AP Sports

Bevy of defensive playmakers are available in Round 2 of the NFL draft after historic offensive run

The historic run on offensive players, especially quarterbacks, in the first round of the NFL draft pushed plenty of talented defenders down the board. It also pushed some first-round worthy defensive players into Round 2 on Friday. Those include Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, Texas A&M inside linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.

Quarterbacks Williams, Daniels, Maye, Penix, McCarthy and Nix selected in top 12 of NFL draft

DETROIT (AP) — Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades. Five other teams selected quarterbacks among the top 12 picks, setting a record with five in the top 10 and tying a record for the most in the first round. The Bears selected Williams at No. 1 overall in the NFL draft on Thursday night after deciding weeks ago to bank on the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner from USC. The Washington Commanders followed up by taking 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels from LSU and the New England Patriots took North Carolina’s Drake Maye at No. 3, making it the fourth draft with quarterbacks going with the first three picks.

Star driver Josef Newgarden fights back tears, accepts blame for breaking rules in IndyCar scandal

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden is accepted blame for manipulating the push-to-pass system in his season-opening win, calling it an embarrassment. He says he is “not a liar” and didn’t intentionally break the rules. Newgarden gave an emotional news conference at Barber Motorsports Park in his first public comments since IndyCar stripped him of the victory March 10 at St. Petersburg, Florida. He said he didn’t realize he broke the rules until Monday. Newgarden said IndyCar’s decision was “absolutely” the right call.

Marta says this will be her final year with Brazil’s women’s national team

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian soccer star Marta plans to retire from the women’s national team after this year. The six-time women’s world player of the year has told CNN Brasil that she hopes to play in the Olympics in Paris but said that would be her last major tournament for the national team. The 38-year-old Orlando Pride playmaker apparently did not say whether she plans to continue her club career in 2025. Marta said she wants to play at the Paris Games for what would be her sixth Olympic appearance. She helped Brazil win silver medals in 2004 and 2008.

European soccer leagues insist they have no plans for games in the US. A lawsuit could change that

GENEVA (AP) — Leaders of top European soccer leagues say have no plans to take games to the United States. The 34-nation European Leagues group did acknowledge that could change pending a lawsuit in Manhattan. FIFA has shifted its long-time policy of blocking domestic league games being played on the territory of another member federation. It withdrew this month from an antitrust suit filed by U.S. promoter Relevent Sports that also involves the U.S. Soccer Federation. If league games could be organized abroad, European leagues and clubs could expect offers from the United States, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

Chelsea and Lyon bring leads into return legs of Women’s Champions League semifinals

LONDON (AP) — Emma Hayes didn’t want anyone to get carried away by Chelsea’s surprise 1-0 win over Barcelona last week in the Women’s Champions League semifinals. That’s because Chelsea needs to finish the job Saturday in the second-leg match in order to reach just its second-ever final — in Hayes’ final season at the club. Defending champion Barcelona won at Stamford Bridge in the semifinals a year ago and arrived in London with plenty of firepower to make a comeback. Lyon faces Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday at Parc des Princes in the other second-leg semifinal. Eight-time champion Lyon trailed 2-0 but came back to win 3-2 in last week’s opener.

Five surprise teams aim to finish stunning seasons by securing Champions League spot

GENEVA (AP) — There could be a surprising team from each of Europe’s “big five” leagues when the new-look Champions League debuts next season. Aston Villa, Bologna, Brest, Girona and Stuttgart are all on course to qualify for Europe’s elite competition going into the final few rounds of their national league. Bologna, Stuttgart and Girona have perhaps the best chance of earning a place in the 36-team Champions League lineup when the lucrative tournament switches to a new format next season. Spain’s Girona and French club Brest have never played in any European competition. But this kind of challenge was not expected from any of the provincial teams, which have had little or no recent success.

What to know about Bell’s palsy, the facial paralysis affecting Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. A facial nerve gets inflamed or injured and suddenly muscles on one side of the face become weak or paralyzed. It can distort expression or keep an eyelid from closing. The cause isn’t known although it’s linked to factors including high blood pressure, diabetes, certain viral infections and autoimmune disorders. Treatments often consist of steroid medications to fight inflammation and keeping eyes moist and protected. Fortunately most people recover within about six months.

Reggie Bush plans to continue his fight against the NCAA after the return of his Heisman Trophy

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reggie Bush says the return of his Heisman Trophy is the biggest step yet in his fight against the NCAA to restore his reputation and his records from his incredible career at Southern California. Bush and his family celebrated the restoration of his Heisman honors Thursday during a news conference atop the venerable Coliseum, where Bush played three outstanding seasons with the Trojans. Bush and his attorneys made it clear their fight against the NCAA has not ended. Bush indicated he doesn’t plan to drop his defamation lawsuit filed last year against the NCAA over the governing body’s characterization of the circumstances that led to Bush’s troubles.

Colts snap record streak of 14 straight offensive players taken in NFL draft with UCLA DE Latu

UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player selected in the NFL draft, going No. 15 overall to Indianapolis to snap a record streak of 14 straight offensive players taken. The previous latest a defensive player was drafted came in 2021, when the Carolina Panthers took cornerback Jaycee Horn eighth overall. Not only were the 14 straight offensive players to start the draft a record, it was the first time 14 straight offensive players were taken at any point in the draft.