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MILAN — Alysa Liu carried the flag of the “Blade Angels” into Thursday night’s free skate all the way to the top of the podium.

Ranked third after the women’s Olympic short program, Liu was one of the final three skaters on Thursday. Skating to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park,” she was exuberant, graceful, smiling all the way in a confident performance.

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When her total score landed — 226.79, good enough for first place with two skaters left to go — she leaped off the kiss-and-cry couch, made a heart with her hands, and mouthed “I love y’all!” to the crowd.

Only two Japanese skaters remained between Liu and gold. Kaori Sakamoto followed with a solid, but less-than-perfect routine that was not enough to surpass Liu. Then came Ami Nakai, whose short skate was more than two points higher than Liu’s. A clean routine and the gold would be hers. It wasn’t; she had a minor hiccup midway through.

A tense moment awaited as the judges tallied their scores. And when they did, Liu was on top — edging Sakamoto by 1.89 points. Nakai, just 17, took the bronze.

American Amber Glenn rallied from a disappointing short program to finish fifth, while Isabeau Levito finished 12th.

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Liu, 20, earned the first individual Olympic medal for an American woman since Sasha Cohen’s silver in 2006 — the first gold medal winner since Sarah Hughes in 2002. And she did so with a smile, marking a triumph and return to glory for American women’s skating.

“The feelings I felt out there were calm, happy, confident,” she said after coming off the ice, drawing out pauses between each word. “Of course I had fun. But I’ve been having fun all the time.”

Liu’s story is as quirky as it is remarkable. The U.S. national champion in 2019 and 2020 and a 2022 Olympian, Liu decided after the Beijing Olympics that she’d simply had enough of skating. She retired, pursuing the kind of life an Olympic figure skater simply can’t have: college, hanging out with friends, traveling. She even journeyed all the way to Mount Everest Base Camp with a friend, a long way from the rink.

But something nagged at her to return, and two years ago, she decided to give skating another opportunity. She succeeded beyond all expectation, skating well enough to win the world championships last year.

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“She’s not like us,” her coach Phillip DiGuglielmo said after her victory. “The rest of us here would be like, ‘Oh my God, I’m nervous. I can’t do this. I have a million voices in my head.’ She has one voice in her head and it says, ‘I got this.’”

Along with Glenn and Levito, Liu has formed the “Blade Angels,” the talented Team USA trio that’s captured the hearts of skating fans and the promotional eye of NBC. Skating observers predicted that they could engineer a medal sweep in Milan; while that didn’t happen, the Blade Angels have (mostly) enjoyed their time in Milan.

Earlier in the night, Glenn skated a redemptive program, making up for her struggles two nights earlier. Thirteenth after the short program, Glenn rallied to miss the podium by just 4.25 points.

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“Going from 13th to the podium is unheard of, so I wasn’t exactly expecting it,” Glenn said. “And even if I had been completely perfect today, it still wouldn’t have been enough.”

A few skaters later, Levito suffered a fall during her routine and ended with a score of 202.80, ending her medal hopes.

“I do my best when I think less when it comes to skating. The majority of it is mental,” Levito said afterward, her voice soft, a gentle smile on her face. “I kind of just went on autopilot (after the fall) because in training I just go, go, go a lot of repetitions. I do my best when I’m thinking less.”

The stage, ultimately, was set for Liu. A month ago, at U.S. Nationals, she posted a 147.80 in her free skate. Thursday, she needed to be better than that to win gold. She was, scoring 150.20 — nearly three points better than everyone else.

And now she’s joined the elite club of just seven other American women figure skaters to win gold at the Olympics.

The United States had a banner day at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday. The U.S. women’s hockey team won its third-ever gold medal. Alysa Liu dazzled on ice to deliver Team USA a drought-ending gold in figure skating women’s singles. Speedskating icon Jordan Stolz added some more hardware, too.

Here are five of the top stories from Day 13 of the Winter Games:

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Megan Keller scores in overtime to give Team USA the gold

After a dominant tournament, the U.S. women’s hockey team faced its toughest test yet Thursday. Canada nearly pulled off the upset, but Hilary Knight’s record-setting goal tied things up with 2:04 to play.

The gold-medal game went into overtime, and that’s when Megan Keller made the play of her career. Keller received a pass deep in Canada territory, juked her defender and just barely snuck the puck by Canada’s goaltender, Ann-Renee Desbiens, to give Team USA a 2-1 walk-off win.

Alysa Liu is golden, and Amber Glenn’s free-skate redemption slingshotted her to a fifth-place finish

The “Blade Angels” put on a show Thursday during the free-skate portion of figure skating women’s singles. Liu headlined that act with an awe-inspiring performance to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park.” After registering the third-best short-program score on Tuesday, her 150.2-point free skate thrust the 20-year-old, two-time Olympian into first place and clinched the U.S.’ first medal in the women’s individual event in 20 years.

That medal turned out to be gold. Liu became the first American woman to top the figure skating singles podium since Sarah Hughes in 2002.

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Meanwhile, her teammate, Amber Glenn, bounced back from what she described as a “soul-crushing” short program to finish fifth, thanks to a redemptive free skate that saw her land another triple axel.

Although 18-year-old Isabeau Levito fell on a triple flip to start her free skate, she regained focus and the grace that got her to that moment, ultimately finishing 12th in the event.

Jordan Stolz takes silver in men’s 1,500 meters

The 21-year-old Stolz was seeking his third speedskating gold medal of the Olympics but fell short in the 1,500, finishing 0.77 behind China’s Ning Zhongyan, who set the Olympic record with a time of 1:41.98. Stolz came away with a silver, missing out on his chance to become the first athlete in 46 years to complete speedskating’s sprint treble at an Olympics.

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Stolz won earlier in these Games with gold-medal performances in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters. He has one final chance at a third gold, as he’s set to take part in Saturday’s mass start event.

U.S. women’s curling advances to semifinals on clutch shot

U.S. women’s curling nearly faltered against Switzerland with a trip to the semifinals on the line. Switzerland took three points in the 10th end, tying things up and sending the game to an extra end.

But Team USA held a massive advantage in that end, the hammer. And the Americans needed it to secure a narrow 7-6 win over Switzerland.

With Switzerland clogging up the house, Team USA’s Tabitha Peterson guided a clutch hammer just past those stones. She managed to put just enough force on the stone, allowing it to settle in the house just itches closer to the button than Switzerland’s stones.

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It was a walk-off victory for Team USA, which will play in the medal round at the Olympics for the first time since 2002.

Spain wins gold medal in Winter Games for first time in 54 years … in ski mountaineering

Spain went more than half a century without winning a gold medal in the Winter Games. It ended the dry spell on Thursday in an event that’s new to the Olympics: ski mountaineering.

Oriol Cardona Coll won gold in the men’s sprint. Ana Alonso Rodriguez, also representing Spain, earned bronze in the women’s sprint.

Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken was on site for the spectacle in Bormio, Italy, and chronicled what he saw, heard and learned about a sport that finally received Olympic validation.

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Highlight of the day

Megan Keller is a defenseman. But she looked like a forward late in Thursday’s gold-medal game against Team Canada. Not only did the former Boston College standout assist Hilary Knight’s goal that forced overtime, but she also lit the lamp in OT with a move that dropped jaws.

Keller had the puck on a string, as she deftly directed it past the front skate of Canada defenseman Claire Thompson before tracking it down and scoring a game-winner that’s now part of U.S. hockey lore.

One more thing

Maybe maturing is leaving a sibling rivalry in the past. In an act of self-awareness and humor, Kate Gray’s brothers proudly revealed the back of their sweatshirts on Thursday after Gray advanced to the women’s freeski halfpipe final.

Gray was greeted by the words “My sister is more athletic than me” in all caps on their backs.

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Bravo, boys. Bravo.

he Milwaukee Brewers are signing manager Pat Murphy to a three-year contract, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. The deal is a new contract, not an extension, because it reworks the final year on Murphy’s previous agreement, according to Rosenthal.

Murphy’s contract was set to expire after the 2026 season, but he is now signed through 2028, with a club option for 2029. The agreement will include $8.95 million of new money and make Murphy one of the highest paid managers in Major League Baseball, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.

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Murphy, 67, earned National League Manager of the Year honors the past two seasons, in which the Brewers won 93 and 97 games and two NL Central titles. He’s the only manager besides Bobby Cox (2004-05 with the Atlanta Braves) to win Manager of the Year in consecutive seasons.

[Get more Brewers news: Milwaukee team feed]

Milwaukee’s 97-65 record last season was the best in MLB, despite the team being 6.5 games out of first place on May 25. But a second-half surge (41-25) boosted the Brewers to another division title. Milwaukee went on to lose to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

With Murphy’s contract up after after the coming season, Brewers team owner Mark Attanasio was asked earlier this week about a new deal for the manager. He evaded the issue, saying “we don’t talk about contracts,” but apparently the team and manager had a new agreement in the works.

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Murphy also avoided the topic of a new contract when asked about it before spring training.

Prior to being named manager, Murphy was Craig Counsell’s bench coach in Milwaukee for eight seasons. He was promoted when Counsell left to become the manager of the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers defeated the Cubs in the NLDS last season.

In his two seasons as Brewers manager, Murphy has compiled a 190-134 record. He recorded a 42-54 record as interim manager for the San Diego Padres in 2015, when he took over after Bud Black was fired.

LOS ANGELES — The first three holes Thursday looked miserable for Rory McIlroy.

But roughly eight hours after he first teed off, McIlroy didn’t hesitate.

“The rain,” McIlroy said instantly when asked which part of the round he preferred. The second stretch, though completely dry, was surprisingly much more difficult.

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Whether it was the uncharacteristic rain that battered players in the morning and sent the event into a three-hour delay, or the 20-plus mph wind gusts that whipped through Riviera Country Club, McIlroy appeared to handle both with very little issue.

He posted a 5-under 66 to open the Genesis Invitational, which gave him a share of the lead as he hit the clubhouse. Aaron Rai eventually passed him with a birdie late Thursday right before play was suspended for the day due to darkness.

“I’ve started to just really enjoy this style of golf,” McIlroy said. “If you had asked me 10 years ago, I didn’t enjoy these conditions, but it’s been a shift in a mindset and maybe just a continuation of trying to build upon the skill set that I have. Then, when it does get to conditions like this, I’m a lot more prepared.

“I wouldn’t say I enjoy them, but I can certainly handle them better.”

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McIlroy birdied twice in his first three holes before the rain delay hit, and then he birdied his first one out of the break, seemingly unbothered by the hours-long gap in his round. He easily saved his par plenty of times when things could have fallen apart on him, like when he had to chip from the putting surface at No. 6, and he spun it back close enough for an easy par.

McIlroy nearly went bogey-free Thursday. He slipped at the par-3 16th when he pulled his tee shot well left and short of the green. That was perhaps the one time all day when he looked frustrated as he slammed the top of his iron onto the small, white toy Genesis car serving as the tee marker twice on his way off the box.

But McIlroy birdied the short par-5 17th right afterward to make up for it to get back into a share of the lead before walking off the course for good.

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Rai, who has won once on Tour in his career, got to 6-under for the day and made back-to-back birdies before play ended through 16 holes. He’ll have two holes to complete Friday before starting the second round. Jacob Bridgeman, in his first round at the Genesis Invitational, joined McIlroy at 5-under.

Scottie Scheffler, uncharacteristically, struggled. The top-ranked golfer in the world made two bogeys and a double to make the turn at 4-over, and he bogeyed the 10th before his round was called. His 5-over mark put him in a tie for last on the leaderboard.

The rough conditions Thursday appear to be a one-day issue. The rain will be gone the rest of the weekend, according to forecasts, and the wind will die down significantly, if not altogether.

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“This course is going to play very different I think the next three days … just score-ability with the wind being down,” said Collin Morikawa, who carded a 3-under playing alongside McIlroy. “So we’ll see some low scores over the next 54 holes.”

While that should open the door for the rest of the field — including Scheffler, who always seems to find a way to make a charge in time for the final round no matter what happens to him Thursday — McIlroy has the early advantage in his second Tour stop of the season.

Freddie Freeman is not taking his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers one season at a time.

The 2020 National League MVP and nine-time All-Star has longevity in mind when looking at the rest of his Dodgers career. Freeman has two years remaining on the six-year, $162 million contract he signed with L.A. in 2022, but he said Thursday that he envisions wearing Dodger Blue beyond that.

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The 2024 World Series MVP also sees himself in the lineup for every game the Dodgers play this season.

“I’m going to prepare to play 162 games,” Freeman told reporters on Thursday, including MLB.com’s Sonja Chen. “Then when that day comes or the night comes where they say, ‘We’re going to give you tomorrow off,’ I will fight that battle and most likely lose. But I want to play every game.”

Freeman, 36, has played 147 games in each of the past two seasons. He has played in at least 157 games in eight of his 16 MLB seasons, including his first two with the Dodgers. And he has appeared in all 162 games twice in his career: the 2014 and 2018 seasons with the Atlanta Braves.

Playing two years beyond his current contract could create some nice, round numbers for Freeman’s career. Going through 2029 would give him 20 seasons in the major leagues. He would be 40 years old. And an extra two seasons could also give Freeman the opportunity to reach 3,000 career hits.

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He enters the 2026 season with 2,431 hits. Sitting 569 hits short of 3,000, he would need to average 142 hits the next four years to reach the milestone. The veteran first baseman surpassed that total in 11 of his seasons and topped 190 hits three times. He led the NL with 191 hits in 2018 and MLB with 199 hits in 2022. (Amazingly, his career-high 211 hits in 2023 finished second to NL MVP Ronald Acuña’s 217.)

[Get more Dodgers news: Los Angeles team feed]

Is Freeman planting the seeds for an eventual contract extension?

“Four is just a number that’s floated,” Freeman said, via The Athletic. “Is it less? Is it more? I don’t know. … I do love this game. I love playing it. But for me, if I can do four [more years], that’ll be 20 years. I think that’s enough.”

It’s possible that the Dodgers could have difficulty finding a position for Freeman by 2028.

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If he can’t play first base, designated hitter isn’t an option with four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani manning that spot through 2033. Freeman might face competition at first base if one of the organization’s top prospects, Josue De Paula, has to move from the outfield (he finished 2025 in Double-A). Currently, many scouting reports believe that’s in De Paula’s future because he’s not a good runner.

Yet if Freeman continues to hit above .300, which he has averaged in his Dodgers career (.310/.391/.516 slash line), the team will likely find a way to keep him in the lineup.

“I love being here. I’m from Southern California. I’ve had a great time with fans,” Freeman said. “I’m not worried about another contract, not going to bring it up, not going to talk about it. I have two years left.

“I’m just an employee. I just do my job, and if they want me back, they want me back,” he added. “But I think [Dodgers president of baseball operations] Andrew [Friedman] and everyone knows that I love being here. So whatever happens, happens.”

The Detroit Pistons apparently took last season’s playoff loss to the New York Knicks personally.

For the third time this season, the Pistons blew out the Knicks. On Thursday night, Detroit rolled to a 126-111 win at Madison Square Garden, sweeping their series for the 2025-26 regular season. The Pistons won by an average of 28 points in their three meetings.

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Cade Cunningham scored a game-high 42 points with 13 assists and 8 rebounds, becoming the first visiting player to score 40+ points and dish out 10+ assists in MSG since LeBron James did so in 2009.

Paul Reed, starting in place of suspended All-Star Jalen Duren, added 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. Tobias Harris scored 11 points with 10 rebounds and 5 assists. With the win, the Pistons boosted their record to 41-13, best in the NBA.

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In addition to Duren, the Pistons were also without Isaiah Stewart, serving a seven-game suspension for his part in the brawl with the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 11.

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Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff disputed the notion that his team got extra motivated to beat the Knicks this season.

“It’s just playing good basketball,” Bickerstaff said, via The Athletic. “This isn’t an ‘Us vs. Knicks’ thing. Our guys have done a great job all year approaching each game the same way.”

Outside shooting was a major issue for the Knicks on Thursday, hitting just 23% of their 3-point attempts (8-of-35). But they actually improved their second-half 3-point shooting after going 1-for-16 (6%) in the first half. Jalen Brunson opened the game by hitting a 3. However, the Knicks missed their next 15 3-point attempts and Detroit took a 58-48 lead into halftime.

New York came into Thursday’s game with the third-best 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA at 37.8% Only the Denver Nuggets (39.5%) and Milwaukee Bucks (39.2%) were better.

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The Knicks closed the Pistons’ lead to 62-60 with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, behind 10 points from Karl-Anthony Towns. But Detroit’s Duncan Robinson answered with a 3-pointer and New York couldn’t get any closer than a four-point margin for the rest of the frame.

“Nobody wants to lose, and everyone is disappointed,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown. “It’s not a fun feeling, but it’s not the end of the world.”

Brunson led the Knicks with 33 points, in addition to 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Towns tallied 21 points and 11 boards, while Landry Shamet added 15 points off the bench. The defeat dropped New York to 35-21, tying them with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third spot in the East.

The first major event of the NFL offseason arrives next week as the football world zeroes in on the 2026 NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Many of the league’s top executives and decision-makers will head to Lucas Oil Stadium to see hundreds of NFL Draft prospects participate in workouts, medical evaluations and interviews from Feb. 23-March 2.

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This is where all 32 teams can start to finalize their list of desired selections for April’s draft.

Why the combine matters, and what are the on-field drills

Scouting NFL Draft prospects is a year-round process, and the combine can be an important piece of that puzzle.

In recent years, many top prospects have opted out of the majority of on-field workouts at the event in favor of showcasing their skills at private workouts or college pro days. But the combine remains a centralized hub for teams to get face-to-face time with prospects for the first time. And the on-field workouts still matter for lower-level players and prospects who have a chance to put their name into the sphere of public opinion, Yahoo Sports draft expert Charles McDonald wrote. Of those workouts that matter, McDonald highlighted:

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• The 3-cone drill for wideouts and defensive linemen

• The broad jump for defenders, running backs and linemen

• The shuttle (20 yards) for offensive linemen and defensive backs

The 40-yard dash gets the most attention, particularly among running backs and wideouts. Kansas City’s Xavier Worthy holds the record for the fastest time at 4.21 seconds, which he ran in 2024. Candidates who can impress with their speed this year are: RB Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest), WRs Chris Hilton Jr. (LSU) and Barion Brown (LSU), and CB Andre Fuller (Toledo).

The 10-yard split (the first 10 yards of the 40-yard dash) is gaining popularity in measuring football skills as it better measures immediate explosion or “first step quickness.” Last year’s top three performers were Nick Emmanwori (1.49 seconds), Matthew Golden (1.49) and Darien Porter (1.49).

The other drills at the combine are the bench press and vertical jump.

Who’s participating at the combine?

Here is the full list of all 319 invitees. The big names include Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr., Ohio State WR Carnell Tate, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love and more.

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“Participating” is used liberally here, as, again, many of the top names invited to Indy might compete in the events on a limited basis. It’s already been reported that Mendoza won’t throw at the combine.

Key players to watch

This class has a lot more good than great in it, and it also has a real lack of consensus among talent evaluators at just about every position, wrote NFL draft analyst Nate Tice. Tice compiled a list of important prospects to keep an eye on. In that group are:

• Georgia OT Monroe Freeling

• Washington RB Jonah Coleman

• Auburn Edge Keldric Faulk

How to watch 2026 NFL combine

Combine coverage, including all on-field workouts and 40-yard dashes, will be broadcast on NFL Network. You can also stream on the NFL+ app.

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• Thursday, Feb. 26: 3 p.m. ET, NFL Network: DL, LB workouts

• Friday, Feb. 27: 3 p.m. ET — NFL Network: DB, TE workouts

• Saturday, Feb. 28: 1 p.m. ET — NFL Network: QB, RB, WR workouts

• Sunday, March 1: 1 p.m. ET — NFL Network: OL workouts

2026 NFL combine schedule of events

Monday, Feb. 23

• Coach and general manager media availabilities

Tuesday, Feb. 24

• Coach and general manager media availabilities

Wednesday, Feb. 25

• Coach and general manager media availabilities

• Defensive line, linebacker and kicker media interviews

Thursday, Feb. 26

• DL, LB and K measurements and on-field workouts, including 40-yard dashes

• Defensive back and tight end media interviews,

Friday, Feb. 27

• DB and TE measurements and on-field workouts, including 40-yard dashes

• DL, LB and K bench presses

• Quarterback, running back and wide receiver media interviews

Saturday, Feb. 28

• QB, RB and WR measurements and on-field workouts, including 40-yard dashes

Sunday, March 1

• OL measurements and on-field workouts, including 40-yard dashes

• QB, RB and WR bench presses

Yes, teams should invest in a running back high in the draft — if he’s an all-purpose difference maker and separates himself among his peers. That’s the conclusion Yahoo Sports draft analyst Nate Tice came to in a podcast episode of “Inside Coverage”when discussing Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, his top running back in this NFL Draft class.

“He can play all four downs,” Tice said. “He can do everything you need him to do, but also he can take the rock to the house. And that’s what the name of the game is. We think of passing explosives, but rushing explosives too.”

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As we enter the upcoming NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, here’s where we stand mock draft wise. In this mock draft, Tice makes the odd-numbered picks, and Charles McDonald makes the even.

More 2026 NFL mock drafts: 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0

1. Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

This pick feels like an intriguing pairing with new head coach Klint Kubiak. Mendoza is a clean operator whose sheer professionalism could lift the floor up for a franchise that’s been in the doldrums for oh so long. Mendoza is accurate, has good size, moves well in the pocket, and constantly finds the right answer from the pocket (he’s already a standout in situations like third down, the red zone and two-minute drives). He’s not an overwhelming athlete, but can create and scramble for yards when things go astray.

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The Raiders’ offensive line needs a lot of work, but Las Vegas has an interesting collection of young skill players (Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, I’d even include Tre Tucker here) that would give Mendoza immediate options as he starts in the NFL. Mendoza’s game, work ethic and intelligence should help make his transition to the NFL not quite as daunting (more under center work notwithstanding) when compared to others jumping from a shotgun-heavy college offense. He’s exactly what the silver and black need.

2. New York Jets — Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami

The Jets would love a quarterback good enough to take here, but there isn’t one. So this is a smart time to go best player available, which very well could be Bain. He doesn’t have prototypical build, but he has incredible athleticism and skill to be an impact defensive end in the NFL from Day 1.

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3. Arizona Cardinals — Francis Mauigoa, OT/OG, Miami

The Cardinals have question marks at quarterback under new head coach Mike LaFleur, and could feasibly draft just about any position here and it would make sense given the state of their roster. Other players in this class might rise as pure offensive tackles, but Mauigoa has earned the right for a chance at right tackle at the next level. Mauigoa is a mauling run blocker with clean technique who seldom gets caught out of position. Whether he ends up at right tackle or kicks inside to guard, he is a great fit for a Cardinals team that desperately needs more talent up front to complement left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., who has shown flashes of future stardom but got caught up in this franchise’s messiness.

4. Tennessee Titans —  Arvell Reese, Edge/LB, Ohio State

Another best player available move, this time with the Titans drafting someone who could be considered the best player in the draft. Reese is a disruptive, explosive player who has upside as a pass rusher and run defender. He would fit right in Robert Saleh’s defense off the edge and could create a wrecking duo with star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.

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5. New York Giants — Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

The Giants have oodles of talent on their defensive front and they could look to continue to boost their (underrated) offensive line, or even add another weapon to the passing game and build around Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers when he returns from injury. Instead, John Harbaugh and the Giants tab Downs as the highest-drafted safety since Jamal Adams in 2017. They’ve been leaky to explosive plays over the past couple of seasons, with their defensive backfield being constant culprits in allowing those big plays. Downs’ versatility, intelligence and soundness will help shore up those big plays and be the tip of the spear for however new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson wants to use him.

Cleveland has to rebuild its offensive line under new head coach Todd Monken. The Browns are getting a little old up front (and, frankly, bad) so it’s time to add talent at offensive tackle. Fano has the ability to start right away with long-term development upside that the Browns need.

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This one is a pretty easy pairing. The Commanders are starved for edge rushers, especially ones who can win one-on-one and get after the quarterback. That’s exactly what Bailey brings to the table. He’s a dynamo off the edge and brings the heat play after play. Bailey’s lack of size can give him issues against the run, but he improved in that area during his lone season in Lubbock. He’ll immediately inject some juice into a front that needs it under new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones.

Tyler Shough did enough to get another year as the starting quarterback in New Orleans, but the Saints’ wide receiver room could use a bit of juice. Tate would make a lot of sense as a strong starting wide receiver across from Chris Olave, who isn’t always the most available player. The Saints could use another strong weapon on offense, and Tate might be the best wide receiver in this class.

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9. Kansas City Chiefs — Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

The Chiefs could use another impact defensive player. But Kansas City needs speed, and not just timed speed but real game speed, at its skill player positions. Love is one of the best overall players in this draft class who can take any touch to the house. He would raise the ceiling on Andy Reid’s screen plays and be a real weapon behind the Chiefs’ burly offensive line in the run game, easing some of the burden on Patrick Mahomes to constantly create big plays for this offense. I’m sure new/returning offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy would be thrilled to work with such a talented back.

The Bengals need defense, obviously. However, they’ve spent so many recent assets along the defensive line, maybe they try another position here and go cornerback, which they also need. Delane would immediately be their most talented cornerback and give them someone who can keep up with wide receivers in coverage.

11. Miami Dolphins — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

McCoy is still in the running to be the first cornerback selected despite not playing this season due to a knee injury. The Dolphins could draft any position and it would make sense, but they could use a young cornerback with some pedigree. While quarterback and other position groups (like non-Jaylen Waddle wide receivers) are still question marks, McCoy would help new head coach Jeff Hafley have a reasonable answer at every position on his defense that will be tasked with carrying games during his maiden season in Miami.

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12. Dallas Cowboys — Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Dallas has an opportunity to really upgrade its defense here for new coordinator Christian Parker, and can shore up what has the potential to be a top front seven with the addition of Styles. He’s a fast, physical linebacker who has all the talent in the world to be an ace starter in short order in the NFL.

The Rams use the Falcons’ first-round pick to take the brother of a Falcon. Terrell is undersized, which might be something the Rams want to move away from in their cornerback room, but his awareness, twitch and ball skills more than make up for his lack of bulk. He would immediately be the Rams’ most talented back-seven player and his skill set would fit in Chris Shula’s defense perfectly.

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14. Baltimore Ravens — Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

Jesse Minter was hired to help Baltimore get back to having a stalwart defense, but the Ravens will need a bit more talent up front to make that an easier job. Faulk is a high-upside project who can affect the run game right now with his size and power. This is the realistic upside play that the Ravens have cashed in on for the past 30 years.

General manager Jason Licht has no qualms with taking a player who is not at a position of need, so anything is in play here. This is the year the Bucs finally draft the replacement for the unsinkable Lavonte David. Allen has been a steadying force for Georgia’s defense ever since he stepped on the field as a freshman. He has intangibles and a well-rounded game that would fit in Todd Bowles’ defense. And really any defense, to be fair.

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16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts) — Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

This could be a steal here for the Jets and new offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who get to add another high-upside, high-floor prospect here in Tyson. Figuring out who will be throwing them the ball next season is a different story, but Tyson and Garrett Wilson is a good one-two punch for somebody.

17. Detroit Lions — Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

While the center position might be the most important area for the Lions’ offense to improve this season, a tackle succession plan might not be too far behind, especially now that Dan Skipper is retiring. Lomu plays calm with light feet, and he has a good frame but could stand to add strength to take his game to the next level. I’m bullish on Lomu and think he could end up as a good starter on the blindside as he matures. A timeline behind Taylor Decker with Hank Fraley coaching him would be an ideal situation.

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18. Minnesota Vikings — Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

The Vikings’ defense was incredible last season, but Minnesota still could use another hoss in the middle of the field. McDonald would make a lot of sense as a true nose tackle talent in Brian Flores’ defense, creating even more opportunities for Flores to put his players in the best positions possible for them to break games.

Woods could go much higher than this, or much lower. His flashes are as good as any defensive player in this draft class, but he had a maddeningly inconsistent year on an underwhelming Clemson team. The Panthers need to continue to add needle-movers to their defense and if Woods reaches his ceiling, the Panthers could have a monster front with Woods and Derrick Brown. Carolina has also had recent success with another defensive draft faller coming off an inconsistent final collegiate season in 2025 second-round pick Nic Scourton.

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20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers) — Brandon Cisse, DB, South Carolina

After spending their first pick on Sonny Styles, the Cowboys can add another piece here with Cisse. They desperately need help at cornerback, especially after cutting long-time starter Trevon Diggs, and new defensive coordinator Christian Parker cut his teeth in part by coaching the Eagles’ secondary into becoming one of the best in the league.

The Steelers might not traditionally take wide receivers in the first round, but after their 2025 passing attack faltered time and again outside of deep forays to DK Metcalf and a bevy of tight end targets, I think it’ll be OK for them to break tradition and add some juice to their pass-catching group. Lemon’s play style (he was primarily a slot player at USC) pairs nicely with Metcalf as well as Mike McCarthy’s quick-hitting scheme (regardless if Aaron Rodgers returns or not), and gives this offense an underneath weapon who can actually create something.

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The Chargers, again, need help up front after a brutal showing in the postseason that saw their Super Bowl hopes end after one game, and it cost offensive coordinator Greg Roman and O-line coach Mike Devlin their jobs. It’s impossible to predict losing so many offensive linemen to injury, but having more of them at least gives an opportunity to build some much-needed depth up front.

Freeling has been a big riser over the back half of the college season and might go even higher than this when this cycle is all said and done. He has good size with long arms and a frame that could add even more bulk. Freeling is an easy mover (his basketball background shows up constantly) whose technique and polish sharpened quickly after he got healthy this past season. He even showed improved strength and ability to anchor in the last month of the season, and that only adds to his appeal. Freeling might have played on the left side in college, but his athleticism should allow him to flip sides if needed. Howie Roseman loves investing in the trenches and this would give the Eagles a Lane Johnson succession plan, which is all the more important with master O-line coach Jeff Stoutland leaving the team.

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24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars) — Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

The Browns become the Ty Simpson team. Simpson struggled over the back half of his final college season due to injuries, but Todd Monken and the Browns have nothing at quarterback in a tough division not to have one. Simpson is not the highest-upside guy out there, but he gives Cleveland a chance for some much needed, bare-minimum competency with upside to get better.

25. Chicago Bears — Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

The Bears’ defense had admirable late-season performances, notably against the Rams in the divisional round, but that group needs to become more stout against the run. Luckily, this is a good defensive tackle class, especially for run-first guys. Hunter is one of those talented interior defenders, and he would give the Bears a burly defender who can eat blocks but also get into the backfield. He even has upside as a pass rusher. Hunter has to work on down-to-down consistency, but there aren’t a lot of players with this size who can move as easily as Hunter does.

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26. Buffalo Bills — T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson

Buffalo’s defense improved as the season hit the waning moments, but the Bills still need more talent at all three levels for new coordinator Jim Leonhard. That’s a tall ask, but they can dip their toes in the edge rusher market with the selection of Parker, an athletic defensive end.

Miller is a right tackle with good size, quickness and light feet as a pass protector. His agility would make him a great fit for a Shanahan offense that likes to have its linemen constantly on the move. Trent Williams keeps staving off any big drop in play but is getting up there in years, and while the 49ers extended right tackle Colton McKivitz recently, he is not a needle-moving player. Miller’s size and run-game blocking should help him fill any non-center spot on the offensive line until the 49ers figure out their long-term plan at both tackle spots.

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28. Houston Texans — Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

The Texans’ offensive line is still a problem, so Houston can take a massive swing here to fix it with the 6-foot-7, 370-pound Proctor. He has to answer questions about his conditioning, but if he can stay in shape at the next level he has a chance to tap into the athleticism that has scouts and fans so excited about his upside.

29. Los Angeles Rams — Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

The Rams have reportedly poked around about moving up in the draft and selecting a pass-catcher high in recent years (Tetairoa McMillan in 2025, Brock Bowers in 2024), and this time they stand pat with their original selection and get Boston at the tail end of the first round. Boston is a big wide receiver with the skill set of a true “X” wide receiver who can win in isolated situations. He would give the Rams a behemoth starting wide receiver trio with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams to go along with their deep tight end room. A half-dozen power forwards with Matthew Stafford firing the football would be a dream, and give Nacua an ideal long-term running mate who would allow him to get moved around and used however Sean McVay wants.

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30. Denver Broncos — Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

A long-term linebacker prospect is exactly what the Broncos need and they get a talented one here in Hill. He was injured to close the season, but the Broncos can use his talents here to give them a more complete defense with young talent at all three levels.

A team picking in the top five the past two drafts suddenly made the Super Bowl. And while the Patriots nailed their recent free-agency class, they could stand to add some more building blocks, especially on offense around their star quarterback Drake Maye. While Sadiq is a tight end, the Patriots need pass catchers, especially ones who can create explosives with the ball in their hands. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels loves to use tight ends, and Maye has loved throwing the ball to Hunter Henry in his first two seasons. Sadiq would give them a weapon who can turn those screens and underneath routes into big plays. He has the speed and receiving ability to stretch the defense, and also some real grit as a blocker that Mike Vrabel would love.

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32. Seattle Seahawks — Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

The Seahawks have hit the “no-clue-let’s-mock-them-a-pass-rusher” level in their roster building. They don’t have too many holes that can immediately be plugged here, so let’s just give them another front seven player to add to that defense.

Stephen Curry has missed five games for the Golden State Warriors due to a knee issue. He’s now guaranteed to miss at least five more.

The Warriors have ruled the former MVP out for the next 10 days, at which point he will be reevaluated, the team announced Thursday. An MRI reportedly came back clean of any structural damage Wednesday, but the pain and swelling have persisted in Curry’s right knee.

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“It’s just lingering soreness,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Thursday.

Sitting out Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics means Curry will have missed 17 games this season. His next missed game will make him ineligible for the NBA’s regular-season awards, breaking a five-year streak of All-NBA teams.

The Celtics won Thursday’s game 121-110.

Curry last played Jan. 30, when he exited a competitive game after the third quarter due to some awkward contact on a drive. Kerr said after the game that the team didn’t believe Curry’s knee issue was “anything major,” but at least 10 missed games is veering into major territory.

The Warriors’ next four games after the Celtics are the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers. If he is green-lit to return after 10 days, Curry’s first game back would be against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 2.

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Golden State currently sits at 29-27, good for eighth in the Western Conference. It’s not in much danger of falling out of the play-in tournament — it’s 7.5 games ahead of 11th-place Memphis — but there’s a very real chance the team’s record will be .500 or worse by the time Curry comes back.

On the bright side for the Warriors, trade acquisition Kristaps Porziņģis made his debut Thursday after dealing with an Achilles injury, posting 12 points in 17 minutes off the bench. However, with Curry’s knee woes and Jimmy Butler III already out for the season, there’s little reason to expect the team to be aggressive in getting any of its standout players on the court.

Among a horde of tanking NBA teams, the Sacramento Kings stand alone with the worst record in the NBA. It didn’t get any better Thursday.

The Kings extended their losing streak to 15 games with a 131-94 defeat by the Orlando Magic, breaking the franchise record for consecutive losses. That low mark was previously held by two different streaks during the team’s days of operation as the Cincinnati Royals.

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Their record is now 12-45.

Sacramento hasn’t won a game since Jan. 16, a 128-115 win over the similarly futile Washington Wizards. To give a sports fan some perspective on how long ago that was, the NFL divisional round started the next day.

Thursday’s loss was the most lopsided of the bunch with a 37-point scoring margin. Five of the 15 were actually by fewer than five points, but the Kings couldn’t get it done.

As a reminder, the Kings fired current New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown after his team suffered a … five-game losing streak.

The Kings will get their next chance to break the streak with a road game against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. After that, their next three opponents are the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.

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It’s going to get worse before it gets better for the Kings

There is hardly reason to expect an improvement in the latter stage of the season, beyond the idea that an NBA team just can’t be this bad. The Kings announced Wednesday that All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis had undergone season-ending surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee. Zach LaVine, the team’s leading scorer, is already out for the season following a hand surgery.

With those two out, Thursday offered a vision of how the Kings will be operating moving forward. DeMar DeRozan scored 13 points on 3-of-11 shooting. Russell Westbrook had 5 points on 2-of-8 shooting, with 1 assist and 3 turnovers. The bench scored 30 points on a combined 9-of-29 shooting with 8 assists and 9 turnovers.

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A bright spot might have been rookie Maxime Reynaud, who started at center in Sabonis’ place and posted 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting with 14 rebounds and 4 assists. The Kings were outscored by 14 points in his 39 minutes on the floor, which was actually tied for the team’s second-best plus/minus among the 10 players who got minutes.

It’s tempting to say the Kings won’t even be trying for the rest of the season, but that’s not exactly how it works. Ownership and the executive suite might not mind more of the same, which would guarantee them a top-5 pick in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft, but the players still have plenty of reason to compete. This just happens to be an extremely broken roster right now.

There is now quite some distance between Sacramento and the rest of the NBA in the standings. The Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans all have 15 wins as of Thursday night, with the Kings three wins clear of their closest “competition” for the lottery’s top position.