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Shedeur Sanders draft

ESPN spent the entire NFL Draft weekend talking about him. Donald Trump posted on Truth Social about him, and the White House is still talking about him days later. He was the subject of what instantly became the most famous prank phone call of recent times. And now, he will attempt to play quarterback for […]

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Shedeur Sanders draft

ESPN spent the entire NFL Draft weekend talking about him. Donald Trump posted on Truth Social about him, and the White House is still talking about him days later. He was the subject of what instantly became the most famous prank phone call of recent times. And now, he will attempt to play quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, who selected him two days after he—and his father—thought he’d be taken.

Shedeur Sanders is the most talked-about athlete in American sports this week, a stirring feat for a young man who waited as long as he did to come off the draft board. So what is going on here? Long story!

Who is Shedeur Sanders?

The quarterback for the University of Colorado the past two seasons, and Jackson State for a year before that, Shedeur is Deion Sanders’ son and went with his dad when he took the head coaching job at Boulder before the 2023 season. Sanders was a well above-average college QB, and in 2024, he won the Big 12’s Offensive Player of the Year honor. Because he’s the son of one of the greatest multisport athletes ever, who’s also a major media personality in addition to his coaching work, Shedeur himself is a celebrity. He has more than 2 million Instagram followers and a bunch of brand deals.

Who picked him in the draft, and when?

To many people’s great surprise, the Cleveland Browns, in the fifth round on Saturday, 144th overall.

What’s so scandalous about that?

The industry consensus on Sanders was that he was something like the 20th or 40th best player in the draft, depending on one’s evaluation of him. One popular prediction was that the New Orleans Saints, who held the ninth pick and don’t have a long-term quarterback, would take Sanders. If that failed, the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 have the same quarterback vacuum, and ESPN insider Adam Schefter, among others, had reported that Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin liked Sanders. There was no guarantee that Sanders would hear his name called in the first round on Thursday, but if it didn’t happen then, it would surely happen sometime in the second round.

Then every team passed on Sanders in the first round … and the second … and the third … and the fourth. Sanders was often predicted to be the second quarterback taken, after No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward by the Tennessee Titans. Instead, he was the sixth. He wasn’t even the Browns’ first QB pick, as they spent their third-rounder on Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, in a real shocker.

So why did so many teams shun Sanders?

As always when a player “falls” in the draft, there are two possibilities: One, teams soured on him. Two, teams were never high on him in the first place. The smokescreen-heavy world of the NFL Draft makes it hard to delineate between those two, but the volume of reportage on Sanders suggests that both things played a part in him waiting so long for the Browns to finally pick him up.

For one thing, Sanders was a polarizing quarterback to evaluate, and plenty of media analysts who scout quarterbacks have been skeptical of him. ESPN’s Matt Miller, for example, didn’t give Sanders a “first-round” grade, the label for a player who should go in the first 32 picks in a normal draft year. But Miller, as recently as early April, thought it was a “safe bet” that Sanders would be a top-five pick.

That’s a long way from falling to the fifth round, though. The rest of Sanders’ long wait is attributable to a pair of factors: his own reputation and a limited market for quarterbacks. Sanders is more talented than a fifth-round pick, but clearly, no NFL team thought it’s likely that he becomes a strong NFL starter. Any other quarterback will join a team as a backup trying to work his way up, and Sanders did not distinguish himself in the pre-draft process. He reportedly came off disinterested in interviews with teams. He passed up numerous chances to work out in front of scouts. His celebrity father used his megaphone to promise Shedeur would be a top-five pick and to threaten to manipulate the draft process so that Shedeur would only go to a team the Sanders family wanted him to go to, à la Eli Manning in 2004.

In other words: Sanders is good enough to be at least a second-round pick, but teams don’t want the pain in the ass of a development quarterback with the capacity to create drama.

That sounds like Colin Kaepernick’s situation a few years ago.

Well, sort of, but be careful. Stephen A. Smith has ensured that this comparison attracted mainstream attention, and on some surface level, it makes sense: Kaepernick’s advocacy for racial justice, which included kneeling during the national anthem, made him a lightning rod and led to his unambiguous exclusion from the NFL. It wasn’t that Kaepernick couldn’t play, but that he couldn’t play at a high enough level to outweigh the off-field inconvenience. Sanders wasn’t boxed out of the league at all, and to the extent the microscope on him did hurt his stock, it wasn’t because he’d taken any brave political stances.

I can assure you that if Sanders took the public stands that Kaepernick has taken, he would not have received a ringing endorsement from a certain famous sports fan after the first round.

Oh boy. What did Donald Trump have to do with this?

After the draft’s first 32 picks went by, the big man posted: “What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness. He should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!”

Why is Trump talking about Shedeur?

Trump appears to be friends with Deion Sanders, or at least to be such a great admirer of him that he wants to weigh in for his son. Trump also enjoys his chances to antagonize NFL owners, one corner of elite society that has shunned him during his long business career.

Did Trump have anything to do with the Browns finally picking Sanders?

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, says so. Maybe she’s got her tongue in her cheek, or maybe not. I’ve lost the ability to distinguish that:

But no. This is just a lack of ball-knowing on display. NFL teams are way too neurotic about quarterbacks to evaluate them based on what a president thinks of them.

I heard something about a prank phone call. What happened?

Some obnoxious kids got ahold of a special phone number that Sanders was using so that NFL teams could reach him during the draft. This number would be where the drafting team called him. (Sanders did not watch from the backstage greenroom but instead from his family home.) The kids called Sanders during the second round on Friday and pretended to be the general manager of the New Orleans Saints. They walked right up to telling Sanders they were about to pick him before telling him he’d have to wait longer and hanging up. Amazingly, both sides of this exchange are on publicly available video.

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Have the perps behind the prank been identified?

One of them has been, at least. It turns out it was the son of the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator, who left the phone number visible on an iPad. The NFL is still investigating, and so far the team, coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, and his 21-year-old failson, Jax Ulbrich, have profusely apologized.

What about the larger question here: Is Sanders a good NFL quarterback prospect?

I think Sanders is a solid prospect who could develop into an OK starting QB, with a remote chance of becoming a very good one. Sanders is an accurate passer, and he managed good numbers at Colorado despite playing behind a porous offensive line that may as well have constituted an OSHA violation. On the other hand, Sanders isn’t big, doesn’t have a rocket arm or sublime athleticism, and did have the benefit of playing in an offense that had Heisman Trophy–winner Travis Hunter at receiver and was designed to elevate Shedeur. The most likely outcome is that Shedeur hangs around as a backup for a few years and then washes out of football, but that’s the most likely outcome for every drafted quarterback. I wouldn’t rule out that the Browns made out like bandits.

Is he going to play for the Browns?

Don’t rule that out either, even though fifth-round picks don’t usually get a lot of snaps. The Browns are currently following the strategy of a bad baseball team, employing five different potential starters to throw the ball, all of whom are probably bad. Deshaun Watson, many times accused of sexual misconduct and the worst quarterback in the league, remains on the roster for now. Forty-year-old Joe Flacco is here, as is Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles castoff Kenny Pickett. Then there are Gabriel and Sanders, the two rookies. That’s a lot of competition, but none of it is daunting.

So there’s a substantial chance that we’ve now had five days of our national news cycle in both sports and politics largely dominated by a player who will never see consistent NFL action?

We sure have. American exceptionalism is alive and well.

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UTSA Baseball Coach References Historic Win In NIL Ask

© Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The UTSA baseball team upset top seed Texas in NCAA Regional play on Saturday. Head coach Pat Hallmark wasted no time trying to use the win to his advantage. He was heard making a plea to the Roadrunners‘ athletic director in his postgame press conference. […]

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UTSA baseball celebrates during a game vs. Texas.

© Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The UTSA baseball team upset top seed Texas in NCAA Regional play on Saturday. Head coach Pat Hallmark wasted no time trying to use the win to his advantage.

He was heard making a plea to the Roadrunners‘ athletic director in his postgame press conference. He referenced the victory in his pitch for a larger recruiting budget.

UTSA found itself in a showdown against the Longhorns after winning its regional opener over Kansas State. They then used an epic comeback to best their instate rival on their home field.

Texas grabbed an early 6-1 lead following a five-run third frame. From there, it was all Roadrunners.

UTSA outscored the ‘Horns 8-1 over the next six innings to win 9-7. They advanced to an NCAA Regional final for the first time in program history.

UTSA baseball wants more NIL support.

The Roadrunners don’t have the wallet to match larger schools in the Lone Star State. Texas and Texas A&M are two of the richest athletic departments in college sports. Teams like TCU and Texas Tech have millionaire donors helping bankroll success.

UTSA falls down a rung on the totem pole. Despite the NIL disadvantage, they’ve been able to compete on the field with those wealthier rivals. Pat Hallmark hopes it results in more support.

The Roadrunners won 46 games this season. They’d already beaten both Texas and Texas A&M in regular season play. Now, they find themselves one game away from a Super Regional.

UTSA’s head baseball coach believes he should be rewarded with a bigger NIL budget. The longer the season lasts, the more likely that hope becomes reality.





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Bill Belichick buyout drops to $1 million, per contract terms

According to the terms of his contract at North Carolina, Bill Belichick’s buyout dropped Sunday. The figure is now $1 million if he chooses to leave. Belichick signed his contract to become UNC’s next head coach in December after the school announced him as Mack Brown’s replacement. His base salary is $1 million with an […]

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According to the terms of his contract at North Carolina, Bill Belichick’s buyout dropped Sunday. The figure is now $1 million if he chooses to leave.

Belichick signed his contract to become UNC’s next head coach in December after the school announced him as Mack Brown’s replacement. His base salary is $1 million with an additional $9 million in supplemental income, totaling out to $10 million per year. The first three years of the five-year deal are guaranteed.

Upon his hiring, Belichick’s buyout sat at $10 million prior to June 1 if he terminates the deal without cause. That number dropped to $1 million on Sunday, per the terms sheet. He would owe that amount to the school within 180 days.

North Carolina marks Belichick’s first college coaching job after a decorated career in the NFL, notably with the New England Patriots. He led the franchise to seven Super Bowls with Tom Brady at quarterback and parted ways at the end of the 2023 season.

All told, during his time in New England, Belichick had a 266-121 record, and his 302 career victories sits second in NFL history behind the great Don Shula. Now, he’s preparing to take on the college game at North Carolina, where his father Steve served as an assistant coach from 1953-55.

“I grew up around college football at the Naval Academy and some of the great teams there, especially the ’63 team, the ’60 team,” Belichick said earlier this month. “Great teams and great players there. [Roger] Staubach, [Thomas] Lynch, Pat Donnelly and those guys. They were great leaders, great people and great inspirations to me, and I learned a lot from watching them.

“I’ve always tried to make my team look like those teams. The kind of teamwork, camaraderie, communication, toughness, and resilience that those guys had.”

Bill Belichick: ‘Everything we do is a pro model’

Shortly after news broke of Bill Belichick’s plans to take over at UNC, he hired Michael Lombardi as the program’s general manager. The goal was to create an NFL-like atmosphere in Chapel Hill and effectively make the Tar Heels the NFL’s “33rd team,” in their words.

“Everything we do is a pro model,” Belichick said. “Head coach, general manager, and we want the players to develop professionally to their maximum football level, academically, and as a pro in life. To be ready to go into wherever life takes them, whether that’s owning their business, or working for a company, or whatever that happens to be. So, they’re all life lessons.”

North Carolina has 42 players coming in via the transfer portal this season, headlined by former Washington cornerback Thaddeus Dixon. He came in as the No. 33 overall player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings and is one of three Top-100 transfers heading to Chapel Hill. UNC’s transfer class ranks No. 8 in the nation, according to the On3 Team Transfer Portal Index.

Former South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez is also preparing to suit up for North Carolina after coming in as the No. 18-ranked quarterback in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. He completed 66% of his passes for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, and appears in line to be Belichick’s first starting quarterback at UNC.

North Carolina will get the 2025 season underway Sept. 1 with a Monday night matchup against TCU. That game will kick off at 8 p.m. ET.



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UK vs Clemson game today in NCAA regional

Erik Bakich on Clemson baseball’s loss to West Virginia in regional Clemson baseball lost 9-6 to West Virginia in the winner’s bracket of the NCAA regional. Tigers coach Erik Bakich reflected on the loss and more. Kentucky baseball extended its NCAA Tournament journey an extra day, eliminating USC Upstate from the Clemson Regional with a […]

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  • Kentucky baseball extended its NCAA Tournament journey an extra day, eliminating USC Upstate from the Clemson Regional with a 7-3 win on Saturday.
  • First pitch for Kentucky vs. Clemson is scheduled for noon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Kentucky baseball extended its NCAA Tournament journey an extra day, eliminating USC Upstate from the Clemson Regional in a 7-3 victory on Saturday.

The Wildcats (30-25) won the game without one of their best players, freshman Tyler Bell, who suffered an injury in the first game of the tournament against West Virginia when he fouled a ball off his knee.

“I think (UK sophomore Kyuss Gargett) has done a great job all year just staying ready,” said junior Luke Lawrence after Saturday’s win. “I think he did a great job today at short, he had a couple of key plays in the game. Not only that, but his attitude out there is just awesome. He took charge, like a shortstop does. I think that shows his heart and his character.”

The Wildcats have a new test today when they play the top-seed in the region, Clemson, which is also ranked No. 11 nationally, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

The Tigers (45-17) lost 9-6 to West Virginia on Saturday.

Follow along below for live updates, scores and highlights from Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament game against Clemson:

Harris threw two wild pitches in the inning, which led to a Clemson run, Jack Crighton.

UK scored five runs on three hits and two errors.

Carson Hansen and Ryan Schwartz recorded RBIs in the inning.

Harris gave up a single to the leadoff batter and then struck out two of the next three batters.

Three up, three down for the Wildcats in the inning.

The Tigers didn’t record one hit and they left one run on base after TP Wentworth was walked.

Clemson pitcher Talan Bell downed the first two batters in the lineup. Then he hit the next two batters with a pitch. Carson Hansen singled to left field and then James McCoy and Bell scored on a throwing error at the plate.

Kentucky starting pitcher Nate Harris struck out the first batter of the game, but then the next three batters in the lineup got on base. With the bases loaded, Clemson’s Jarren Purify scored on a wild pitch.

An RBI groundout by Collin Priest plates Dominic Listi.

  • Date: Sunday, June 1
  • Time: Noon

First pitch for Kentucky vs. Clemson is scheduled for noon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Looking to buy UK baseball tickets for the Clemson Regional? We’ve got you covered.

Buy Kentucky baseball ticket

Friday

  • Game 1: West Virginia 4, Kentucky 3
  • Game 2: Clemson 7, USC Upstate 3

Saturday

  • Game 3: Kentucky 7, USC Upstate 3
  • Game 4: West Virginia 9, Clemson 6

Sunday

  • Game 5: Kentucky vs. Clemson, noon
  • Game 6: West Virginia vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.; TV TBD

Monday (if necessary)

  • Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, TBD

Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@gannett.com and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.



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Lurching forward, hopes are to find a level playing field and some stability | College

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UK wins NCAA regional game vs USC Upstate

Kentucky baseball remains alive for at least one more day. The Wildcats eliminated USC Upstate from the NCAA Tournament on Saturday with a 7-3 victory at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. UK will face Clemson, the top seed in the region, or have a rematch against West Virginia on Sunday at 12 p.m. Here are […]

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Kentucky baseball remains alive for at least one more day.

The Wildcats eliminated USC Upstate from the NCAA Tournament on Saturday with a 7-3 victory at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

UK will face Clemson, the top seed in the region, or have a rematch against West Virginia on Sunday at 12 p.m.

Here are three takeaways from Kentucky’s win in the double-elimination regional.

The Wildcats were able to get on the board early in their second matchup of the Clemson Regional.

Junior Carson Hansen hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, which allowed Kentucky to jump out to a 3-0 lead.

UK pitcher Nic McCay started the game rolling. He struck out three batters through the first three innings, not allowing a hit in that span.

In the fourth inning, USC Upstate found its rhythm at the plate. It scored three runs on three hits and two batters walked. Preston Lucas hit a two-run RBI double to left center field to bring in the first runs for the Spartans.

The Wildcats were able to regain the lead in the bottom of the sixth after a sacrifice bunt by Patrick Herrera, which led to a James McCoy run.

The Wildcats will have to get their bats going if they want to stay alive in the tournament. They had one big inning where they scored three runs against West Virginia, but then they were shut out the rest of the game.

UK scored three runs early again on Saturday before adding a run in the sixth inning and three more in the eighth.

Against West Virginia or Clemson, the Wildcats will need to score with more consistency.

Redshirt junior James McCoy went 2 for 2 at the plate, extending his hit streak to eight games, which ties his career best.

McCoy has 22 hits on the season and 10 of them have come during his hit streak, including six of his 12 RBIs. He’s batting .310 for the season.

Entering the Clemson Regional, USC Upstate ranked second in the nation in scoring (9.7 runs per game) and was in the top 20 in home runs (99).

The Wildcats held the Spartans to three runs or fewer for just the 10th time this season.

Relief pitcher Ethan Walker was brought into the game in the fifth inning. He struck out seven batters and only allowed one hit.

Kentucky baseball will play the loser of Saturday’s second game between regional host (and No. 11 national seed) Clemson and West Virginia.

The Tigers are 45-16 this season, posting a 27-7 record in home games. They came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat USC Upstate Friday in their first regional game.

West Virginia trailed 3-0 against the Wildcats and was able to erase the deficit, securing a walk-off win.

Looking to buy UK baseball tickets for the Clemson Regional? We’ve got you covered.

Buy Kentucky baseball tickets

Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@gannett.com and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.



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UW Womens Basketball’s top 2026 target signs NIL deal with adidas

This is just the start. Excited to announce I have joined the @adidasHoops Family.You don’t have to fit into anyone’s mold to make it big. This is for the ones who dream different. pic.twitter.com/LTFmlTaECW — Oliviyah “Big Oh” Edwards (@EdwardsOliviyah) May 28, 2025 There’s no doubt that 6-foot-3 power forward Oliviyah Edwards, who is also […]

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There’s no doubt that 6-foot-3 power forward Oliviyah Edwards, who is also known as “Big Oh,” is the top priority for coach Tina Langley and the Washington Huskies on the recruiting trail in 2026.

The in-state standout from Tacoma, Washington, who plays at Elite Sports Academy in Issaquah, is ranked as the No. 4 player in the nation by 247Sports and holds offers from all over the country.

On Friday, Edwards announced that she was one of eight high school women’s basketball players who signed an NIL deal with adidas.

“The new crew of athletes are part of adidas’ plan to support young athletes with resources, opportunities, and a platform to reach their full potential,” On3’s Nick Schultz said of the group. “Additionally, the company is further investing in the NIL space after making multiple splashes last year.”

That first group of splashes was headlined by Washington football stars Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze, who wound up being selected back-to-back at No. 8 and No. 9 overall in the 2024 NFL draft. When Washington initially switched over to adidas in 2019, the Huskies were billed as the “flagship program” for the company, which doesn’t seem to have completely come to fruition over the first five years of the deal.

However, as the apparel brand has moved further into the NIL space, that could come in handy for the Huskies and, in this case, for Langley’s group. Pairing Edwards with five-star Brynn McGaughy, who signed with Washington in the 2025 class, would give the head coach one of the best frontcourt groups in the Big Ten.





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