Gary Trent Jr. tied a franchise playoff record with nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo also had 37 and the Milwaukee Bucks used a big second half to beat Indiana 117-101 on Friday night and cut the Pacers' series lead to 2-1.
The Pacers led 57-47 at halftime, but Trent hit three 3-pointers early in the third to pull the Bucks even at 62. The Bucks grabbed a 72-69 lead on Antetokounmpo's three-point play and led 86-75 at the end of the quarter.
The lead grew to as many as 20 in the fourth and Trent finished 9 for 12 behind the arc to tie Hall of Famer Ray Allen's mark for most 3-pointers in a postseason game.
Antetokounmpo added 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which hosts Game 4 on Sunday. A.J. Green scored 12 points and Bobby Portis had 10 for the Bucks, who took on the Pacers for the 18th time in the past two seasons.
Indiana had won five of the last six playoff games between the teams and ousted the Bucks from the playoffs in the opening round last season.
After trailing throughout Game 2, the Bucks grabbed an early lead. Antetokounmpo and Trent, who got a rare start, combined to score Milwaukee's first 21 points. No other Bucks player scored until Green sank a 3-pointer with 2:28 left in the opening quarter.
Milwaukee shot 4 for 23 from 3-point range over the first two quarters but was 11 for 18 after halftime.
Bucks star guard Damian Lillard was held to seven points on 2-of-12 shooting. He made just 1-of-8 3-pointers.
After dropping out of the first round, Sanders admitted that he "didn't expect" the fall. He even became the culprit of a prank call who told him he had to "wait a little longer."
But, late in the third round, Sanders took the X to keep some confidence.
"Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING," he wrote.
Sanders had plenty of opportunities to be selected, but with three quarterbacks taken over him on night two, he clearly is not on many teams' radars.
Shough went 40th overall to the New Orleans Saints. Then came the third round, where Milroe went 92 to the Seattle Seahawks, and the Cleveland Browns, who had numerous chances at Sanders, took Dillon Gabriel three picks later.
Earlier this week, reports started to shun Sanders, with one coach saying his formal meeting with the quarterback was "the worst," adding that he is "entitled" and "not that good."
Perhaps more teams are starting to feel that way.
Saturday will feature rounds four through seven, with over 150 picks remaining. The Tennessee Titans, who no longer need a quarterback, kick off the fourth round at noon ET.
The Raiders have the sixth pick of the fourth round, but at this point, it's anybody's guess on where Sanders will land.
Shedeur Sanders was not selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft, in one of the most shocking slides of any top quarterback prospect in league history.
The third round closed on Friday night with five quarterbacks being taken, while Sanders and his family remain uncertain about where and when his pro career will begin.
After Cam Ward was selected with the first overall pick on Thursday night, experts assumed Sanders would soon follow as the second quarterback selected. Instead, Jaxson Dart was the second quarterback taken when the New York Giants traded back into the first round to take him at 25.
Early in the second round, the New Orleans Saints used the 40th pick to take Tyler Shough. Then, late in the third round, the Seattle Seahawks took Jalen Milroe at 92 and then the Cleveland Browns took Dillon Gabriel at 94.
Dart, Shough, Milroe and Gabriel were all projected to go much later than Sanders by scouts and analysts, and early projections even had Sanders going above Ward at No. 1.
Sanders led the Big 12 Conference with 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdown passes and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In his 50 college games, Sanders threw for 14,347 yards, 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions.
For a quarterback prospect of that esteem to fall out of the third round is highly unusual in the NFL.
Top prospects like Sanders have seen shocking slides in past NFL Drafts. Aaron Rodgers slipped down to the 25th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and was passed on for Alex Smith by the 49ers.
Patrick Mahomes wasn't taken until the 10th pick in the 2017 Draft, and was passed on for Mitch Trubisky by the Bears. Still, at the time, Mahomes was less of a hyped prospect than Sanders.
Lamar Jackson fell all the way to the 32nd pick in the 2018 draft, after four other quarterbacks were taken ahead of him.
But Sanders, who was once considered the top candidate to go No. 1 overall this year, falling to day three of the draft, is a historic anamoly.
To make matters worse for him and his family, Sanders was prank-called by an imposter during a livestream Friday night.
While he and his family live-streamed day two of their NFL Draft party on Twitch Friday night, Sanders was seen answering a phone call that he assumed was from a general manager making the decision to draft him.
Then the caller told the eager young athlete that he would "have to wait a little longer," as Sanders' smile quickly faded.
NFL teams' decision not to draft Sanders has prompted mass controversy and debate throughout the draft, and even prior to it as rumors of Sanders falling down draft boards became public.
An anonymous NFL coach recently told the NFL Network Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life."
"He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates," the coach continued. "But the biggest thing is he's not that good."
Another longtime AFC executive echoed that sentiment, telling the outlet, "It didn't go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he's going to do and what's best for him. He makes you feel small."
Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes seemingly alluded to Sanders' draft slide in an X post later on Friday, simply writing "Crazy."
President Donald Trump even joined in on the debate on Friday, when he ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.
"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," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Now, Sanders will have to wait until day three of the draft to hear his name called, if it is called at all.
However, he has seemingly expressed gratitude and patience throughout the process despite the dramatic slide.
In an X post late Friday night, while the third round was coming to an end, Sanders thanked go.
Three picks later, the Cleveland Browns, who had plenty of chances to take Sanders, went with Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
The Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders earlier this offseason and brought in Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100 million.
Milroe isn't very known for his arm, but some scouts say he has some of the best raw athleticism of any quarterback in the NFL Draft.
Gabriel, meanwhile, transferred to Oregon for his final year of NCAA eligibility, and the Ducks were the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. But, they lost to Ohio State, who won the national championship.
That's now five quarterbacks taken ahead of Sanders, who continues to fall.
The Colorado quarterback said on Thursday night after round one that he "didn't expect" to fall into night two of the draft, so one can only imagine what is going through his mind right now.
Milroe threw for 5,678 yards and ran for 1,257 in his last two years at Alabama. He led his squad to the Rose Bowl after winning the SEC championship in the 2023 season, but they lost to the eventual national champions in Michigan.
Gabriel finished in third place in the Heisman Trophy vote this past season, leading the Big Ten in both completions and attempts. He threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Quinn Ewers is also waiting on his name to be called - which would be as big a shock as anything.
The emotional roller coaster for Shedeur Sanders plunged even harder during the second day of the NFL Draft.
After falling to the third round and getting passed on in favor of two other quarterbacks projected to go much later than Sanders, he fell victim to an ill-timed prank call as the world watched.
While he and his family live-streamed day two of their NFL Draft party on Twitch Friday night, Sanders was seen answering a phone call that he assumed was from a general manager making the decision to draft him.
The 23-year-old quarterback had a big smile on his face as he answered and greeted the caller, with friends and family crowding around him.
"I'm good, been waiting on you," he said.
But the imposter on the other side told the eager young athlete that he would "have to wait a little longer," as Sanders' smile quickly faded.
After the call ended, the crowd around Sanders broke out into concerned conversation, as he glared at his phone.
Sanders has since ended his Twitch stream.
Sanders' draft slide has been the biggest and most controversial storyline of this year's draft.
After fellow quarterback Cam Ward out of Miami was selected with the first overall pick on Thursday, experts assumed Sanders would follow soon after as the second quarterback taken. But instead, Jaxson Dart was taken by the Giants late in the first round Tyler Shough was taken by the Saints early in the second.
Both Dart and Shough were projected to go much later than Sanders by scouts and analysts.
At one point during the quarterback's slide on Thursday, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected, as seen in footage posted by their other brother, Deion Sanders Jr.
"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."
In additional footage posted by Deion Jr. Thursday night, Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
President Donald Trump even joined in on the debate on Friday, when he ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.
"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," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined the debate Friday, suggesting Sanders slid because "America continues to fear strong black men."
"The NFL doesn’t like [Shedeur] Sanders because he wears gold chains and talks like a rapper. They don’t care that he’s a leader, intelligent, tough and completed 77% of his passes with no O-line and no running game. He’s entitled but Eli Manning wasn’t entitled when he refused to be drafted by San Diego?" Bowman wrote on X.
Shedeur Sanders' fall from the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft remains a hot topic.
As the second round came and went Friday, the former Colorado quarterback still did not hear his name called.
While Sanders was widely considered one of the top quarterback prospects entering this year's draft, criticism about his predraft interviews began surfacing leading into Thursday.
Sanders' tendency to hold the ball for extended periods was also scrutinized.
That and other factors seemingly contributed to chatter that Sanders' stock was dropping ahead of the draft. Although the New York Giants signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, the team was still linked to Sanders.
But New York opted to trade up for Jaxson Dart.
ESPN star and former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark had a strong reaction to his former team deciding against Sanders when they were on the clock in the first round.
"He went to Tennessee and got worse. You know what we're gonna do? Oh, let's wait for Aaron. Wait for Aaron to make a decision. We let Aaron Rodgers hold us hostage like we're a four. We the Pittsburgh Steelers! We're supposed to be acting like a 10. We acting like a four."
Sanders finished the 2024 season with 4,134 passing yards.
Tiger, who played college football at Princeton, was one of the 14 victims killed in the early hours of New Year's Day on Bourbon Street.
The New Orleans native played for Princeton from 2016-2018 and was an All-Ivy League kick returner. During his three-year career, he caught 53 passes for 825 yards with three touchdowns. He graduated from the university in 2021 and pursued a career in finance.
He was working as a stockbroker in New York City but traveled home to Louisiana for the holidays.
Jack scored the walk-off touchdown in the Senior Bowl as time expired.
"My brother has some wings on me. He gave them to me, and he let that all take place. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Tiger, nothing else but them. They're the reason I did what I did today. I attribute it all to them," Jack said after the game.
"It's been surreal just to be able to come and be in this game. It's a goal you set for yourself. But if I had the option if I came here, had the worst week ever, ruin my draft stock, but that means I could hug my brother right now, I would take that.
"But, on the flip side of that, I don't think I could have had the week that I had if all that wouldn't have happened. His wings were on my side. Him and Jesus Christ are the reasons I was able to do all of this."
After he was selected, cameras caught Jack sharing emotional embraces with his family.
"All the big brother does in life is want to see his little brother succeed. He's been my role model my whole life, the person I looked up to, the person I wanted to be. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for. My whole goal in the rest of my life is to live his legacy on."
Jack caught 62 passes for 1,034 yards, nine of which were touchdowns, for TCU last season. He joins Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, with fellow rookie Ashton Jeanty in the backfield.
More than 30 prospects realized their NFL dreams Thursday night. Over the next two days, hundreds more will hear their names called as the 2025 NFL Draft continues.
Kelly Stafford, wife of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford, knows what it's like to support a football player during the draft process. Matthew was the top pick in the 2009 draft.
During a recent edition of her "Morning After" podcast, Kelly was asked about where she was the night her husband was drafted by the Detroit Lions.
New York City hosted that year's draft, but Kelly said she was not at the event. She then delved into whether players' significant others should be included on draft night.
"I don’t see why guys do it because, if they do get drafted, and you have all your family, and you’re in the draft, and you have your girlfriend and the girlfriend's in the draft pics. And then, all of the sudden, the girlfriend’s gone. You don’t have draft pictures without a random girl, and I know she’s not random when you’re taking it, but she might be random eventually. Do you know what I mean? It’s a serious thing to consider," Kelly said.
The Staffords tied the knot in 2015 and share four daughters.
Later during the podcast, Kelly mentioned how sometimes couples debate whether to include a sibling's partner in the wedding party if the couple is not engaged.
"It’s like having your brother’s girlfriend in your wedding when they’re not engaged. And then, all of a sudden, do you know what I mean? You have all these photos with your family and the brother’s girlfriend — and not mine, because mine [brother Chad Hall] got married to [sister-in-law] Rose, so we were good. Like, what happens if Rose didn’t marry Chad, and she’s in all my wedding photos," Kelly said.
Matthew spent the first 12 years of his career with the Lions. The Rams acquired Stafford in a blockbuster trade that sent Jared Goff to Detroit.
While the "Morning After" podcast does occasionally touch on football, Stafford and co-host Henry Winchester tackle a wide range of other topics, including navigating friendships and parenting.
"I'm very vulnerable throughout this podcast," explained Kelly, "because I feel safe in this community, which is why I love it."
After falling out of the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday, Sanders wasn't even the first quarterback taken in the second round Friday.
The New Orleans Saints chose former Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick.
It came as a surprise to many when the Saints passed on Sanders in the first round with the ninth overall pick, as the 23-year-old Colorado Star's slide became more pronounced after falling past the Saints. But the move to pick Shough over Sanders in the second round was an even bigger shock to fans on social media.
Sanders was projected by some to contend for the No. 1 overall pick this year. Shough was projected by some to be the fifth-best quarterback in the draft.
Many fans on social media were quick to post lowlights of Shough's passing ability, while critisizing the Saints' decision.
But the Saints thought otherwise, and pulled the trigger on the underdog Shough with a hole at quarterback going into the 2025.
The situation surrounding Saints' veteran Derek Carr has led to many questions over the past several weeks. What began as reports about a potential shoulder injury that required surgery was seemingly confirmed by Saints general manager Mickey Loomis only Wednesday when he said that Carr does have a shoulder "issue."
So, Sanders continues to wait, while the NFL's owners and general managers explore other options.
Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.
"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," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined the debate Friday, suggesting Sanders slid because "America continues to fear strong black men."
"The NFL doesn’t like [Shedeur] Sanders because he wears gold chains and talks like a rapper. They don’t care that he’s a leader, intelligent, tough and completed 77% of his passes with no O-line and no running game. He’s entitled but Eli Manning wasn’t entitled when he refused to be drafted by San Diego?" Bowman wrote on X.
"He’s not athletic, but that didn’t stop Joe Montana, Drew Brees or Tom Brady. America continues to fear strong black men who come from means and have a strong sense of themselves without submitting to the 'dominant' culture."
At one point during the quarterback's slide on Thursday, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected, as seen in footage posted by their other brother, Deion Sanders Jr.
"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."
In additional footage posted by Deion Jr. Thursday night, Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into the New York Department of Education (NYDOE) Friday over a Long Island high school's mascot.
The NYDOE banned Native American-inspired logos and mascots for high school sports teams, which has made Massapequa School District on Long Island a target due to its continued use of the Chiefs mascot name.
A 2022 mandate by the NYDOE demands that all public schools retire Native American mascots or risk losing state funding. Four Long Island school districts, including Massapequa, filed a lawsuit challenging the order, but a federal judge dismissed the case.
Now, the Trump administration is getting involved.
"The U.S. Department of Education will not stand by as the state of New York attempts to rewrite history and deny the town of Massapequa the right to celebrate its heritage in its schools," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in an announcement Friday.
"While New York chooses to prioritize erasing Native Americans, their rich history and their deep connection to the state, it is requiring schools to divert time and resources away from what really matters: educating our students. It is not lost on the Department that there are several mascots that refer to indigenous or ethnic groups — the Vikings, Fighting Irish, the Cowboys — and yet New York has specifically singled out Native American heritage. We will investigate this matter fully."
The announcement of the investigation claims the Native American Guardian's Association (NAGA) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR).
The NAGA claims the New York Board of Regents is violating federal civil rights law by forcing the Massapequa School District to eliminate its Chiefs mascot based on its association with Native American culture.
"The Native American Guardian's Association stands firm in asserting that the preservation of Native themes and imagery in New York public schools is not only a matter of cultural dignity but a fundamental civil right for all students. We call on federal and state leaders to help us defend these dwindling expressions of our presence and contributions," said Frank Blackcloud, vice president of NAGA.
"Maintaining a respectable presence in NY State schools is vital to educational equity, historical truth and the civil rights of all American Indians."
The president of the Massapequa Board of Education is quoted in the announcement thanking Trump's administration for getting involved.
"We thank the Department of Education and the Trump Administration for standing with Massapequa in our effort to preserve the Chiefs name and honor our community’s proud history. We’re especially grateful to the Native American Guardian's Association for its support and advocacy," Watcher said.
"Attempts to erase Native American imagery do not advance learning. They distract from our core mission of providing a high-quality education grounded in respect, history and community values."
Trump previously spoke out in support of the school's right to maintain its name.
"I agree with the people in Massapequa, Long Island, who are fighting furiously to keep the Massapequa Chiefs logo on their Teams and School," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Forcing them to change the name, after all of these years, is ridiculous and, in actuality, an affront to our great Indian population. The School Board, and virtually everyone in the area, are demanding the name be kept. It has become the School’s identity and, what could be wrong with using the name, ‘Chief’? I don’t see the Kansas City Chiefs changing their name anytime soon! By copy of this TRUTH, I am asking my highly capable Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to fight for the people of Massapequa on this very important issue. LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!"
But as attention shifts to Zabel's future, his past interaction with President Donald Trump is also coming back into focus.
Zabel and his North Dakota teammates visited Washington, D.C., April 9 in celebration of the football team's latest NCAA Division I FCS national championship.
Before making their way to the White House, a few delegates and a special guest, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., delivered some remarks. Some Bison football players then reflected on their run to the title.
Once they made it to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., President Trump eventually met the football team in the East Room. Trump addressed the North Dakota State players and posed for photos. At one point during the interaction, Zabel's teammates pointed him out.
"Who is the best player? Let's see, who are they pointing at?" Trump asked. "Biggest guy? Come here."
Zabel then approached the president and shook his hand.
"Is he that good?" Trump asked. "Wow. Boy, he's a big sucker huh?"
Trump then asked what position Zabel played, and the 305-pound lineman replied, "Offensive line."
North Dakota State's football team also visited the White House during Trump's first term.
Zabel started 41 games in five seasons at every position on the offensive line except center. He was an FCS All-American at left tackle as a senior last season.
The 23-year-old started the final 36 games of his collegiate career and figures to slot in on the interior of the Seahawks' line, which is in need of help. Zabel could quickly replace Seattle's starting left guard from last season, Laken Tomlinson, who is now a member of the Houston Texans.
The Seahawks are optimistic Zabel can be part of the solution for an offensive line that struggled mightily in 2024. Last season, the Seahawks surrendered 54 sacks, tied for third most in the NFL. The Seahawks, who went 10-7 last season and won the NFC West, ran the vast majority of their plays out of the shotgun formation.
The versatile Zabel could slot in at any of the five starting offensive line positions, but coach Mike Macdonald said he would start out at guard.
"Hopefully, we find a home for him at one position, and he lives there for a really long time for us," Macdonald said. "But I think it just speaks to his savvy. It’s not easy to find those guys that can play interior and at tackle. So, he’s one of them, and he’s ours now."
After NFL quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders was not selected in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday, many critics debated why on social media.
Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined the debate Friday, suggesting the reason Sanders slid was because "America continues to fear strong black men." Bowman also compared the 23-year-old quarterback to former NFL star Eli Manning, who refused to play for the San Diego Chargers after being selected with the No. 1 pick in 2004.
"The NFL doesn’t like [Shedeur]Sanders because he wears gold chains and talks like a rapper. They don’t care that he’s a leader, intelligent, tough and completed 77% of his passes with no O-line and no running game. He’s entitled but Eli Manning wasn’t entitled when he refused to be drafted by San Diego?" Bowman wrote on X.
"He’s not athletic, but that didn’t stop Joe Montana, Drew Brees or Tom Brady. America continues to fear strong black men who come from means and have a strong sense of themselves without submitting to the 'dominant' culture."
Bowman added in the video that he expects the Cleveland Browns to select Sanders with the first pick of the second round Friday night.
"It's the way Shedeur dresses. It's the way he talks, and it's his culture, in my opinion. You see him at the draft last night. He's wearing all black. He got the L chain on, and he talks like a rapper," Bowman said.
The first player selected in the draft was former Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who is also Black. Twenty-five of the 32 players selected in the first round Friday were Black men.
Broadcasts of the draft offered regular shots from inside the Sanders household in Texas as the family waited for Shedeur's name to be called.
The shots showed the family had installed a multi-layer shelf that included a cap for all 32 NFL teams. But the 23-year-old aspiring pro did not get to put any of them on in celebration Thursday.
At one point during the quarterback's slide, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected.
"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."
In footage posted by Deion Jr., Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
General managers may not be fans of Shedeur Sanders, at least for a first-round pick, but the president is.
President Donald Trump ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the Colorado star quarterback and letting him fall into the second round.
"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," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
Sanders, at one point, was considered to be the 1B to Cam Ward’s 1A. Ward separated himself, and went first overall to the Tennessee Titans.
But, in recent days, it was becoming apparent that teams did not love Sanders – the Raiders took Ashton Jeanty at six, and the Saints went with Kelvin Banks Jr. at nine, officially starting the Sanders fall.
All eyes were on the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21. But as no one traded up in front of them, the Steelers’ selection came and went without a QB – they opted for Derrick Harmon.
The New York Giants traded back in to the first round, but they opted for Jaxson Dart instead.
The Cleveland Browns own the first and fourth selections of the second round, and they are in quarterback hell with Deshaun Watson, already struggling, recovering from a twice ruptured Achilles.
The former University of Colorado star admitted that he and his family "did not expect" what occurred on Thursday night.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
The Tennessee Titans' selection of Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick of the NFL Draft Thursday was not a surprise.
What was a surprise was Warren Moon showing up to Ward’s introductory news conference Friday to give the Titans rookie permission to wear his No. 1 retired jersey number.
Titans' general manager Mike Borgonzi was with Ward at the podium when he told Ward of a special guest.
Moon then entered the room holding a Ward Titans jersey with the No. 1 and handed Ward the jersey.
Moon played 10 seasons with the Houston Oilers, who later became the Titans. The Pro Football Hall of Famer played in the NFL 17 seasons and made the Pro Bowl nine times.
The Titans hope Ward follows Moon to the Hall of Fame.
Miami went 10-3 last season with Ward under center. He completed 67.2% of his passes for 4,313 yards, and he led the ACC with 39 passing touchdowns while throwing seven interceptions.
Will Levis was the Titans' starting quarterback last season, and he and the team struggled.
The Titans went 3-14 in Brian Callahan’s first season as head coach.
Entering the season, the team hoped Levis would take a jump after he started nine games at quarterback in his rookie year and showed some promise.
However, Levis played poorly as the team went 2-10 in his 12 starts. He completed 63.1% of his passes for 2,091 yards and threw 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. As Levis continued to struggle, it became apparent the team would be in the market for a quarterback this offseason.
Harmon, a defensive tackle, was taken by the Steelers.
Harmon said his mother had a stroke when he was a freshman at Michigan State, which left her paralyzed on her left side. She had "about eight brain surgeries," Harmon said.
"She's the reason I'm here. She's the reason I did everything up to this point," Harmon said.
Harmon also said he used his NIL money to buy his mother an accessible van.
"Man, how resilient she was, man. Just growing up from my standpoint, my situation, I grew up with her having probably seven, eight brain surgeries," Harmon said after being selected. "And after all those brain surgeries, man, she did not give up.
"She still took me to practice, still went to work. Always the back in my head from the beginning of my college career was, 'Why can't I keep going? If I'm tired, I'm injured, whatever it is, why can't I keep going, if she can get up and she can keep going after brain surgeries.'
"So just her resilience and her hard work, really. She was my inspiration."
The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Harmon spent three seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Oregon, where he blossomed into a disruptive force. Harmon was a second-team All-American last season while finishing with five sacks and 10½ tackles for loss for the Ducks.
The New York Giants appeared to ruffle feathers among Deion Sanders' family during the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday.
The Giants' decision to trade into the bottom of the first round for a quarterback but pass on Shedeur Sanders in favor of Jaxson Dart was one of the more controversial moments of the night. Sanders was projected to be a much higher pick months ahead of the draft and was even considered the leading candidate to go No. 1 overall by some.
Shedeur's brother, Deion Sanders Jr., shared a post on X by former Eagles star LeSean McCoy, who mocked the Giants for their decision to take Dart.
"This is crazy !!! No wonder the GAINTS DONT WIN SH……" McCoy wrote.
The shots showed the family had installed a multi-layer shelf that included a cap for all 32 NFL teams. But the 23-year-old aspiring pro did not get to put any of them on in celebration Thursday.
At one point during the quarterback's slide, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected.
"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."
In footage posted by Deion Jr., Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
Shedeur's NFL value was questioned in the weeks leading up to the draft amid concerns about his character.
An anonymous NFL coach recently told the NFL Network Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life."
"He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates," the coach added. "But the biggest thing is he's not that good."
Another longtime AFC executive echoed that sentiment, telling the outlet, "It didn't go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he's going to do and what's best for him. He makes you feel small."
Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, is reportedly out of his induced coma some 24 hours after being involved in a serious car accident.
Arenas, 18, remained intubated, but the development in his recovery has been "remarkable and hopeful," an Arenas family rep said, according to TMZ Sports.
Arenas was traveling in his Tesla Cybertruck shortly before 5 a.m. on Thursday in Los Angeles when the crash occurred, per reports.
"That’s when I realized someone was inside. I tried to break the window, but it wouldn't give. Then I saw one of the windows was cracked just enough, and we used everything we had to bend it and pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out."
Arenas recently committed to the USC Trojans' men's basketball team.
Arenas was one of the top-ranked shooting guards in the class of 2026, and recently reclassified as a senior to allow him to graduate high school in 2025 and go to college a year earlier.
His father, Gilbert Arenas, played in the NBA for 12 seasons. He was a three-time All-Star and spent eight seasons with the Washington Wizards, two with the Golden State Warriors and one season each with the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
It was an emotional night for Will Campbell, the fourth overall selection in the NFL Draft Thursday.
The New England Patriots nabbed the LSU offensive lineman to protect Drake Maye, and Campbell couldn't help but hold back tears.
"It means everything to me," Campbell said. "I'm gonna fight and die to protect them with everything I got."
But something else was on his mind on draft night. His former LSU teammate, Kyren Lacy, died last week from a self-inflicted gunshot.
At the draft, Campbell wore a pin with Lacy's No. 2 on his lapel.
"Kyren is a special human being. I feel for his family. They've been through a lot lately. He's got such a great family. He was not only a good football player. He was such a good teammate, a good son, a good older brother and just a good dude in general," Campbell said.
"It's just terrible, everything that's happened. I'm sending many prayers to his family because he was gonna get his name called this weekend. … Even though his name won't be called, he's going to walk across that stage. He's here with us in spirit, and it was an honor to be a part of his journey."
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said deputies received a call about a man, identified as Lacy, who was arguing with a family member when he shot a gun into the ground, according to FOX 26 Houston. Officials learned Lacy had fled and launched a search after him.
Officials said deputies tried to pull over Lacy, but he led them on a car chase that went on for miles. Lacy then crashed his vehicle in Spring, according to authorities.
Responding deputies removed Lacy from the vehicle to take him into custody, but he was found with a "self-inflicted gunshot wound" and pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.
The wide receiver was under investigation in Louisiana for a crash in December that left a 78-year-old man dead, officials said in January.
Lacy transferred to LSU in 2022. He had his best season in 2024, when he had 58 catches for 866 yards and nine touchdowns.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Nine years after Mitchell Van Vooren announced a Miami Dolphins pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, he hopes to hear his own name called at some point before the final selection in this year's draft is made on Saturday.
Van Vooren announced UCLA tight end Thomas Duarte as the Dolphins' seventh-round pick in 2016. Now almost a decade later, Van Vooren is in the 2025 NFL Draft as a tight end himself.
Van Vooren did not play football throughout his college career, however, as he started off as a track star.
Before Van Vooren transferred to St. Norbert to play football, he received four varsity letters from Marquette in track. He qualified for the NCAA Division I West Regional in the 400-meter hurdles and broke the school record with a time of 51.38 seconds.
He placed 18th in the NCAA West Quarterfinals with a time of 51.75 seconds.
After track at Marquette, Van Vooren played football for two seasons at St. Norbert. Over 22 games, he caught 65 passes for 1,045 yards with 13 touchdowns.
Despite having played just those 22 collegiate games, Van Vooren’s success on the field earned him workouts with the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns, per NFL Network.
"Whether I get drafted or sign as a free agent, the goal is just to get a foot in the door," Van Vooren said via Marquette Today.
To add to what would already be an incredible story, Van Vooren grew up in Marinette, Wisconsin, about an hour away from where the NFL Draft is being held at Lambeau Field, and where his name could be called.
Colorado football coach Deion Sanders shared a message on social media Friday morning after his son, Shedeur Sanders, went undrafted in the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night.
Sanders has long backed his son against criticism that has followed the young quarterback in the lead-up to this week’s draft. Friday morning was no different after the drama that unfolded in Green Bay the previous night.
"My bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise & he chose the weak things of the world that he may put to shame the strong," Sanders said in a post on X.
"Please know God ain't done & God is just really getting started. Enjoy this lesson & stop stressing."
Shedeur was a projected first-round pick heading into the week. Among the projected landing spots were the New York Giants, who had the third overall pick, and the New Orleans Saints, who had the No. 9 pick.
When both teams moved in different directions, the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 seemed like the next viable option. But Shedeur’s name again remained on the board.
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like, with God, anything possible, everything possible," Shedeur told a crowd full of supporters after the first round concluded. "I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things.
"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
Shedeur faced increasing criticism in the lead-up to the draft. One longtime NFL assistant coach recently told the NFL Network Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life."
"He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates," the coach continued. "But the biggest thing is, he's not that good."
