AUGUSTA, Ga. — One of Augusta National’s greatest tricks is changing without you ever knowing.

The 13th tee box was seamlessly moved back 35 yards three years ago, cozying up in a corner that was previously wooded. That same year, storms knocked over a few trees, although the next morning you would have never guessed. Greens are often stripped down and rebuilt. New buildings pop up here or there.

And the latest, Houdini-like wizardry?

The massive three-story Player Services Building, which was not here last year but looks like it’s been on property for decades.

“Shoot,” says a security guard stationed near it on Monday, “you can’t even get a house built that quick.”

On Monday, the first official day of Masters week, it was the newest curiosity among Masters regulars (badge holders) or those familiar with the property. It sits behind the range in an area that used to be player parking, which, get this, is now beneath the building.

It has pretty much everything a pro golfer would ever need and a bunch of things they actually don’t but are happy to use anyway. (Doug Ferguson of the AP first reported details last week.) There’s large dining areas and a bar with TVs, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and the recovery room has physical therapists tables, cold plunges, a sauna room and hot tub. All of it, mind you, has subtle nuggets of Masters history at every corner. Thought went into every detail.

“It’s world class, just like what we’ve come to expect of Augusta National,” said Cameron Smith. “We wouldn’t have thought it would be anything different. It’s pretty spectacular. The locker room is great. The dining room is great. The gym is great. There’s no flaws. Everyone is really happy with it.”

Smith said his favorite part is the new locker room, which is expansive and even has a handy charger for his TrackMan. He also likes the recovery facility downstairs, which he calls “pretty special,” and you’ll have to take his word for it, because you’ll likely never see it. The badge color needed to access the newest and coolest new building at Augusta National is Gold, Yellow or Yellow Block. If you are reading this, you’re probably not allowed. It’s only for players, their families, coaches, caddies and trainers.

But despite all the bells and whistles, what’s most impressive is the fact that this behemoth of a building looks like it’s been there for years. The pine straw and landscaping and bushes and trees surrounding it look like they’ve been there all along. It all fits. And, surprisingly enough, it doesn’t look cluttered. Martha Stewart would be impressed.

Advertisement

From the back of the range, which is open to the public, there’s a stone retaining wall and black metal railing that separates it from the building. Not ironically, it’s difficult to see into the Player Services Building but easy to see out of it, like from the outdoor terrace that overlooks the range.

Someone mentioned to a security guard that the structure definitely was not there last year.

“You are right, it wasn’t!” he said. “It’s the one you have been reading all about.”

The main reason for its addition is because it gives players closer access to the locker room from the range, not to mention lots more space than the previous one, plus five-star amenities and conveniences. They can step out the security-lined front door, hop in a cart and go up to the clubhouse, where they can walk under the famous big tree and start their round. Or, after their day is done, they can reverse course and recuperate there.

After his practice round on Monday, Min Woo Lee disappeared behind the clubhouse, walked along a path and plopped into a golf cart driven by a volunteer, who asked him where he was headed.

“Player Services Building,” he said.

We totally would too.

You can reach the author at joshua.berhow@golf.com.

“>

Michigan basketball wasn’t considered the favorite to win the national championship at the outset of the season. Yes, Dusty May brought in a bevy of transfers, including star forward Yaxel Lendeborg. But it still wasn’t thought of as a team that was going to dominate the way it did.

Yet, at the end of the final Monday of the college basketball season, it was the Michigan Wolverines cutting down the nets, after beating UConn, 69-63.

Advertisement

After the game, head coach Dusty May, most outstanding player Elliot Cadeau, Lendeborg, and Trey McKenney met with the media to discuss the big win and the team’s first national championship since the 1989 season. Here is everything they had to say.

Opening statement

DUSTY MAY: Yeah, what a way to wrap up the ’25-26 college basketball season with this group. I want to begin by thanking last year’s team.

At Michigan, we came up a little bit short, but those guys laid the foundation, established an identity for us, and also helped attract these guys to come in and chase this stream together. And secondly, I want to thank our FAU guys, the team, and staff that really, really, this is one time I’ll make it about me, that really helped us grow together. And that was the first time I’d been with a group that was truly sacrificial, where we were about each other. And because of that, we all improved so much, and this team’s done the same thing.

Advertisement

It’s when you bring a group that’s talented together, and they decide from the beginning that they’re gonna do it this way, and they never waver, and they never change, that’s probably the most uncommon thing in athletics now, and it’s a tribute to their character, but also those in their circles around them. Their coaches, their parents, their mentors, they allowed these guys to give themselves up for the group, and it’s never guaranteed, but for these guys to cut down the nets after all they sacrifice is pretty special.

The game wasn’t a typical Michigan game in terms of your shooting, assists, three points, almost none of that was going on. How did you guys find a way to sort of shift your game in the middle of the game to almost a wholly different identity and still win?

ELLIOT CADEAU: You know, all year we’ve been just finding ways to win, and we made two 3s the whole game. We wasn’t making shots. We weren’t. Like, we had a couple assists, not as many as we usually do, but we constantly just been finding ways to win all year, no matter how everybody’s playing.

YAXEL LENDEBORG: To piggyback off of that, yeah. Early on in the season, we went through our struggles offensively, trying to find our rhythm, was stuck out, and what really brought us together was how, you know, unselfish we were eventually in those moments and our defensive toughness, you know, and whenever offense isn’t rolling, we find a way to make plays with our defense and make it lead to quick offense.

Advertisement

When did you know you were gonna go? What percentage were you at, and were you a little bit tentative early, a little bit scared to move on that much?

YAXEL LENDEBORG: Yeah, I knew I was gonna go as soon as I got back on the court, the first game. I knew there was no way I was gonna miss this game, no matter what was going on. I was very tentative this game. Yeah, I felt like I was pretty much holding our team down. I feel like we could have been up by way more early in the game, later on in the game. I kept having opportunities to make plays, and I couldn’t make the play, but these guys stuck with me no matter what. They all believed in me. I was trying to push through my mental and physical battle. I was dealing with myself, but, you know, these guys really helped me out and helped me push through.

There was a time late in the second half, you came out, you looked frustrated.I saw it on a TV monitor. LJ kind of was motivating you at that moment. Since he had that, a similar injury — perhaps share that conversation and what he has meant to you.

YAXEL LENDEBORG: Yeah, he was, he was telling me to stop being so hard on myself, you know, he was basically saying like, I’m one of the reasons why we’re here, like one of the biggest reason that we got to this moment, you know, and nobody’s gonna, you know, downplay me or what I’ve done this year because of one bad game. So, you know, he just kept telling me to keep going no matter what, he believes in me. All of us, all the rest of the team has my back no matter what, you know, just find a way to get easy buckets, you know. Coach Joyner also came to me and talked to me about the Anthony Davis game, where he was having a bad game, and he found a way to, you know, impact the team. So, I just tried to find a way to do something to help the team out, and eventually it started working out.

Advertisement

Elliot, when you came here to this tournament, everybody was forecasting who would be the most valuable player of the tournament, and such, and when you got the trophy, that trophy right there is what means the most to you, but what did it mean to you to be honored like that?

ELLIOT CADEAU: Man, it means the world to me, like, I’m just so proud of myself where I came from, like, last year I was really down on myself. A lot of people doubted me, and I’m just so proud of myself for me to be able to say I was the most outstanding player and win a national championship at the same time.

What did you guys see when you first got together where you started talking about winning championships when you maybe barely even knew each other, and you didn’t know what you still had in you coming here? Where did that come from?

ELLIOT CADEAU: Yeah, I just saw so much talent around me since day one and just like a unique, a unique set of talent, like three bigs at the same time. Switching one through four, I just seen like a unique type of basketball that we was playing and I knew like it would be a mismatched nightmare for every single team that we played and it was this year.

Advertisement

Elliot, your job obviously changed when LJ went down. A lot more responsibility on you, and somehow you went from there to these last two games playing maybe the two best games you’ve played all year. Can you explain that journey, how you were able to traverse that through the course of this month?

ELLIOT CADEAU: Yeah, I feel like I’ve been playing the same from when LJ went down. I feel like I just got the ball more, and I just played more minutes, and I just had higher usage. So it seems like my stats were higher, but you know, I think LJ, I thank LJ for even if he’s out, he’s still supporting us. He’s still, he’s literally an assistant coach out there, and it just inspires me to go out there and just play for him.

You transferred in at the start of this season. What have you seen in terms of your fit with the rest of the team, and how have you seen yourselves grow since you become a part of this Michigan team?

YAXEL LENDEBORG: Man, once we transferred in, I know, especially for me, the whole University of Michigan welcomed me with open arms. You know, I’ve seen many, many Twitter arguments that these guys are going back and forth with everybody saying like, you know, we deserve the spot here, and they’re going to cherish every moment of us being here. And shout out to Will, Roddy, Nimari, LJ, especially those guys. Once we all got together, they were super genuine with us the whole way. They tucked us in under the wing, and they showed us the Michigan way. They could have easily got butthurt or something because the new guys were coming in, stealing their minutes, stealing their points, but you know, they didn’t care. All they cared about was winning and, you know, look where it led us, you know.

Advertisement

Yaxel, now that you have a championship trophy, can you tell us a little bit more about the injury? Are you going to need follow-up surgery, follow-up consultation? Is there any, what did it take to get back on the court tonight?

YAXEL LENDEBORG: I hope I didn’t mess anything up any more than I already was. I’m going to find that out in a couple of days, you know, once we finish celebrating, but man, it took a lot to get on the court, honestly, and to stay on there. I was dealing with a lot of mental issues today, you know.

These guys all, you know, leaned in on me and helped me out, helped me dig out, dig myself out the hole, man, and, you know, just continue to keep fighting, you know. Chris, shout out to him because he was with me pretty much all day, all night, trying to make sure that I was even 60, 50 percent able to play, you know, and I did the best I could regardless of the outcome, but it feels really, really good to be a champion, to be on top of the world, man.

What about your teammates just makes you the most proud to say that you won a national championship with them?

TREY MCKENNEY: I think just the way throughout the season, I mean, everybody on this team is extremely talented and for us to be able to, you know, sacrifice something for ourselves, I mean, a lot of us, you know, could be somewhere else, you know, doing more than what we’ve done this season, but I think it just shows that this team is super selfless and I’ve never been around such a, you know, such a talented group of guys that, you know, are willing to take a lesser role for somebody next to them. So I’m just really grateful to be around this team and, you know, I’m going to cherish this moment for the rest of my life.

Advertisement

It took you a very long time in your career to get to a point where you could pick your next move, essentially. What made you think that you could do it at Michigan and do it quickly once you got to that point?

DUSTY MAY: I want to, Elliot beat me to it. L.J. Cason was playing as well as any backup guard in all the country and probably playing as well as anyone on our roster. And at Illinois, he’s hooping and has the most floor-to-man injury in the history of injuries. And the next day, you would think he retired and took over an assistant coaching spot. His spirits were up. He’s immediately pouring into the guys, trying to learn, pick their brain, because he had a different perspective. And that’s very indicative of this team. He never one day brought negative energy because he felt sorry for himself. And for Elliot to shout him out, beat me to it, is pretty impressive as well.

The toughest part about jobs, and this has always been my opinion, because I’ve just taken jobs. My wife used to get angry with me because I’d just call her and say, hey, what do you think? Do you mind if I take this job? For whatever reason. And so now, you don’t get a chance to really go feel the place and see it. And even FAU, I went to see it. And before I’d see anything, I’d already signed the contract. That’s how impulsive I am, whatever the case. So yeah, Anna will give you a better background than me on all this stuff. And living in Ypsilanti, when I was a young assistant in Eastern Michigan, I wasn’t that familiar with Michigan other than ’89 and being a fan of the game. And just the feelings that people had, the pride they had in the university. I just thought that was really, really cool.

We thought it was a great time to get back to the Midwest. We were to stage our life, or we were empty nesters and just wanted something different. And then just felt like Michigan was a place, ultimately, with the changing landscape, that we could retain really good players, even if it wasn’t going great for them. It was going to be hard to leave. And even Tarris is a great example. He had options to go anywhere in the country. And it was difficult for him, based on my conversations, it was difficult for him to leave the University of Michigan and the relationships that he had made and all the people that poured into him. So I just felt like that’s the type of place that I’d love to coach at.

Advertisement

You talk a lot about doing something eternal. You’re around Terry Mills a lot. What do you think this accomplishment is going to do for this group the rest of their lives and beyond?

DUSTY MAY: It further strengthens their bond. And we didn’t need this for that to happen because of their actions all year. But to hang a, we called this, we talked about it early in the season, a center banner. Like we have a lot of, Michigan’s got a proud tradition. There’s a lot of banners on the side. There’s one lonely banner up in the middle. And if we were having a bad practice or we didn’t have our edge, we would remind them that if we’re ever going to hang another banner so that would have some company, then we can’t have these type of days or we can’t have these type of practices. And usually, that was one way that we could refocus our group.

It seemed like this was a really unusual blueprint to try to win free throws, blocks, and steals. That’s not kind of the Michigan thing. Were you conscious of that was the way you were going to have to do it?

DUSTY MAY: Yeah, we taught, early in games, we can tell how the game’s being played. And so then we talk about how we have to adjust, and we have to figure out solutions based on how they’re guarding us and all the things. We actually thought the basket would open up a little bit in the second half.

Advertisement

We felt like we were going to make shots in the second half. We generated, I think there were two 3s in the first half that we didn’t really love those attempts. And you’re not going to love them all. The rest of them we thought were really good offense, and the ball just didn’t go in. And so we just were trying not to result in all that we do and just stay with the process and evaluate the contributions and how it felt.

And so then early in the second half, the game got a little bit chippy and physical. And so we thought this is going to be a game. We just have to figure it out. We started going offensive, defensive early. Offensive, defensive substitutions early. And UConn was dominating us on the glass. Credit to them. They were motivated and determined as any team we played on the offensive glass. But we did feel like we were defending well enough that we were going to be able to find enough baskets.

A lot of the players just now we’re talking about your assistant coaches being so instrumental in getting them ready in-game before the game. Can you talk about your cohesive coaching staff and how much credit was to them to getting you guys to this point winning this national championship?

DUSTY MAY: I could go on until tomorrow. That’s one of our secret sauces is we have an incredibly talented group of coaches that never make it about themselves. Look, this is an ego-driven business.

Advertisement

This is a lot of alpha males with great egos, and that’s why they’re successful doing what they do. And these guys have made our players the number one, two, and three priority from day one over their own careers, over their own individual attention and accolades and things like that. And so just it’s hard for our players not to follow the team, which is the staff, when they’re modeling that behavior every day. And they deserve a big, big, big chunk of credit for this.

Dusty, I think from the public standpoint anyway, you brought in Elliot before even the three bigs. And so even he said he doubted himself. The team he played on last year did not have a great year. Other than assists, he did not have a great year. What did you see in him that you thought he could get you to this moment?

DUSTY MAY: That’s a great question. We had seen him in prep ranks, and we had seen him in high school ranks, and we felt like we needed a quarterback, a pass-first quarterback on the floor at all times. And with Elliot, once we got him, we were able to sell him. And even I coached Sean May years ago in AAU basketball. And so I called Sean, and he gave me all the intel and everything on the background. And I just said, “Let me ask you one question. Would 17, 18-year-old Sean May, who was a McDonald’s American NBA player, All-American, all of it, would he want to play with ElliottCadeau?’ And he said explicative, yeah, absolutely. Let’s go.

And I said, that’s all I need to know because Sean is one of the smartest, best players I’ve ever been around. And so I valued his opinion that much. And that was a stamp on the intangibles and whether I thought we could win this with him. Because on film it was there. He’s a savant, and he’s brilliant. And so he’s made us better coaches, and hopefully we’ve helped him become a better player.

Advertisement

You talked there about Elliott, but the group as a whole, when you’re putting it together, you never really know for sure. How rewarding is it to have it turn out this well?

DUSTY MAY: I think the most rewarding part is they never changed. Like this came, we weren’t very good early in the year. The first two exhibitions, we beat St. John’s, but they weren’t St. John’s yet. And then we didn’t play well. And at that point we considered pivoting and changing our lineup and going a different direction and maybe admitting failure for our vision. And because of our staff, I remember the day like it was yesterday, we’re in the conference room and we did a deep dive and everything that you could come up with to try to predict whether we thought that would work.

And once we left that meeting, we were more committed than ever that this is going to work and these are the reasons why. Now we didn’t feel like we were; it was like bamboo. We didn’t feel like the bamboo was just going to shoot to the sky the next week in Vegas, but it did and then that happens quickly when we’re playing at that level.

And that’s typically when it gets more difficult. I’ve been on assist on staffs when you play like that, and that’s when it really gets tough because there’s more tension. There’s more of everything coming at your guys, and for them not to waver on how they I guess continue to give. To me, that’s probably the hardest part and most rewarding thing that these guys did.

Advertisement

I wondered what is it like to coach at a program where you have that type of fan support? And also when you came to the Final Four when you were young, did you ever sit in those really bad seats when you were a coach that was making no money or trying to get in?

DUSTY MAY: No, I never had tickets. I never attended a game until Mike Davis made it in 0-2 and at that time he had already offered me a position on the staff, even though he didn’t have one yet, coming from USC. So we played in the same regional.We got upset by UNC Wilmington and he created a position to bring me back home. But in that process they continued to advance and so he got me great tickets right behind the team and started that process of acclimating to their program. So that was the only time I ever went.

So yeah, the tickets, all these people that pay hard-earned money and give us their time to support us, it’s appreciated. We’re very, very grateful.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: What Dusty May, players said after Michigan basketball championship

Such was Gyokeres’ influence in the green half of Lisbon after joining from Coventry City in 2023 (97 goals in 102 matches) that only three footballers in Portuguese history have a better goals-per-game ratio than him: Fernando Peyroteo (526 goals in 325 matches), Eusebio (475 goals in 452 matches) and Mario Jardel (239 goals in 250 matches).

“He was one of the best, if not the best, deals in their history,” Sporting legend and former Portugal international Ricardo Sa Pinto told BBC Sport.

“First, in footballing terms, without a doubt a top signing – one of the most impressive players Sporting have ever had. Then financially as well.

“At the time, people were a bit apprehensive – paying around 20m euros for a Coventry player, with no real track record or CV. He had talent, everyone could see that, but still.

“So full credit must go to the recruitment department, because they identified a huge opportunity. Of course, we would all have liked him to stay, but at 26 or 27, after two great seasons, it’s natural for a player to want to move to another league, a different level, with different objectives.”

Despite all that, it remains to be seen how Sporting fans will welcome Gyokeres, 27, back following a tumultuous summer involving his Arsenal move.

“It was sad. But there was nothing I could have done differently. It wasn’t something I could control,” the forward has said.

Until the deal was finalised, the Swede failed to report for pre-season, missed several training sessions and refused to return to Lisbon.

“He should still be welcomed with a huge ovation and real gratitude from all of us. Of course, departures are always complicated,” Sa Pinto said.

“There was a bit of a stand-off at the time, with the club defending its interests – that doesn’t mean, though, that they didn’t like him, and the fans obviously do like him and understand the situation.”

A recent poll by CNN Portugal/Mais Futebol found 50% of Sporting’s supporters believe Gyokeres should be applauded on his return. The answer will come on Tuesday night.

Sporting boss Rui Borges said he was “sure” Gyokeres will be welcomed by fans because he “marked the history of Sporting, and he deserves this acknowledgement”.

“He had the ambition, and after talking to the management, they came to an understanding so ultimately everything that happened was correct for both sides,” added Borges.

“He wanted to take that step in his career and we respect that.”

Social media was sounding off late Monday and early Tuesday, following Michigan men’s basketball’s 69-63 win over UConn in the NCAA Tournament national-championship game.

Among the highlights …

Former President Obama, a big basketball fan:

Deontay Wilder gave his career an adrenaline boost this past weekend, beating Derek Chisora in London to put himself back in the mix at a high level.

Many felt that Wilder, once the long-reigning WBC heavyweight world champion, had given everything he had to the sport. Defeats against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang in which the American looked unable to land his trademark right hand worried fans, but a spirited performance against Chisora showed there is still plenty of desire.

After knocking the Brit down twice and winning a split decision, Wilder said he intended to ‘clean up the division.’ Speaking to TalkSPORT about a long awaited clash with fellow former champion Anthony Joshua, the knockout artist from Tuscaloosa, Alabama said now was the time.

“Hey baby, now it’s time to shut up or put up. I’m willing, ready and able. A healed Wilder is a dangerous Wilder. I’ll come anywhere in the world to fight.”

The pair of power punchers have been on a long and frustrating parallel run in the division after failing to make an undisputed fight when Wilder held the WBC and Joshua the WBA, WBO and IBF. Another attempt to match them up recently collapsed when Wilder lost to Parker.

Now, with a growing sense of urgency given this is the final chapter of both careers and no real political or ranking obstacles in the way, the clash may be more likely than ever.

Things are rarely that simple in boxing, however, and an injury to Wilder’s hand may be the factor that could block the fight again. Joshua is expected to return towards the end of the summer – likely too soon for Wilder – before targeting another highly-anticipated clash with Tyson Fury.

In terms of other options, Wilder may have also fought himself back into the conversation for a shot at unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian had previously expressed an interest in the fight – looking to beat every big name from his generation – before instead signing to fight kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven.

Antoine Griezmann’s Barcelona story ended in the depths of misery but as he returns to Camp Nou in the Champions League quarter-finals, the French forward is desperate to close out his time with Atletico Madrid on the greatest of highs. Diego Simeone’s side, defeated in the 2014 and 2016 finals, have never lifted the trophy and veteran forward Griezmann, who will move to MLS side Orlando City at the end of the season, has not won a trophy with Atletico since the 2018 Europa League and subsequent UEFA Super Cup.

Griezmann switched Atletico for Barca in 2019, lasting just two years in the Catalan capital before returning to Simeone’s side on loan, and making the return permanent in 2022.

During that short stint in Barca colours Griezmann missed out on Atletico’s La Liga title win in 2021, a trophy that has eluded him through his career.

At Barca he was on the receiving end of the brutal 8-2 thrashing by Bayern in the 2020 Champions League quarter-finals, and failed to fit into the team alongside Lionel Messi.

Griezmann wants to leave Atletico, where he is the all-time top scorer with 211 goals, with major silverware in his hands at last, to add to the 2018 World Cup he won with France.

The first step towards that, since announcing the decision to depart last week, is at Camp Nou on Wednesday in the fifth meeting between Atletico and Barca this season.

Orlando wanted him to join by the end of March, but Griezmann said he would stay at Atletico, in no small part for a final shot at biggest trophy in the club game, as well as the Copa del Rey final.

The 35-year-old, one of Simeone’s very greatest soldiers during the coach’s 14-year reign, combined the work ethic the Argentine demanded with immense skill and quality.

“Griezmann is a maverick, it’s unbelievable how he plays football,” enthused Barca coach Hansi Flick last week. “It seems so light, it’s like he’s dancing.”

‘Something big’

Griezmann may not have won as many trophies as he would have liked, but has often dazzled with his elegance and vision.

“I hope we can do something big,” said Griezmann after helping Atletico crush Spurs 5-2 in the last 16 first leg, netting his side’s second goal.

Griezmann has rocked Barca before, scoring twice in the 2016 quarter-finals a decade ago to send Atletico through and knock out Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and Co, although that campaign ended in tears in the Milan final at the hands of rivals Real Madrid.

After Griezmann started in the 2-1 La Liga defeat by Barca on Saturday, there is the chance he may be used from the bench on Wednesday.

For much of this season Simeone has been sparing with his minutes, perhaps tipping him towards the decision to leave.

Another Atletico player who might one day follow the Frenchman’s path to Barcelona is striker Julian Alvarez, who is likely to start at Camp Nou and has been frequently linked with the Catalans.

The Argentine caused consternation in the Spanish capital earlier this season when he said “maybe yes, maybe no” over whether he was planning to stay at the club beyond the summer.

Barca, still not in a healthy financial position, may not be able to produce the hefty transfer fee the Rojiblancos would demand, after Alvarez arrived from Manchester City for £81.5 million ($108m) in 2024.

Alvarez has had a mixed bag of a season, but Simeone has repeatedly backed the forward who is in better form after a winter drought.

“Thank God he is back,” said Simeone after Alvarez netted against Barca in a 4-0 win in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg in February, with Griezmann also on target as Barca collapsed at the Metropolitano stadium.

Five-time winners Barca may be favourites for the tie but between Griezmann’s desire for a grand finale and Alvarez’s chance to dazzle his suitors, Atletico have the tools they need to cause an upset.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Featured Video Of The Day

IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss

The Minnesota Vikings spent a 3rd-Round pick on a wide receiver last year, and they might be on their way to doing it again if the draft rumor mill is on point. Minnesota met with Georgia State pass-catcher Ted Hurst a couple of weeks ago, and according to SI.com, he’s the main developmental prospect for the Vikings to target in 2.5 weeks.

Minnesota may still need another receiver, and Hurst checks the box as a late-round project with size.

Hurst currently ranks 76th on the Consensus Big Board, making him absolutely gettable for the purple team.

Hurst Fits the Vikings’ Search for More WR Depth

From somewhere, the Vikings may need one more WR for the regular season.

Hurst Picked as Vikings’ Top Development Fit

SI.com‘s Justin Melo sized up one development rookie for each NFL team on Monday, with Hurst getting the shoutout for Minnesota. Melo explained, “The Minnesota Vikings lost their No. 3 wide receiver Jalen Nailor to free agency. It won’t be a high priority, given Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison form one of the better duos in the NFL.”

“Third-round sophomore Tai Felton only had three receptions last year. Enter Ted Hurst, a small-school threat from Georgia State with a dynamic vertical skill set. Hurst was incredible at the NFL Combine, running a 4.42 and leaping an 11-foot-3 broad jump at 6-foot-3. He’s a downfield winner.”

Hurst has also been frequently connected to the Miami Dolphins in the mock-draft cycle, with The Draft Network‘s Jaime Eisner picking him in Round 3 last week: “Getting a live look at Ted Hurst at the Panini Senior Bowl cemented his status as a day-two prospect. At nearly 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, he pairs prototype size with unexpected short-area agility.”

“He operates as a refined route-runner, boasting the massive catch radius and contested-catch reliability you covet in a bigger target. He’s not a burner and needs to work on playing to his size with the ball in his hands, but he can develop into a long-term WR2-caliber player for the Dolphins.”

The Vikings’ Current WR Group

If Minnesota turns the Hurst visit into a draft pick and doesn’t add another free agent, the wide receiver room this summer would shape up like this:

• Justin Jefferson
• Jordan Addison
• Tai Felton
• Ted Hurst
• Myles Price
• Jeshaun Jones
• Dontae Fleming
• Joaquin Davis

With this group, the Vikings would merely have to hope that Felton or Hurst would be game-ready by Week 1. Otherwise, a free-agent signing would be necessary.

The Skinny on Hurst

Hurst, at 6’3″ and 195 pounds, uses his size to his advantage, especially when making contested catches. His game is built on strength and body control. However, his route running could be improved; he doesn’t consistently separate from defensive backs, which will likely impact his future role.

He banked 127 catches for 1,965 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 24 games. Not bad.

NFL Draft Buzz on Hurst: “Hurst fits best as a ‘Z’ receiver in an offense that uses motion and formation variety to manufacture free releases. That matters early in his career because press coverage remains a real problem, and NFL corners will be stronger and more disciplined than anything he saw in the Sun Belt.”

“His speed is good enough to threaten vertically, but he separates with acceleration and timing rather than blowing past coverage. That style translates if the body catches up. Expect him to push for the number three receiver role as a rookie in the right system, with third-down and red zone reps from Week 1 given his ball tracking, catch radius, and understanding of leverage.”

Hurst would instantly become the Vikings’ tallest receiver of those expected to make the September roster.

TBD added, “The drop issues need monitoring. His hands graded average across both Georgia State seasons, and that cannot persist against tighter coverage windows. But the combination of size, route feel, and athletic testing puts a real ceiling on this player.”

“With physical development and an expanded release package, he can grow into a starting outside receiver by year two. The tape backs that up more than the stat sheet does.”

Free Agents if Vikings Pass on Hurst

Pretend the Vikings don’t select a mid-round wideout because they just did that last year with Felton.

The current free-agent WR group looks like this as of April 6th:

• Brandon Aiyuk (if released by SF)
• Curtis Samuel
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Deebo Samuel
• Jauan Jennings
• JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Keenan Allen
• Tyreek Hill
• Stefon Diggs

The Vikings have drafted just one Round 2 or 3 wide receiver in the last 19 years: Felton in 2025.

The Cleveland Guardians and the Kansas City Royals will continue their three-game divisional series on Tuesday at Progressive Field. Both teams are battling for early positioning in the American League Central.

The Royals won Game 1 on Monday, 4-2. Game 2 will start at 1:10 p.m. ET. Viewers can watch the game on Guardians.TV, Royals.TV and MLB.TV.

Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals odds

Money Line: Cleveland Guardians (-115), Kansas City Royals (-105)

Run Line: Cleveland Guardians +1.5 (-201), Kansas City Royals -1.5 (+165)

Total Runs: Over 7 (+100), Under 7 (-120)

(Source: DraftKings Sportsbook)

(NB: Odds are subject to change)

Preview – Starting Pitchers and Lineups

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher

Gavin Williams will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians. The righty pitcher has looked sharp in the early stages of the 2026 season. He carries a 2.25 ERA after two starts.

Williams relies on a high-velocity four-seam fastball that generated a significant whiff rate in his previous outing.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher

Noah Cameron will start on the mound for the Kansas City Royals. The lefty pitcher is looking to build on a stellar season debut against the Minnesota Twins. He earned a win and maintained a 1.80 ERA.

Cameron’s ability to command his secondary pitches will be crucial against the Giardians’ lineup that excels in contact hitting.

Cleveland Guardians potential lineup

Left Field Steven Kwan (L)

Center Field Angel Martinez (S)

Third Base Jose Ramirez (S)

First Base Rhys Hoskins (R)

Designated Hitter David Fry (R)

Shortstop Gabriel Arias (R)

Right Field CJ Kayfus (L)

Second Base Brayan Rocchio (S)

Catcher Austin Hedges (R)

Kansas City Royals potential lineup

Third Base Maikel Garcia (R)

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (R)

First Base Vinnie Pasquantino (L)

Catcher Salvador Perez (R)

Designated Hitter Carter Jensen (L)

Second Base Jonathan India (R)

Right Field Jac Caglianone (L)

Left Field Issac Collins (S)

Center Field Kyle Isbel (L)

(NB: S=Switch Hitter, R= Right-Handed Hitter, L=Left-Handed Hitter)

Prediction: Cleveland Guardians 4, Kansas City Royals 2

Gavin Williams has shown elite stuff early this season. His ability to overpower hitters should give him the advantage at home.

Noah Cameron has also been impressive. However, the Guardians lineup features several dangerous switch-hitters like Jose Ramirez, who can neutralize the lefty-on-lefty advantage.

With the Guardians playing at Progressive Field, they are the favorite to take Game 2 (Money Line: Cleveland Guardians (-115))

The Guardians pitching staff has been one of the most consistent in the league through the first two weeks. Both starters have ERAs under 2.30. Therefore, the likelihood of a low-scoring defensive battle is high (Total Runs: Under 7 (-120))

Expect the Guardians to lean on their bullpen to secure a narrow victory and cover the spread on the conservative side (Run Line: Guardians +1.5 (-201)