Update on the latest sports
APNFL DRAFT
Jags take Lawrence at No. 1
CLEVELAND (AP) — The worst-kept secret in the NFL is now public.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have used the first overall pick in the draft to select Trevor Lawrence. The Clemson quarterback was outstanding in his three college seasons, completing 67% of his passes for 10,098 yards, 90 touchdowns and just 17 interceptions while also rushing for 943 yards. Lawrence is widely considered the best college QB prospect since Andrew Luck nearly a decade ago and will pair with new head coach Urban Meyer as the faces of the franchise.
Lawrence won a national championship as a freshman, taking game MVP honors as the Tigers hammered Alabama, 44-16. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting as a junior last season before entering the draft.
Quarterbacks also were taken with the next two picks as BYU’s Zach Wilson went second to the Jets and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance headed to the 49ers at No. 3.
It marks just the third time quarterbacks were taken with each of the first three picks in a draft.
The Falcons used the fourth choice to land Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, and LSU wideout Ja’Marr Chase went fifth to the Bengals.
Rounding out the top 10 selections:
— Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle was taken by the Dolphins with the sixth selection, reuniting him with former Crimson Tide QB Tua Tagovailoa (TOO’-uh tuhng-ah-vy-LOH’-ah).
— The first offensive lineman to be chosen was tackle Penei Sewell of Oregon, taken seventh by the Lions.
— The Panthers got secondary help by choosing South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn with the eighth pick.
— Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain (sur-TAN’) II went ninth to the Broncos.
— Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith became the sixth SEC player and third from Alabama, to be taken, going to the Eagles at No. 10.
NFL-NEWS
Panthers pick up 5th-year option on DJ Moore
UNDATED (AP) — Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has reiterated that the team remains committed to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
ESPN reported Thursday in the hours leading up to the NFL draft that Rodgers doesn’t want to return to the Packers. Gutekunst said in a statement released by the team that “we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond.”
Gutekunst’s statement hasn’t stopped reports that have the Packers shopping the QB.
In other NFL news:
— The Steelers have signed backup quarterback Mason Rudolph to a one-year contract extension through the 2022 season, an indication they won’t shop for veteran Ben Roethlisberger’s replacement with the 24th overall pick. The Rudolph has played in 15 games for the Steelers, most of them in 2019 when Roethlisberger went down with a right elbow injury at halftime of Week 2. Rudolph is 5-3 as a starter, completing 176 of 283 passes for 1,765 yards and 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
— The Panthers are picking up the fifth-year option on wide receiver D.J. Moore’s contract, according to a person familiar with the situation. Moore has developed into the team’s No. 1 receiver in his three years with the team, grabbing 208 passes for 3,156 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for Carolina, including a career-high 1,193 yards last season.
— The Seahawks have signed former first-round defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche (kihm-DEE’-chay). He was a top prospect coming out of Mississippi, but his NFL career has been mostly a flop. His best season came in 2018 when he had a career-high 32 tackles and 4½ sacks, before a knee injury cut short his season.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Nets widen conference lead
UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets had just one of their top-3 players available against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, but he had his most productive game of the season.
Kevin Durant poured in 22 of his season-high 42 points in the third quarter to help the Eastern Conference leaders post a 130-113 win over the Pacers. Durant hit 16 of 24 shots and had 10 assists in his eighth start since being sidelined for nearly two months with a hamstring injury.
Alize (AL’-ih-zay) Johnson had 20 points and 21 rebounds for the Nets, who are an NBA-best 29-8 since Feb. 10.
Brooklyn leads the conference by 1 1/2 games over the 76ers following its fourth straight win.
Checking out Thursday’s other NBA action:
— Tim Hardaway Jr. provided a career-high 42 points and the Mavericks overcame the absence of Luka Doncic (DAHN’-chihch) in a 115-105 victory over the Pistons. Hardaway scored 17 points in a row during a fourth-quarter stretch, capping that run with a 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining that put the Mavericks up 109-105. Trey Burke added 15 points for Dallas, which moved a game ahead of Portland for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Pens outlast Caps in OT
UNDATED (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins have clinched their 15th consecutive Stanley Cup playoff berth while grabbing a piece of the East Division lead.
Jake Guentzel (GEHNT’-sul) scored his 22nd goal at 2:11 of overtime to send the Penguins to a 5-4 victory over the Washington Capitals, leaving the two teams in a first-place tie. Kasperi Kapanen (kas-PEHR’-ee KAP’-ah-nehn) scored his ninth and 10th goals of the year as the Pens beat the Caps for the fifth time in seven meetings.
The Penguins were in line for a regulation win and a one-point lead in the division until Tom Wilson tallied with 14.3 seconds left in regulation. Wilson’s goal also allowed the Capitals to wrap up a playoff spot.
Elsewhere on NHL ice:
— The Hurricanes ran their point streak to nine games as Teuvo Teravainen (TAY’-voh tehr-ah-VY’-nehn) had a goal and assist in a 3-1 verdict over the Red Wings. Brady Skjei (shay) and Warren Foegele (FOH’-gul) also scored and Sebastian Aho (AH’-hoh) registered two assists for Carolina. Canes netminder James Reimer played just his fourth game in April, making 16 saves for his team-high 15th victory.
— Blake Coleman converted a short-handed penalty shot and Andrei Vasilevskiy (va-sih-LEHV’-skee) stopped 20 shots for his 26th career shutout to lead the Lightning to a 3-0 victory against the Stars. Ondrej Palat (AHN’-dray pah-LAHT’) and Brayden Point also scored for Tampa Bay, which has won four consecutive games to stay within three points of the Central Division-leading Hurricanes. The Stars remain two points behind the Predators for fourth place in the Central Division and have one game in hand.
— Semyon Varlamov (SEHM’-yuhn vahr-LAH’-mahv) recorded his league-leading sixth shutout of the season by stopping 25 shots in the Islanders’ first win in four games, 4-0 over the Rangers. Varlamov became the first goalie to shut out the Rangers three times at Madison Square Garden in one season. Leo Komarov (KAH’-mah-rahv), Oliver Wahlstrom, Anthony Beauvillier (boh-VIH’-lee-ay) and Mathew Barzal (bahr-ZAL’) scored, and Brock Nelson and Scott Mayfield each had two assists as the Islanders got within four points of the East Division lead.
— The Bruins stayed a point behind the Isles as David Krejci (KRAY’-chee) and Brad Marchand each had a goal and an assist for Boston in a 5-2 downing of the Sabres. David Pastrnak (PAHS’-tur-nahk) scored his 199th career goal for Boston just 1:16 into the game. Charlie Coyle broke a 2-all tie on a breakaway midway through the third period for his first goal in two months.
— Auston Matthews netted his NHL-leading 36th goal of the season as the Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks, 4-1. The 23-year-old Matthews hit the 60-point mark for a fifth straight season since getting picked first overall at the 2016 draft. Mitch Marner had a goal and an assist, and William Nylander (NEE’-lan-dur) and Pierre Engvall added goals for the North Division leaders.
— Yegor Sharangovich (yeh-GOHR’ shar-ehn-GOH’-vihch) scored twice and Mackenzie Blackwood made 21 saves as the Devils knocked off the Flyers, 5-3.Pavel Zacha (ZAH’-kah) chipped in a goal and an assist to help the Devils win their second in a row since an 0-9-1 skid.
MLB-SCHEDULE-ATHLETICS-RAYS
A’s gain split with Rays
UNDATED (AP) — Matt Chapman has helped the Oakland Athletics leave St. Petersburg with a split of their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Chapman belted a solo homer and added a tiebreaking, RBI double with two out in the ninth to lead the A’s past the Rays, 3-2.
Ramón Laureano also doubled home a run as the Athletics won for the second time in five games since winning 13 in a row.
Rays starter Shane McClanahan became the fourth player to make his regular-season debut after appearing in a playoff game, allowing two runs over five innings while hitting over 100 mph on the radar.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Carlos Rodón (roh-DAHN’) struck out a career-high 12 in six innings as the White Sox handed the Tigers their 11th loss in 13 games, 3-1 in the opener of a doubleheader. Rodón allowed two hits in his first home start since tossing a no-hitter against Cleveland on April 14.
— The Mariners’ four-game skid is over after Yusei Kikuchi flirted with a no-hitter and Taylor Trammell (trah-MEHL’) homered in a 1-0 shutout of the Astros. Kikuchi did not allow a hit until Carlos Correa doubled to deep right-center field with one out in the seventh.
— The Cardinals were able to celebrate a 4-3 win over the Phillies once Tyler O’Neill scored on David Hale’s game-ending wild pitch in the 10th inning. Matt Carpenter put the Cardinals ahead in the sixth with a three-run homer off Aaron Nola.
— The Orioles were 4-3 winners over the Yankees as Cedric Mullins delivered a winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning. Trey Mancini had his first three-hit game since returning from colon cancer surgery, including an RBI single that helped Baltimore gain a split of the four-game series.
MLB-NEWS
Burnes to land on IL
UNDATED (AP) — Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes is going on the injured list after a remarkable April run.
The Brewers announced the move without specifying his issue, although GM David Stearns says they are following Major League Baseball health and safety protocols.
Burnes is 2-2 with a 1.53 ERA and has recorded 49 strikeouts and no walks through 29 1/3 innings.
NHL-DUCKS-MILLER RETIRING
Ducks’ Miller to retire at end of season
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anaheim Ducks goalie Ryan Miller will retire after this season, his 18th in the NHL.
The 40-year-old Miller is the winningest American-born goaltender in professional hockey history. He has played 794 games for the Buffalo Sabres, the Vancouver Canucks, the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim, where he has spent the past four seasons primarily as John Gibson’s backup.
Miller won the Vezina (VEH’-zih-nuh) Trophy in 2010 as the NHL’s best goaltender for Buffalo. He also was named the most valuable player and best goaltender at the 2010 Winter Olympics while leading the U.S. team to silver medals in Vancouver.
PGA-VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Bradley on fire at start of Valspar Championship
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Keegan Bradley missed only one green in a 7-under 64 that gives him the first-round lead at the PGA’s Valspar Championship.
Bradley ran off four birdies over his last five holes, finishing with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th and a two-shot lead on a day of low scoring not typically seen at this PGA Tour stop.
Riviera winner Max Homa had eight birdies and was in a large group at 66 that included Emiliano Grillo and Ryan Moore.
COLLEGE SPORTS-COMPENSATION
Florida bill delays compensation for college athletes
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — College athletes in Florida will now have to wait until July 2022 before being able to hire agents and ink endorsement deals.
A tiny last-minute amendment inserted into a 70-page education bill has delayed those athletes from cashing in on their athletic prowess. That amendment went undetected by some lawmakers, including the Florida lawmaker who sponsored a bill last year allowing college athletes in the state to profit from their name, image and likeness much like celebrities do.
That law was supposed to take effect in two months, but the amendment would instead delay the law from being implemented until July 2022.
