NFL=
The surprise pick of Day 2 in the 2020 NFL Draft was made by the
Eagles, who took Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts with the 53rd
overall selection despite the presence of starter Carson Wentz. A
pair of receivers were the first to come off the board in the
second round, as the Bengals grabbed Clemson’s Tee Higgins before
the Colts chose USC’s Michael Pittman. Seven wideouts were taken in
the second round in addition to the six who went in the first to
set an NFL record through two rounds. The Lions made Georgia’s
D’Andre Swift the first running back chosen in the second round at
35th overall, the Colts took Wisconsin tailback Jonathan Taylor six
picks later and the Ravens went with Ohio State running back J.K.
Dobbins with the 55th selection. After a record 15 of the 32
players in the first round came from the SEC, another 10 SEC
players came off the board in Round 2. The conference has had 40
players taken in the first three rounds. Quarterbacks Jacob Eason
of Washington and Georgia’s Jake Fromm haven’t been selected.
The Texans have made Laremy Tunsil the highest-paid offensive
lineman in the league, giving the left tackle a three-year, $66
million contract extension. The new deal includes nearly $58
million in guaranteed money, including a $40 million signing bonus.
Tunsil, who had one year left on a contract that will pay him
$10.35 million this season, was named to his first Pro Bowl this
past season – his first with the Texans.
Patriots center David Andrews announced on Instagram that he is
ready to play in the 2020 season after missing all of 2019 due to a
pulmonary embolism – a blood clot that became lodged in an artery
in his lungs. The 27-year-old Georgia product started 57 games for
New England from 2015-18 but the embolism was found last August,
leaving the Patriots scrambling to patch holes on the offensive
line.
Jared Goff has restructured his contract to create salary cap room
for the Rams. Los Angeles don’t have a lot of wiggle room in cap
space – and this is after releasing Todd Gurley and trading Brandin
Cooks. Goff has agreed to restructure the distribution of the
four-year contract extension with an NFL-record $110 million
guaranteed he inked last year.
MLB=
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said he expects the 2020 MLB
season to be played despite ongoing concerns about the COVID-19
crisis. “I’m optimistic, as is the commissioner, that we’ll have
baseball in 2020,” Rizzo said on a conference call with reporters.
“I’m upbeat about that. The most important thing is to do it in the
right way and the safest manner we can. But I believe that we will
have baseball.” Baseball activities have been on hold for over a
month as the world tries to slow the spread of the virus.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL=
Precious Achiuwa is headed to the NBA after a dominant freshman
season at Memphis. The 6-foot-9 forward is projected to be a
mid-first round pick and could be selected in the lottery after
averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds with 18 double-doubles. He
earned AAC player and freshman of the year honors, becoming the
first player in league history to win both awards in the same
season.
Highly touted recruit Greg Brown III has decided he will attend
Texas instead of going to the NBA’s developmental G League. The
6-foot-9 forward from Austin was the Gatorade Texas player of the
year. Brown, whose dad played football at Texas, is expected to
turn pro after one year in college.
SOCCER=
The Dutch Eredivisie has become the first major, top-flight soccer
league in Europe to cancel the rest of its season due to the
coronavirus pandemic. Belgium’s First Division A will have an
opportunity to become the second as soon as Monday, with a vote
pending. The decision sparked backlash in the Netherlands from fans
and clubs alike, with league-leading Ajax not being awarded a
championship despite its performance in the abbreviated season.
Ajax was tied with 56 points with second-placed AZ Alkmaar but
ahead on goal difference when the league was suspended on March 12.
OLYMPICS=
The IOC has committed to giving an additional $25 million to
athletes and sporting organizations to help cover the additional
costs incurred by the one-year postponement of the Tokyo games.
More than $10 million is available for national Olympic bodies to
help cover as travel and accommodation for officials, while $15
million will go to athletes from 185 under-funded counties.
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