Thieneman turned heads at the scouting combine and his draft stock exploded that day with a 4.35 40-yard dash. He was the backbone of Oregon*s defense last year after starting his career at Purdue.

McNeil-Warren is the next player from Toledo’s DB school after Mitchell has established himself as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. He ran a 4.52, which is still good for a safety and he brings a bigger frame into the NFL.

The Vikings didn’t add a safety in free agency. Josh Metellus could step into an even bigger leadership role depending on Smith’s future, while rotational guys Theo Jackson and Jay Ward could also earn a promotion.

McCoy, Thieneman, and McNeil-Warren would be investments for the future but would likely still play meaningful roles in their rookie seasons.

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

The Los Angeles Lakers’ championship hopes just took a major hit.

NBA scoring leader Luka Dončić will miss the rest of the regular season with a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring, the team announced Friday.

It’s unclear what his status is for the postseason.

Dončić was the main reason the Lakers climbed into the third spot in the Western Conference standings. But an injury to his leg during Los Angeles’ blowout loss in Oklahoma City Thursday has taken that all away after an MRI exam revealed the severity of the strain.

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Lakers coach JJ Redick said Dončić was injured in the first half against the Thunder but was cleared to return to the game while his team was getting plastered by the defending NBA champion Thunder. 

Dončić lasted only about four minutes before he spun, stopped and went down on the court in pain, leading to his departure.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić controls the ball against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center March 21, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)

The Lakers acquired Dončić in a surprising and controversial trade in February 2025, when the Dallas Mavericks sent the Latvian superstar, along with Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to LA in exchange for 31-year-old Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. The move left many fans and pundits puzzled, believing the trade was lopsided in favor of the Lakers.

The Pacific Division champion Lakers (50-27) have just five games left before the postseason, starting Sunday at Dallas.

Grade 2 hamstring strains sometimes require several weeks of recovery, but Dončić also has prior experience with hamstring issues. He missed four games right before the All-Star break with another left hamstring strain but returned to the lineup after the break.

LAKERS STAR LUKA DONČIĆ SAYS HE’S IN A CUSTODY BATTLE WITH FIANCÉE OVER DAUGHTERS

Guard Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a foul call in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Nov. 25, 2025. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News/Getty Images)

Dončić is putting up spectacular numbers in his first full season with the Lakers, who acquired the Slovenian superstar from the Mavericks last season. 

He is averaging 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game for Los Angeles, and he was named the NBA’s Western Conference player of the month for March after racking up 13 consecutive 30-point performances, including seven 40-point games, a 51-point barrage against Chicago and a 60-point masterclass in Miami.

Dončić scored 600 points in March, becoming only the 10th player in NBA history to hit that mark in a single month. While LeBron James and Austin Reaves have also played well down the stretch, the Lakers depend on Dončić, who either scored or assisted on 58% of their total points in March.

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić controls the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena in Atlanta Nov. 8, 2025. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)

The Lakers’ regular-season finale is next Sunday, April 12, at home against Utah. Their first-round playoff series is expected to start the following weekend.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar has achieved what no other captain of the franchise had managed since the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 – leading the side to an IPL title. Under Patidar, RCB created history by winning the IPL in 2025. The start to their title defence has been impressive as well, with RCB beating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the opener. After the match, Patidar took part in a fun rapid-fire question round. He was asked several questions, and the following were his responses.

Best batter: Virat Kohli 

Best captain: Rohit Sharma

Best fielder: Faf du Plessis 

Best away ground: Eden Gardens 

Best cover drive player: Virat Kohli 

Best fast bowler: Dale Steyn 

Best spinner: Sunil Narine

Best finisher: AB de Villiers

Best death over bowler: Jasprit Bumrah

Best dressed teammate: Virat Kohli

Best music taste: Romario Shepherd

Rajat Patidar’s picks in the IPL:

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Best Captain – Rohit Sharma.

Best batter – Virat Kohli.

pic.twitter.com/bF3DCuUe8W

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 2, 2026

Earlier, Patidar praised Virat Kohli as the team’s top “chase master.” He said he has always admired Kohli’s batting and enjoys watching him from the dugout, highlighting his shot selection and ability to read match situations as particularly impressive.

Kohli played a match-winning, unbeaten knock of 69 off 38 deliveries, including five fours and as many sixes, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, helping the defending champions chase down the fastest 200-plus target in IPL history. Bengaluru chased down the 202-run target in just 15.4 overs in the IPL 2026 opener.

“Virat Kohli is our number one chase master, as we all know. I have always admired his batting, and watching him bat from the dugout-the way he played his shots and assessed the situation-was really good to see,” Patidar told reporters.

Patidar also lauded RCB speedster Jacob Duffy as a skilled T20 specialist, saying the team has full confidence in him and that his bowling performance and execution have been excellent.

“He’s a specialist T20 bowler, and we have a lot of confidence in him. That’s why we’ve given him a chance. The way he’s delivering and showcasing his skills has been tremendous,” he added.

Duffy took three wickets to help RCB beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets and get their IPL 2026 campaign off to a winning start. He was also named Player of the Match for his impressive spell with the ball

Accor Stadium will play host to Friday’s
Round 5 NRL game between South Sydney Rabbitohs and
Canterbury Bulldogs. The game kicks off at 4:05 pm with South Sydney Rabbitohs heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the South Sydney Rabbitohs vs.
Canterbury Bulldogs
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday April 3, 2026 at 4:05 pm

Where: Accor Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury Bulldogs Odds

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury Bulldogs Preview

South Sydney face Canterbury in a clash that pits attacking flair against defensive grit. The Rabbitohs’ ability to create opportunities through their spine remains a key strength, while the Bulldogs will rely on structure and resilience. Field position and completion rates are likely to shape the outcome, with both sides aiming to control tempo. Expect a competitive contest, with momentum swings and pressure moments playing a decisive role. This encounter provides a valuable measure of both teams’ early-season form.

Shreyas Iyer (BCCI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings registered an impressive five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2026 clash at Chepauk, chasing down a big target of 210 with confidence. Despite CSK putting up a strong total, PBKS handled the pressure better and sealed their second straight victory of the season.After being put in to bat, CSK built their innings around a solid partnership between Ayush Mhatre and Ruturaj Gaikwad. The duo added 96 runs for the second wicket, giving the team a strong platform.