Category: Sports

England will open their 2024 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup campaign with a rematch of last year’s semi-final against South Africa.

Heather Knight’s side suffered a narrow six-run defeat to the eventual runners-up in the 2023 edition and will now face South Africa again after being drawn in the same group for this year’s tournament in Bangladesh.

Former champions West Indies hosts Bangladesh and one of the two qualifiers make up the rest of Group B, with reigning champions Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and the other qualifier making up Group A.

Following their opening match in Dhaka on October 3, England face the host nation at the same venue two days later followed by the West Indies on October 12.

They round off the group stage by playing the qualifier on October 14, with the semi-finals on October 17 and 18, and the final on October 20 in Dhaka.

England are aiming to lift the T20 World Cup for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 2009.

Scotland and Ireland are among the 10 teams fighting to fill the final two spots at the event in the ongoing qualifying competition in Abu Dhabi.

Women’s T20 World Cup groups

Group A: Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Qualifier 1

Group B: South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Qualifier 2.

Women’s T20 World Cup fixtures

October 3: England vs South Africa, Bangladesh vs Qualifier 2 (both Dhaka).

October 4: Australia vs Qualifier 1, India vs New Zealand (both Sylhet).

October 5: South Africa vs West Indies, Bangladesh vs England (both Dhaka).

October 6: New Zealand vs Qualifier 1, India vs Pakistan (both Sylhet).

October 7: West Indies vs Qualifier 2 (Dhaka).

October 8: Australia vs Pakistan (Sylhet)

October 9: Bangladesh vs West Indies (Dhaka), India vs Qualifier 1 (Sylhet).

October 10: South Africa v Qualifier 2 (Dhaka).

October 11: Australia v New Zealand, Pakistan vs Qualifier 1 (both Sylhet).

October 12: England v West Indies, Bangladesh v South Africa, (both Dhaka).

October 13: Pakistan v New Zealand, India v Australia (both Sylhet).

October 14: England vs Qualifier 2 (Dhaka).

October 17: First semi-final (Sylhet).

October 18: Second semi-final (Dhaka).

October 20: Final (Dhaka).

It’s one of the biggest sporting events in a generation. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk collide for the undisputed world heavyweight championship on Saturday May 18, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book the fight now.

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LOS ANGELES — Dave Roberts recently joked that Shohei Ohtani should gift him a Porsche when the slugger breaks his Dodgers record for most home runs by a Japanese-born player.

Ohtani obliged, just maybe not in the way Roberts imagined.

Before Friday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, Ohtani gifted Roberts a purple toy model Porsche in his office. Roberts said the car is sitting on his desk.

Ohtani hit his eighth home run, and surpassed Roberts’ mark, with a solo shot to right-center during the third inning of Saturday’s 11-3 rout of the Braves.

“He did buy me a car. I guess I didn’t specify what type of car,” Roberts said before the game. “So I can’t say he never gave me anything.”

Ohtani gifted Ashley Kelly, the wife of Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly, a Porsche for Kelly giving up No. 17 when Ohtani signed with the Dodgers in December. Kelly’s wife took to social media while Ohtani was weighing his free agency decision promising him that he could have the number and all the gear associated with it.

Roberts, born in Naha, Okinawa, Japan, to a Japanese mother and American father, hit seven home runs for the Dodgers from 2002 to 2004

Ohtani has 179 career home runs in the majors. He surpassed Hideki Matsui for most by a Japanese-born player earlier this month. Matsui had 175 during a 10-year career.

“Relieved,” Ohtani said with a smile about surpassing Roberts’ mark.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bills continued to add to their wide receiver room after the draft, signing Chase Claypool to a one-year deal, the team announced Friday morning.

The 6-foot-4, 238-pound receiver brings veteran depth to a receiver room that is being reconstructed after Stefon Diggs was traded, Gabe Davis left in free agency, and Keon Coleman was drafted 33rd overall. Claypool ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2020.

Claypool, 25, has been with three teams over the past two years, most recently with the Miami Dolphins after the Chicago Bears traded him in October. Early in the 2023 season, Claypool expressed frustration with how he was being used in the Bears’ offense, and he was then inactive for multiple games before being traded to Miami, where he caught four passes in nine games.

He was acquired by the Bears in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers the previous year. Claypool spent the first two full seasons of his career in Pittsburgh after he was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Notre Dame.

In his rookie season, Claypool totaled a career-high 11 touchdowns with 62 receptions for 873 yards.

The Bills also signed linebacker Deion Jones and defensive end Dawuane Smoot to one-year deals.

Charles Leclerc has offered hope that Ferrari could take the fight to Max Verstappen in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

Verstappen has maintained his imperious form during Miami’s Sprint weekend so far, topping every session, and will be aiming to follow up his win over Leclerc in Saturday’s short-form Sprint in Sunday’s 57-lap main race.

But on a weekend in which the whole field – including Verstappen – has struggled for consistency with tyre performance around Miami’s street track, Leclerc is taking heart from the fact he finished relatively close to the world champion during the 19-lap Sprint when he was within two seconds of the Red Bull for most of the race.

Sunday’s race is live on Sky Sports F1 and starts at 9pm, with build-up from 7.30pm.

“He is very strong obviously, as always, coming in to race day,” Leclerc said of polesitter Verstappen, who heads the F1 grid for the seventh race in succession.

“This morning [in the Sprint] we were close. He was saying he wasn’t happy with the car so let’s see how happy he is with the car [in the grand prix]. I hope he’s still a little bit unhappy and that we can put him under pressure.

“We did some steps forward compared to this morning, they did too, but if we get the DRS after the first lap I think we can maybe stay with him.”

In the post-qualifying press conference, Leclerc added: “In the Sprint, we were closer to what we normally see. We need to see how much of a step forward he does but we also need some fine-tuning on our side.

“If we have a similar pace to the Sprint, with strategy we can put on some pressure.”

Ferrari’s quest to beat Red Bull for just the second time in six races this season could be aided by the fact that Leclerc and team-mate Carlos Sainz, who qualified third, start between Red Bull pair Verstappen and Sergio Perez, who will line up fourth.

“I think when Max starts in front, it’s always difficult to find ways to beat him but having two cars is our best possible bet,” said Sainz, the only driver to beat Verstappen in the past 25 races.

“Obviously if you look at the last statistics, it will be extremely difficult, but we will give it our best shot.”

More to follow…

Sky Sports F1’s live Miami GP schedule

Sunday May 5
6.05pm: F1 Academy Race 2
7.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Miami GP build-up*
9pm: The MIAMI GRAND PRIX*
11pm: Chequered Flag: Miami GP reaction*
Midnight: Ted’s Notebook*

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

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LAS VEGAS — Canelo Alvarez removed his designer sunglasses to reveal the sort of deadly serious expression that’s all too familiar to his 39 knockout opponents.

Only this time, the target of his white-hot rage wasn’t another fighter — at least not an active one — but Oscar De La Hoya, the Hall of Fame boxer who promoted Alvarez from 2010 until their ugly breakup in 2020.

For the first time since November 2019, Alvarez and De La Hoya shared a stage during fight week as Alvarez prepares to defend his undisputed super middleweight championship against fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena (8 p.m. ET, Prime Video PPV).

Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) is co-promoted by De La Hoya, who once occupied Canelo’s position as the face of boxing for much of the 1990s and 2000s. And while “The Golden Boy” taunted Alvarez with digging remarks about the star fighter’s character, taking aim at Alvarez’s failed drug test ahead of his 2018 rematch with Gennadiy Golovkin, Munguia could only laugh.

“Yes, there were times that work was not my priority based on my mental health, which I had neglected for so long,” De La Hoya told Alvarez. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Golden Boy built Canelo over this period.”

Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) responded with an expletive-laced tirade on the “idiot” he despises, saying, “try not to forget that I was already Canelo when I came to the United States and that he only profited from my name. He never lost a single cent, but instead made money. Have you already paid Golovkin what you wanted to steal from him?”

De La Hoya told ESPN on Wednesday that GGG was paid “everything he’s owed” following Golovkin’s 2022 lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, which sought upward of $3 million. On Thursday, De La Hoya sent Alvarez a legal letter demanding that Canelo cease and desist from further “defamatory allegations” and retract his comments.

Alvarez showed Wednesday he still has plenty of fight left in him — a burning desire after all these years to hit back at foes inside and outside the ring. In an era where boxers usually train near the comforts of home, Alvarez once again went away for training camp to his cabin in the mountains of California near Lake Tahoe in Truckee.

Alvarez now appears to be entering a different stage of his career, where he flexes his muscle as the sole face of boxing. During his storied career, he often sought out the sport’s most-avoided fighters — Dmitry Bivol, Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara among them — in search of legacy.

Days ahead of his 65th pro fight and two months shy of his 34th birthday, Alvarez’s place in boxing history is undoubtedly secured. He’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer whenever he retires, with a chance to surpass Julio Cesar Chavez as Mexico’s all-time greatest boxer.

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Canelo reacts to presser fireworks: De La Hoya ‘just wants attention’

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya exchange their sides of the story after they came face-to-face with each other in a news conference.

Canelo has been a staple of boxing’s pound-for-pound list (currently ESPN’s No. 4) for two decades, delivering matchups fans clamored for, most notably a classic trilogy with GGG. Lately, he’s resisted increasing public demand for a clash with rising star David Benavidez, who occupies the No. 2 position in ESPN’s super middleweight rankings.

But rather than Benavidez, Alvarez will defend his 168-pound crown vs. Munguia on Cinco de Mayo weekend. The champion is a -550 favorite, per ESPN BET, to turn back ESPN’s No. 4 168-pounder.

“[Benavidez] brings nothing to the table for me,” Alvarez said in March at a news conference in Beverly Hills, California. “He just brings 25 extra pounds on the night of the fight. That’s it. … If a promoter who I work with offers $150 to $200 million, then I’ll fight tomorrow. That’s the only reason I’ll fight with him.”

De La Hoya earned hundreds of millions during his run, just like Alvarez after him, and faced the same pressure to continue taking on the toughest challenges.

“When a fighter mentions a number that high, $150, $200 million, in other words, I don’t want to fight him,” De La Hoya told ESPN last month. ” … Canelo comes in after [Floyd] Mayweather [as boxing’s top star] and he’s setting the example that it’s about the payday. … The whole world wishes that he would fight Benavidez and lead by example.

“That fight must happen. We’re on a good roll right now with having good fights, and we must continue to make those big fights happen. And for the first time in a long time, the casual fan is asking for this fight. It’s kind of like Mayweather-[Manny] Pacquiao. It’s that type of situation. So it’ll be a shame if Canelo doesn’t [fight Benavidez].”

EARLY IN HIS career, Alvarez built a reputation for chasing risky fights. At age 20, he squeezed past Trout, a tricky southpaw who was virtually unknown. Months later, in September 2013, Alvarez challenged his predecessor as boxing’s top star, “Money” Mayweather.

Alvarez was still developing and not in his prime yet, but he was already a star. Still, he made weight concessions (a catchweight of 152 pounds) to land the career-best opportunity with Mayweather and was soundly dominated. Alvarez later credited that junior middleweight title fight defeat as a learning experience that would carry him to the top of the sport, and keep him there.

It was another nine years until Alvarez would lose again. He found himself in a much different position but nonetheless pursued the more challenging matchups. Rather than defend his four 168-pound titles vs. Jermall Charlo, a middleweight, Alvarez elected to challenge Bivol for his 175-pound championship in May 2022.

Like Trout, the Russian boxer possessed talent that far exceeded his profile. Bivol went on to rout Alvarez in a fight that knocked Alvarez from his pound-for-pound perch. That’s why, it appears, Alvarez has no problem saying no this time around to Benavidez.

He absorbed criticism for the setback despite it being just his second fight at 175 pounds. The loss still eats at Alvarez; Canelo told ESPN he remains interested in a Bivol rematch at light heavyweight.

“Everybody say ‘no, it’s an easy fight,’ but I knew [Bivol] was a really good fighter and another weight class,” Alvarez said. “So I take my risk. And I always fight with every single fighter … and I always prove myself there and I always prove [to] everybody. But not anymore. I’m tired of that because it’s never is going to be enough for them. I’m going to do this for me, for my people and that’s it.”

Indeed, fans will always lobby to see another new fighter land the Alvarez matchup. That’s the nature of boxing when you’re the top star. It’s with good reason that an Alvarez-Benavidez fight is so highly anticipated.

“I think it is a different era for me,” Alvarez told ESPN last month. ” … If you see my history, it’s always somebody else [fans want me to face] when I have a fight. … Right now with Benavidez. It’s always there. So I don’t really focus on that anymore because it’s never going to be enough for some people.”

“I always fight the best out there and I’m happy with my career and I’m in a position [where] I can do whatever I want because I fight for it,” he added. ” … I sacrifice myself and … I deserve this position because of everything I did before.”

Alvarez still appears near the peak of his powers following a pair of dominant victories last year over John Ryder and Jermell Charlo. Alvarez broke Ryder’s nose in a Mexico homecoming last May, and four months later outboxed Charlo, who refused to engage. Canelo floored both opponents.

Benavidez, too, enjoyed a banner 2023 in what amounted to a breakout campaign. In March, he outpointed Caleb Plant, whom Alvarez stopped in November 2021, and TKO’d Demetrius Andrade in November. Benavidez doled out brutal beatings in both bouts, raising the volume on the calls for a summit meeting with Alvarez.

“I’m not going to be waiting on Canelo,” Benavidez told ESPN in March. “After I fight Canelo, my career doesn’t end. It’s frustrating, but it gives me a bad name at the end of the day, too. … The reason why this fight is not happening is because Canelo doesn’t want it to happen, plain and simple.”

There’s little doubt Benavidez — a volume-punching machine with power in both hands — would present a dangerous challenge. He’s much bigger than Canelo, for one. Alvarez won his first title at 154 pounds and is 5-foot-8. Benavidez is 10 years younger, 36 fights fresher and is a career 168-pounder at 6-foot-2 with a 4-inch reach advantage over Alvarez.

When he couldn’t entice Canelo into the ring, Benavidez moved up to 175 pounds for a June 15 bout with former champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

WHEN ALVAREZ SIGNED a three-fight deal with PBC last June, hope grew that the move would lead to an eventual clash with Benavidez, a longtime PBC boxer. Alvarez went on to face Jermell Charlo in the first fight of the deal, with plans to meet his twin brother in the second bout of the agreement on Saturday. But after Jermell’s listless performance, the fight against Jermall became a hard sell.

“What Jermell did in the last fight is not going to be good for the eyes on the people,” Alvarez said. “It’s going to be the same guy. Oh, his brother did a really bad fight. And I think this fight with Munguia is better than the Charlo fight. I think he deserved the fight. He win good fights, he improve a lot and he’s very respectful to me. So I think he deserve it more.”

As Canelo advances to the latter part of his career, respect appears more important to him than ever before. He’s always shown respect to his opponents, and isn’t looking to reward fighters, he said, who don’t reciprocate. He laughs at the thought he should punish disrespectful fighters by gifting them the career-high payday that accompanies a shot at the sport’s top star.

“Let me beat you, give you big-money payday,” Alvarez said mockingly. “No, not anymore. … Respect is important. And I know it’s a fight, but when I fight, I fight with a lot of fighters who talk a lot of s—, talk a lot of things, and they don’t do s— in the ring.”

Plant earned a career-high $10 million, and Munguia will exceed that amount. Benavidez has never earned more than around $3 million. Alvarez isn’t concerned with critics at this stage, especially his former promoter-turned-rival. De La Hoya offers a unique perspective as a fighter who starred atop the sport — from his 1992 Olympic gold medal win to his final fight against Pacquiao in December 2008.

“The way I saw it was whoever I have to fight, and he’s the best, I fight,” De La Hoya said. “I didn’t worry about no payday [for the opponent]. I always put my legacy first. What is it going to take for me to get to the top? What is it going to take for me to be considered the best? Well, I have to fight the best.”

MUNGUIA MIGHT BE a consolation prize in Benavidez’s absence on the right side of the marquee, yet it’s still an anticipated matchup, especially for Mexican fans. Munguia represents Alvarez’s first countryman foe since Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in May 2017.

Canelo has long said he doesn’t wish to fight fellow Mexicans but made an exception for Munguia. “This is history for Mexico because it’s the first time two Mexicans, they going to fight for four belts.”

“Munguia is a really good fighter,” Alvarez added. “It’s a young fighter who throws a lot of punches, who is strong, who is hungry. So it’s a risk for me.”

A risk, perhaps, but a small one compared to the perils of fighting Benavidez.

“Fighters usually know, absolutely,” De La Hoya said. “… There’s a tiny fear in every fighter. There has to be. Even Mike Tyson will say there’s a tiny fear, and that fear is always losing. [Benavidez is] a younger guy, he’s the bigger guy, he’s fast, he’s strong, he throws a lot of punches. See anybody throwing punches and punches will be a problem for Canelo at this point of his career. … He’ll get knocked out. He will get beat.

“Obviously he’s a businessman,” he added. “That’s exactly what he is at the fourth quarter of his career … and there’s nothing wrong with that, but at least have some balls to fight the best guy in front of you.”

Alvarez will head into Saturday’s fight looking to maintain his undisputed super middleweight championship, his No. 4 spot on ESPN’s pound-for-pound list and, most of all, his ironclad claim as the face of boxing.

A win over Munguia likely won’t come as easily as his two previous victories. After all, Munguia is fresh, strong, unbeaten and determined to dethrone a man he’s long dreamed of fighting.

The former junior middleweight titleholder is coming off a career-best victory, a ninth-round TKO of Ryder in January. Munguia’s previous outing was named ESPN’s 2023 Fight of the Year, a bout against Sergiy Derevyanchenko where a final-round knockdown earned Munguia the decision.

It’s also a full-circle moment for Munguia. As a 21-year-old, he agreed to replace Alvarez following his PED suspension and fight GGG, only for the Nevada commission to decline approval, citing Munguia’s inexperience. Six years to the day later, Munguia has his life-altering opportunity, and he’s much more prepared for the shot.

“Working with the legend Freddie Roach has really motivated me,” Munguia said last month following a workout at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. “He has my confidence very high and … he’s brought a lot of peace and tranquility to my corner.”

Canelo is at peace, too. At peace with his legacy, his standing in the sport and, most of all, his freedom to fight whomever he pleases.

“I just want to do whatever I want and put obviously really good fights out there,” Alvarez said. ” … I think when you deserve it, when you did everything, when you fight with everybody, when you do the correct things, I think you can do whatever you want.”

TAMPA, Fla. — With the NFL draft completed, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gearing up to hold a two-day rookie minicamp starting Friday, here’s a closer look at the Bucs’ draft class and how each player fits onto the roster.

Last year’s rookie class saw seven players earn a combined 61 starts between the regular season and two postseason games, and the expectations are equally as high for this year’s group.

First round

C Graham Barton, Pick No. 26

Coach Todd Bowles wanted “more beef” up the middle and to keep quarterback Baker Mayfield‘s uniform clean by reducing the amount of hits he takes — as 32 of the Bucs’ 54 sacks surrendered last year were attributed to the guard and center positions. Center Robert Hainsey, who gave up 11 sacks last year, stepped in for Ryan Jensen, but he has physical limitations, particularly with lack of lower body mass.

“We haven’t had the bulk in there since [Ali] Marpet [retired], obviously, and Ryan left and [Alex] Cappa left,” Bowles said. “Bringing size in there, getting a little bit over 300, 305 [pounds], getting a bigger guy, a taller guy, with some girth in there [and] trying to not let people go up the middle as much. I think it’ll help us that way.”

Barton, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 314 pounds, is expected to start at center, with Hainsey competing there and also for the starting left guard position (assuming Cody Mauch stays at right guard). He plays with a strong base and anchor and a “nasty temperament,” as general manager Jason Licht put it, along with his ability to get off the ball and play with leverage.

“To me, it’s about making the right block, displacement and violence — that’s how the offensive line position should look, and I take a lot of pride in making sure I’m doing that to the best of my ability,” Barton said. “You can only play this game so long, so it’s like, why waste a snap? Every rep is foot on the gas. I think that’s kind of why I play with that nastiness and that violence, just because of the passion I have for the game, how much I love it and just how much I appreciate the opportunity to do this.”

Second round

OLB Chris Braswell, Pick 57

Unlike Yaya Diaby, a 2023 draftee who came in relatively inexperienced and had to rely more on his ability, Braswell has a lot of pass rush moves already in his arsenal. He also has experience dropping into coverage, which the Bucs ask of their outside linebackers. He had 10.5 tackles for a loss in his final year at Alabama, along with his eight sacks and three forced fumbles (he also had a pick-six against Mississippi State).

“He has a good toolbox coming in,” outside linebackers coach George Edwards said. “He’s a young man that when we looked at him on a tape, he displayed the skill set of everything we’re going to ask him to do. So we had a clear vision for what we were getting with him coming in and what we’re asking him to do wasn’t going to be foreign.”

The Bucs loved his competitive spirit when he came in for a visit, choosing to remain at Alabama despite playing behind Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner and only starting two career games.

“When he came in here and visited with us, it was, ‘You ever think about leaving?’ ‘No, why would I leave? I picked Alabama. I love Alabama. I’m not afraid of competition. I believe in myself. This is where I want to be,’” assistant general manager John Spytek said. “He’s physical, he is trying to run through your face all the time, he’s gonna make you earn it every play. My experience in the league has been that those guys are tough to block, you get worn down after a while.”

Third round

DB Nickel Tykee Smith, Pick 89

The Bucs see Smith as a nickelback, with the expectation of competing for the starting job right away, but he’ll cross-train at safety too, where he had four interceptions and nine pass breakups in two years at West Virginia before transferring to Georgia. The playmaking, ball skills and physicality stand out most in assessing his tape. In 51 college games, he had eight interceptions, five sacks, 21.5 tackles for a loss and 140 tackles.

His four interceptions at Georgia were tied for third most in the SEC last year. He allowed 83 passing yards as the primary defender last season, with a 3.0 passing yards per attempt allowed — fourth in the SEC among defensive backs with 200 or more coverage snaps. He allowed a 39.3 completion percentage on 28 pass attempts last year — 10th best in the SEC — while his 19.1 raw QBR allowed as the primary defender was fifth in the SEC.

Spytek noted Smith’s mental acuity saying, “[He] is way ahead of a lot of kids that would enter the NFL, in a defense where we ask a lot of our secondary in particular. They have to know a lot of things, they have to be versatile, they have to think really fast — think on the fly. To me that’s always the biggest hurdle. These guys you pick on Day 1 and Day 2, they’re usually pretty good athletes — it’s the mental stuff that’ll slow ’em down.”

Last year’s starting nickelback, undrafted free agent Christian Izien, started and finished the year on a high note, but did have a midseason lull, something the coaching staff noted, but they’re still high on him. He allowed a 71.7 completion percentage last year — 26th among nickelbacks with 80 or more coverage snaps, according to NextGen Stats. Izien allowed 5.2 yards after the catch per reception last year, also 26th in the league. He’ll spend the spring training at safety, where Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead are entrenched as starters, in addition to competing with Smith for the starting job at nickel.

WR Jalen McMillan, Pick 92

ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. called McMillian “a steal at the end of Round 3” and his “favorite prospect in Tampa Bay’s class” and he’s seen as a do-it-all receiver.

His 14 touchdowns over the past two seasons were 10th among Power 5 receivers. He was particularly effective on crossing routes, where his 26.67 yards per catch average was second most among Power 5 receivers over the past two years. Six of his touchdowns came on post routes over the past two years — tied for the most of any Power 5 receiver. In total, he produced a 62.9 first down or touchdown percentage — 13th in Power 5.

“On a team with two really good receivers — obviously one that went in the top 10 (Rome Odunze) and another one that went really early in the [second round, Ja’Lynn Polk], it was still really easy to see him,” Spytek said. “A lot of times, I think that guy can be forgotten about. But his athleticism, the way he naturally runs routes — like he plays like the game makes sense to him. Like there’s a smoothness and an easiness to his game that I think that you really appreciate. He makes some of things that I think are more challenging for the receiver position look fairly simple.”

With Chris Godwin moving back to the slot and the Bucs using more 11 personnel under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen, McMillan can step in as a true No. 3 receiver and possibly a future No. 2 with Godwin entering the last year of his contract.

Fourth round

RB Bucky Irving, Pick 125

The Bucs have had the league’s worst rushing attack over the past two seasons (82.9 yards per game). Some of that can be attributed to an offensive line that struggled with its interior run blocking and a scheme change last year. Rachaad White is still firmly entrenched as the starter. Still, the coaching staff would like to be able to spell White and give him a breather, and they couldn’t do that last year with Chase Edmonds out the first four regular-season games with an injury.

While Irving’s 4.55 40-yard dash time wasn’t particularly impressive (it was 14th among 20 running backs that tested at the scouting combine), his tape shows a real knack for evading defenders, breaking tackles and keeping his legs moving. He broke or evaded an FBS-high 144 tackles from 2022 to 2023. On top of that, he led all Power 5 running backs with 413 receiving yards on 56 receptions last year.

“We had him in on a visit, he told us that the first guy doesn’t tackle him,” Spytek said. “It’s no secret that Bucky isn’t — he’s not Christian Okoye, he’s not gonna run through people’s faces all the time. But you look at his production, whether it was at Minnesota or Oregon — he’s 6.0 yards a carry, he’s hard to get on the ground. And for a man that’s less than 200 pounds, when you do hit him, which is hard to do — he’s hard to knock off his feet.”

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The highlights from newest Buccaneer Bucky Irving

Check out the highlights from the Buccaneers’ newest running back, Bucky Irving.

Sixth round

OG Elijah Klein, Pick 220

Klein will compete with Hainsey, as well as free agents Sua Opeta and Ben Bredeson for the starting left guard job, along with Mauch on the right side as an overwhelming majority of his snaps came at right guard (2,664) at UTEP with four coming at left guard. The Bucs have needed better interior run blocking and the Miners ran a run-heavy scheme with a lot of zone.

“I think run blocking is my specialty,” Klein said. “That’s what I like to do. I like to be the hammer — not the nail. I don’t like to be passive in any aspect of football so run game is something I really pride myself on.”

His 1.3% blown run block percentage was eighth best in Conference USA last year among guards with 500 or more snaps. In terms of pass blocking, while he may not have had the high number of reps some of his peers had because of the scheme he played in college, he gave up one sack in all of 2023. In his four seasons at UTEP, he allowed just four sacks — tied for sixth in the FBS among guards with 2,500 snaps or more and he allowed just 0.7% pressures in 2023 — second best among Conference USA and tied for 25th among all FBS guards last year.

“They’re getting a gritty, nasty dude,” Klein said when asked what Bucs fans can expect. “I don’t claim to be the lightest on my feet. I don’t claim to play with the most finesse. But what I do like to do is put my head down and hit people as hard as I can. So they’re expecting someone who’s grimy in the trenches.”

Seventh round

TE Devin Culp, Pick 246

Culp is the second Bucs tight end to come out of Washington in the past three years — they selected Cade Otton in the fourth round in 2022. He’s smaller than Otton at 6-3, 230 pounds, but he had a time of 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which is uncommon for a tight end and would make him the fastest of the Bucs’ current group.

“When you feel him in the run game, he feels like a bigger body,” Spytek said. “I think we were almost surprised when he weighed in at the combine that he was what he was because he strains to finish his blocks, he has strength through his core and in his feet and in his balance that allows him to stick on blocks — yeah he’s not gonna displace the bigger defensive ends in our league, but he stays attached to them and the pride that he has when he blocks jumps off the film to you. … You kind of expect that from bigger guys, but you don’t always expect that in games that are 230 or 240.”

He credits fellow UW grad and current Bucs outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka for helping him develop his pass blocking skills. With the goal of Coen’s offense to get guys the ball in space, Culp’s selection makes sense. He said every day he’s been catching 100 balls per day, in addition to honing his footwork, striking on bags and improving his overall strength for the blocking.

Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s undisputed light heavyweight world title fight has been postponed after Beterbiev suffered a ruptured meniscus in training.

WBC, IBF and WBO champion Beterbiev had been scheduled to face WBA belt holder Bivol in a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

It was set to headline a stacked bill that will also see Deontay Wilder collide with Zhilei Zhang and Filip Hrgovic take on Daniel Dubois.

The remainder of the card is still expected to go ahead while the plan is for Beterbiev and Bivol to meet before the end of the year.

Beterbiev is the only world champion in boxing with a perfect 100 per cent knockout rate, having stopped all 20 of his opponents, most recently beating Callum Smith via seventh-round TKO.

He also previously shared the ring with Anthony Yarde, stopping the Londoner in the eighth round in one of the fights of the year in January 2023.

Bivol is an undefeated 22-0 in his career, 11 of his wins coming by knockout, after beating Lyndon Arthur via unanimous decision in Riyadh last December.

The 33-year-old famously defeated Canelo Alvarez in a unanimous decision victory over the Mexican great in May 2022.

It beckons as a fascinating matchup of styles between the ferocious knockout power of Beterbiev and the elite technical ability of Bivol.

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ASHBURN, Va. — With the Chicago Bears on the clock holding the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft, Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters gathered scouts, coaches, executives and other Commanders personnel in the team’s makeshift war room to share the announcement many had long anticipated.

Many in the organization had expected they would select LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. But nobody knew for certain. And now, after telling members of the ownership group separately earlier in the day, Peters made it official.

He told them, according to one person in the room, they are getting a “young man who loves football” and would help them “change this franchise forever.”

Then, according to the source, Peters finally said: “We’re going with Jayden.”

The room erupted with cheers, clapping and high-fives.

“It was like a room of joy,” said a person who was there. “It put everybody at ease.”

The announcement ended months of speculation from those outside of Peters’ inner circle about who Washington, with the No. 2 pick, would tap to front a new era of Commanders football. Though many internal signs pointed to Daniels, there was still wonder before Peters, leading his first draft as a general manager, informed the room of his pick.

He liked Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy more than presumed second choice Drake Maye, the North Carolina star QB, according to multiple sources. But Daniels — due in part to his experience, polish, resilience and game-changing ability — became the organization’s top pick early in their evaluations and never lost ground as Peters & Co. finished out the process.

While every No. 2 pick is of huge importance, this pick could alter the trajectory of a franchise trying to establish a new identity under new owner Josh Harris — who purchased the team last summer — new coach Dan Quinn and first-time GM Peters. Washington is attempting to get beyond more than two decades of futility under previous owner Dan Snyder, and solving its decades-long quarterback quest with a long-term answer at the position would go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Washington has started 33 quarterbacks since last winning the Super Bowl after the 1991 season; the Commanders started eight in the past four years; no quarterback has served as the No. 1 guy for more than three years since Mark Rypien from 1989-93.

They needed to make sure they had the right guy. In the end, their process led them back to where they began: Daniels.

“We knew it was Jayden for a while,” Peters said. “It would have taken a lot for it to not be Jayden. The whole building I would say was unanimous on that one. It’s easy to see why.”

ALL ALONG, MULTIPLE SOURCES said Daniels was the guy with whom they were smitten. Someone needed to knock him off the mountaintop; no one did.

Before joining the Commanders in January, Peters spent the 2023 regular season as the assistant general manager for the San Francisco 49ers — a team that was not looking to draft a quarterback in the first round — and had not begun studying film of the 2024 QB class.

According to multiple sources in Washington, Peters was also high on McCarthy. Others in the building were, too. The 2023 national champion was efficient, had a strong arm and moved well. Washington’s decision-makers also loved how personable he was.

Many in the NFL said McCarthy had untapped potential because of Michigan’s run-heavy offensive approach, but many in the organization thought he needed more experience. Washington also heavily scouted Maye as well as Michael Penix Jr. All four quarterbacks visited Washington before the draft. In the end, McCarthy was second on its list of options.

It did not take long to develop a strong opinion of Daniels once team officials started watching his film after the season. In fact, one source said, the game that set Washington on the Daniels’ path was LSU’s season-opening 45-24 loss to Florida State. Daniels threw for 346 yards and ran for 64 more, but one Commanders source said, in addition to his polish and arm talent, they liked how he responded after suffering multiple big hits in the game.

There were questions about Daniels, however: Though he measured 6-foot-3 5/8 and weighed 210 pounds at his pro day, some wondered about the big hits he took in games, owing in part to his running ability. Would he protect himself well enough to last in the NFL? His high pressure-to-sack rate was also viewed as a concern in the analytics community. He was sacked 24.5% of the time when pressured in his five seasons (three at Arizona State, two at LSU). At LSU, he went from 30.8 his first season (2022) to 20.2 last year. His career number was higher than the other prospects in the first round. Also, Daniels attempted just 68 passes between the hashes, the 55th most in the NCAA last year.

Most evaluators in the NFL pegged USC’s 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams as the best quarterback because of his dynamic ability and excellence on off-schedule plays. He was considered the obvious choice for Chicago at No. 1.

Peters, meanwhile, said he could not believe how good Daniels was when he finally watched the tape.

“The way he can process, the way he can see the field, the way he goes through his reads, the way he delivers [the ball] on time. He’s the best deep-ball thrower in the draft,” Peters said, “and that’s even before we start watching him run and the way he runs he just takes your soul as a defense. You think you got him and then all of a sudden, he rips off a 40-yard run. And this is against the SEC, the best of the best.”

Peters said Washington never considered trading back in the draft, though he later told Big 100 Radio in Washington that they received only one offer and “it didn’t move the needle.” But even though all signs pointed to drafting Daniels, Peters was determined to finish the evaluation process — just in case.

At the scouting combine in February, Peters told an assembled group that included offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Harris, front office consultant Bob Myers and Quinn that “something has to happen to not be Jayden.”

During the team’s 15-minute interview session with Daniels at the combine, those in the room said the laid-back Daniels was not oozing excitement.

Until they turned on the game film.

“He sat up in his chair and he was dialed in,” one person in the room said. “He knows his stuff. It was his body language. He perked up.”

Another person said, “You could see Jayden just lights up when the tape comes on. You can’t fake that. He just goes, ‘Yeah, let’s talk football.’ It was authentic.”

After drafting Daniels last Thursday, Peters referenced other selling points that led Washington to the decision, including his use of virtual reality, which Daniels claims helped him improve by “70 to 80%” for his final year.

At the combine, Quinn revealed his desire for Daniels — perhaps unintentionally — one team source said. While playing a word association game during an appearance on D.C.-based 106.7 The Fan, Quinn referred to Daniels as a “game-changer”. No other quarterback, including Williams, received such praise.

DANIELS HAD ADVOCATES outside of Washington as well. Former Arizona State coach Herm Edwards, who recruited Daniels and coached him for three years, told Peters that Daniels “was a man; don’t let his youth fool you.” One source said San Francisco receiver Brandon Aiyuk, a close friend of Daniels’, sang his pal’s praises to Peters. And San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan, with whom Peters worked for seven years, also gave Daniels a glowing review.

From that Florida State film on, nothing changed Washington’s opinion of Daniels. The Commanders spoke to people from Arizona State, where Daniels played three years, and LSU. One source checked out his high school transcripts. They asked about his character.

Peters also liked that Daniels had the passcode changed at an LSU facility so he could enter after hours for more work. He also organized 5 a.m. workouts with his receivers; Washington’s officials were impressed that he could cajole his teammates to attend at that hour. That, one source said, resonated as much as anything with Peters.

The boxes kept getting checked in Daniels’ favor.

But the interest still went back to his on-field exploits. Like Peters, Quinn said Washington liked the level of competition Daniels played in the SEC, and the sophistication of the defenses he faced.

“They had looks and different things that Jayden has been able to really process things quickly,” Quinn, a former defensive coordinator, said. “He has a real decision-making process that’s fast.”

Quinn also liked his experience. Daniels played in 55 games over five seasons and started 26 more games than McCarthy and 29 more than Maye.

“That’s a big deal, man, because they’ve seen the s— , they’ve made the mistake,” Quinn said. “You don’t want to take somebody that doesn’t have a lot of snaps.”

They viewed his transfer to LSU as a positive.

“You could make a case and say he’s already had to go through a new system and new people and new experiences,” Quinn said.

Daniels felt the Commanders’ love and, after his top-30 visit ended on April 17, Daniels’ agent, Ron Butler, said Daniels excitedly told him, “I’m Quinn’s guy.”

DURING HIS PRIVATE plane ride home after his news conference in Washington, Daniels, surrounded by family and friends, spent an hour of the trip pretending to stand at the line of scrimmage, calling out checks or plays that he already knew from the Commanders’ playbook.

At his introductory news conference, Daniels said he felt “no pressure” to change Washington’s decades-long history of struggles at quarterback, but he knows the expectations. Daniels said he does not take for granted the responsibility of leading a struggling franchise back to prominence. He also does not assume he will be just given the starting job to open the season — though he says he was brought to Washington “for a reason.”

Daniels’ experience and ability give him a chance to start immediately, multiple sources said before the draft.

“When that time comes, when he’s ready, then that’s when we’ll do it. But there’s no timeline on that,” Quinn said.

If Daniels does not start right away, Washington would go with Marcus Mariota. However, both Quinn and Peters have said this offseason they want to rely on a strong defense and run game to reduce the burden on a rookie quarterback. They also added veteran offensive players, such as tight end Zach Ertz and running back Austin Ekeler, to lessen the need for Daniels to be the leader of the unit right away.

Numerous NFL coaches believe Kingsbury’s offense will be good for him. The former Arizona Cardinals coach has experience with quarterbacks who can run. Kingsbury likes to use run-pass options and he wants to attack down the field. Daniels said he liked what Kingsbury had to say during their meetings, but he has also watched his offense over the years.

“Just the creative mind that he has on the offensive side,” Daniels said of Kingsbury. “How he can attack defenses. Obviously, what he was doing over Arizona, you know, with [quarterback] Kyler [Murray] and having success. I want to go out there and I want to be successful, but it comes with putting the work in each and every day.”

“He wasn’t handed anything,” Peters said. “He’s earned everything he’s got.”

That included being the No. 2 pick in the draft. And on that plane ride home, he got back to work. The Commanders, meanwhile, are pleased with their good fortune, knowing what it could mean for the franchise.

“We couldn’t be happier,” Peters said.

The summer transfer window won’t reopen in Europe for a while yet, but there are plenty of moves in the works and gossip is swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!

TOP STORY: Arsenal looking at Isak for the summer

Arsenal are lining up a move for Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak in the summer, reports the Independent.

It is reported that Gunners manager Mikel Arteta sees the 24-year-old Sweden international as the final piece of the puzzle to “complete” his team, following Isak’s recent impressive form that saw him score his 19th Premier League goal of the campaign in last week’s 5-1 win over Sheffield United.

A deal won’t be easy, though, with the Magpies said to be “strongly resistant” to moving him on, and the St. James’ Park hierarchy are also considering offering him a new contract.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Manager Eddie Howe’s side are expected to be required to move players on before making new signings when the transfer market opens as they look to remain aligned with profit and sustainability rules (PSR), but whether Isak leaves Tyneside could depend on whether he attempts to force a move away.

Isak joined the club from Real Sociedad in 2022 for a club-record fee worth £63 million.

PAPER GOSSIP

– Manchester United have made contact with the representatives of Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, according to TeamTalk. The 29-year-old is set to be a free agent in the summer and it is reported that the Red Devils are among multiple teams interested in landing him. The Bianconeri are yet to open discussions over a new contract.

– Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo is keen on a move to Newcastle United, reports the Daily Mail. The Magpies are reported to be one of the sides who have shown interest in the 26-year-old amid hopes of landing him as a free transfer next season. It is said that he could be “leaning” towards a move to St. James’ Park, and he can see how he fits into the club’s system while playing under manager Eddie Howe.

– Manchester United are looking for a fee of around £50m to part ways with winger Jadon Sancho in the summer, reports Ben Jacobs. The 24-year-old has been in impressive form of late while on loan at Borussia Dortmund, and it is believed that the Bundesliga club are interested in making his stay permanent.

– An initial enquiry was made by Inter Miami to the representatives of Benfica winger Ángel Di María, reports Fabrizio Romano. No decision has been made on the contract situation of the 36-year-old yet, and it is reported that his future remains open amid interest from the MLS side as well as clubs in Argentina. He has been in impressive form this season, having scored 14 goals while assisting another 12 in 42 appearances.

– A meeting has taken place between Barcelona and the representatives of defender Sergi Roberto, reports ESport 3. The Spanish outlet says that there is optimism that a deal could be completed soon, with both parties hoping to reach an agreement by next week. He has previously been linked with a move to MLS, but it looks as though the 32-year-old is now leaning towards staying with the Blaugrana.