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Tiki Barber suggests JJ McCarthy’s rising draft stock is a 'smokescreen,' hopes Giants pass: 'Don’t want him'

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Tiki Barber suggests JJ McCarthy’s rising draft stock is a 'smokescreen,' hopes Giants pass: 'Don’t want him'

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An injury cut Daniel Jones’ fifth NFL season short. The 2019 first-round draft pick ultimately appeared in six games last season.

Jones inked a four-year contract extension in 2023, but the injury and his overall disappointing performances in past seasons have put his future with the New York Giants in question. The quarterback prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft have dominated NFL offseason discussions.

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While former USC star Caleb Williams is largely expected to be the first player off the board once the draft kicks off later this month, J.J. McCarthy’s stock appears to continue to rise. 

Former Running Back for the New York Giants, Atiim Kiambu “Tiki” Barber visits “Mornings With Maria” at Fox News Channel Studios on October 29, 2019, in New York City. (Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

McCarthy guided the Michigan Wolverines to the College Football Playoff National Championship in January, but he was widely projected as the fourth-best quarterback prospect in this year’s highly anticipated draft.

FORMER NFL FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK BRADY QUINN PREDICTS MICHIGAN’S JJ MCCARTHY WILL BE SELECTED IN TOP-10

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The Giants finished the season with a 6-11 record and hold the sixth overall draft pick. Some believe the Giants will use their draft pick on a quarterback, and McCarthy could be available at No. 6. However, Giants legend Tiki Barber has zero interest in watching McCarthy taking snaps at MetLife Stadium with a Giants uniform on

“Not happening. I’m just saying. Not happening,” Barber said. “I don’t want him. Not happening.”

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Barber argued that McCarthy’s skillet would not translate to the NFL level, and suggested that his former coach, Jim Harbaugh, was driving the majority of the positive attention he was receiving.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines talks to J.J. McCarthy, #9, during a time-out while playing the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on October 14, 2023, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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“J.J. McCarthy thing, I’m tired of hearing it. Stop with the J.J. McCarthy thing,” Barber said. “His film doesn’t say he’s a first-round quarterback. His film doesn’t say, ‘I need to get rid of all my assets and go draft this guy,’ because a lot of what he does doesn’t translate. The scheme that he ran at Michigan — and maybe this is an indictment on the scheme and not necessarily on him — but it didn’t highlight the things that you need to do, second-, third-level reads, multiple combo routes that you have to get correct. He didn’t do any of that stuff. They were run-based, and he thrived in it because he was good at — that’s what Jim Harbaugh wanted him to do.

“The J.J. McCarthy thing, to me, is a smokescreen. He’s getting inflated because Jim Harbaugh won’t stop talking about him. Now all of a sudden, he’s a top-four quarterback? I don’t buy it.”

J.J. McCarthy, #9 of the Michigan Wolverines, warming up before a college football game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan Stadium on November 4, 2023, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

North Carolina signal caller Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are expected to hear their names called shortly after Williams walks across the stage at the draft in Detroit. Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. also received some first-round consideration, although his injury history could give some teams pause.

While the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos remain two teams that could trade up in order to draft a quarterback, New York could also be looking for Jones’ successor. Kirk Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, while the Broncos benched Russell Wilson during the season, before later releasing him.

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Michigan did lean heavily on its running backs during McCarthy’s tenure, but the quarterback did show the ability to make accurate throws. He finished the 2023 season with a career-high 2,991 passing yards. He initially received multiple second- or third-round grades from draft analysis, but it now seems at least possible that McCarthy could land in the top-10.

The NFL Draft begins on April 24.

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Cameron Carr on Lakers acquiring him draft night: ‘It didn’t feel real’

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Cameron Carr on Lakers acquiring him draft night: ‘It didn’t feel real’

NBA mock drafts projected Cameron Carr getting selected somewhere between 15 and 20 in the first round on Tuesday night.

Ending up with the Lakers later in the draft, however, was more than Carr could have asked for.

The Lakers acquired his draft rights from the New York Knicks, who took the 6-foot-5 Baylor guard with the 24th pick, in a multiple-team deal in which L.A. sent the draft rights to Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea, who was taken 25th, and cash considerations to New York.

As he sat for his introductory news conference Friday, dressed in all black, Carr shared what his thoughts were when he found out he would be playing for the Lakers.

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“I’m going to the Lakers! It was more of an exciting thing,” he said. “It felt surreal. It didn’t feel real for the first couple minutes when I found out. It was trying to get my head around, ‘Man, I’m about to walk across the stage and be an NBA player.’ I’ve dreamed of this my whole life, especially since I was a kid. So it took a second. Still trying to get my head wrapped around it, but nothing but excitement and happiness. I feel more motivated to work.”

Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, met Carr at the facility on Friday but didn’t speak with the media during the news conference.

It meant Pelinka couldn’t be asked about Austin Reaves agreeing to re-sign with the Lakers on a four-year, $185-million deal, or about how conversations are going with free agent LeBron James.

But NBA rules prohibit team officials from commenting on anything during the free agency moratorium, which won’t be lifted until July 6.

So, this day was all about the 21-year-old Carr and how impressed he was being in the Lakers’ building.

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“Walking in the building, first thing you notice is the rich tradition of the people that have been here before you,” Carr said. “It’s a moment of happiness. As a kid, you always dreamed of walking across that stage and accomplishing everything you wanted to. Man, it just felt good to walk in the gym and look at the people that came before me. Now I’m in their shoes.”

Carr was viewed by NBA scouts as athletic with his 42½-inch vertical leap and as having a good jump shot.

During his sophomore season at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 34 games. He shot 49.4% from the field, 37.4% from three-point range and 80.1% from the free-throw line.

But Carr quickly talked about how playing defense will be his calling card with the Lakers.

“Stepping into an organization with people with the same type of mindset and abilities, it only makes my job easier,” Carr said. “I’ve just got to cut and dunk the ball for them, and run in transition. But first things first is establishing a defensive consistency and showing I can be dominant or a plus on the defensive end as someone they would like to guard the best player.”

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Carr always had his dad, Chris Carr, to lean on during his journey as a basketball player. Having him as a mentor was so beneficial because his father spent six seasons in the NBA. His most famous moment came in 1997, when he became the runner-up to Kobe Bryant in the slam dunk contest.

Now father and son have something else in common: making the NBA.

“I’ve always wanted to be better than him,” Carr said. “I’ve always been behind, so I want to show he’s put a lot of work in me becoming a better man. So I feel the only way I can credit him and show I’m thankful for him is by putting in the work and using it every single day. He was a heck of a player, so it’s some big footsteps I’ve got to follow and a long journey.

“It’s good motivation. My ‘why’ is just to be better and show people I’m better than a lot of people that are put in front of me. I feel like that’s the chip on my shoulder, or the fire under my feet.”

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2026 World Cup Group Scenarios: What Remaining Teams Need To Advance To Round of 32

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2026 World Cup Group Scenarios: What Remaining Teams Need To Advance To Round of 32

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The World Cup group stage can get complicated quickly. 

With 48 teams participating for the first time ever, FIFA instituted new tiebreaker rules to determine the top two in each group along with the eight highest third-place finishers.

Below, FOX Sports Research has broken down what each team needs to advance, what results would send them through, and which scenarios could leave their fate hanging in the balance. 

Here’s where every group stands heading into the next round of matches, and the simple scenarios for them to advance.

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Note: Below scenarios are through all games played on June 25. Additionally, three points is now the minimum required for teams to advance as one of the eight third-place teams.

GROUP A SCENARIOS

  • Mexico won the group and will face a third-place team from either Group C or E in the Round of 32 in Mexico City on June 30.
  • South Africa finished as runner-up in the group, and will play Canada on June 28 in Los Angeles.
  • South Korea finished third, and currently ranks eighth among the third-place teams.
  • Czechia cannot advance to the knockout stage.

Mexico celebrates after securing the top spot in Group in the win vs. South Korea.

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GROUP B SCENARIOS

  • Switzerland won the group and will play a third-place team from either Group G or J in the Round of 32 in Vancouver on July 2.
  • Canada finished as runner-up in the group and will play South Africa on June 28 in Los Angeles.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third, and will play USA in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara.
  • Qatar cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP C SCENARIOS

  • Brazil won the group and will play Japan on June 29 in Houston.
  • Morocco finished as runner-up of the group and will play the Netherlands on June 29 in Monterrey.
  • Scotland finished in third, and currently ranks tenth among third-place teams.
  • Haiti cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP D SCENARIOS

  • USA won the group, and will play Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara.
  • Australia finished as runner-up of the group and will play Egypt on July 3 in Arlington.
  • Paraguay finished in third, and will play Germany on June 29 in Foxborough. 
  • Türkiye cannot advance to the knockout stage.

Folarin Balogoun of the U.S.

GROUP E SCENARIOS

  • Germany won the group and will play Paraguay on June 29 in Foxborough.
  • Ivory Coast finished as runner-up of the group and will play Norway on June 30 in Arlington.
  • Ecuador finished in third, and clinched a spot as a third-place team.
  • Curaçao cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP F SCENARIOS

  • Netherlands won the group and will play Morocco on June 29 in Monterrey.
  • Japan finished as runner-up of the group and will play Brazil on June 29 in Houson.
  • Sweden finished third, and will play France on June 30 in East Rutherford.
  • Tunisia cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP G SCENARIOS

  • Belgium won the group and will play a third-place team from Group A, I, or J on July 1 in Seattle.
  • Egypt finished as runner-up of the group and will play Australia on July 3 in Arlington.
  • Iran finished in third and currently ranks sixth among the third-place teams.
  • New Zealand cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP H SCENARIOS

  • Spain won the group and will play the runner-up of Group J on July 2 in Los Angeles.
  • Cape Verde finished as runner-up of the group and will play Argentina on July 3 in Miami. 
  • Uruguay cannot advance to the knockout stage.
  • Saudi Arabia cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP I SCENARIOS

  • France won the group and will play Sweden on June 30 in East Rutherford.
  • Norway finished as runner-up of the group and will play Ivory Coast on June 30 in Arlington.
  • Senegal finished in third, and clinched a spot as a third-place team.
  • Iraq cannot advance to the knockout stage.

GROUP J SCENARIOS

  • Argentina won the group and will face Cape Verde on July 3 in Miami. 
  • Austria will advance with a win or draw; in a draw, the runner-up will be decided by tiebreakers.
  • Algeria will advance with a win or draw; in a draw, the runner-up will be decided by tiebreakers.
  • Jordan cannot advance to the knockout stage.

Lionel Messi of Argentina.

GROUP K SCENARIOS

  • Colombia has advanced.
  • Colombia will win the group with a win or draw.
  • Portugal will advance with a win or draw, and will win the group with a win.
  • Uzbekistan can advance with a win, but it is not guaranteed.

GROUP L SCENARIOS

  • England will advance with a win/draw.
  • England will win the group with a win AND a Ghana draw/loss.
  • Ghana will advance with a win/draw.
  • Ghana will win the group with a win AND an England draw/loss.
  • Panama cannot advance to the knockout stage.

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Roki Sasaki struggles with command early, Dodgers fall to Padres

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Roki Sasaki struggles with command early, Dodgers fall to Padres

The home run that Roki Sasaki gave up to San Diego’s Ty France was more dramatic than the two walks he issued to open the inning. But it was the free passes that really hurt him.

In the Dodgers’ 7-1 loss to the Padres on Friday, Sasaki was out of the game before he could record an out in the fifth inning. He gave up only three hits but issued five walks, tying his season high, and hit a batter.

“I actually felt different than I ever felt before, mechanically,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo, noting that his lower body felt a little off. “So I need to go over it and see what was really happening.”

Sasaki successfully pitched around traffic for much of his outing, other than the three-run homer to France in the second inning. But the inefficiency sent his pitch count past 80 before he exited with runners on first and second in the fifth.

“I’m not going to have it every time out, so that’s something I have to improve,” Sasaki said. “And also the game plan. I was able to execute some of the pitches, but some of the pitches I couldn’t, so that’s something I have to go through before next start.”

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Earlier this month, when Sasaki held the Angels scoreless through seven two-hit innings, it seemed as if he’d had a breakthrough. But in three starts since, including a seven-run dud against the Chicago White Sox two weeks ago, he has yet to pitch through the sixth inning.

“I am a little surprised, because there was such good momentum going on,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Hopefully we can get him back to throwing the way he did in May.”

The Padres’ Walker Buehler walks off after holding his old team to one run for 5-1/3 innings Friday at Petco Park.

(Derrick Tuskan / Ap Photo/derrick Tuskan)

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Sasaki’s command issues Friday showed up almost immediately. After striking out Padres leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr., Sasaki walked Samad Taylor on 10 pitches. But Sasaki bounced back by inducing a double play.

The next inning, there would be no such escape. Sasaki walked both Manny Machado, whom he also battled for 10 pitches, and Gavin Sheets to open the frame. Then Xander Bogaerts’ sharp line drive to center field found leather.

France’s long fly ball to left field, however, found the seats.

Sasaki’s only clean inning, the third, was made possible by catcher Dalton Rushing’s successful challenge of a called ball four against Tatís, flipping a walk into a strikeout.

“I know that there’s confidence in there,” Roberts said. “But when you feel good and you don’t feel good mechanically and can’t execute pitches, then the results are walks, and 1-2 [count] homers, and things like that. But I do think that we can kind of tackle the mechanical things that he’s probably looking for right now.”

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The Padres piled on in the eighth inning against reliever Jonathan Hernandez, as the sold-out crowd chanted “Beat L.A.!”

Mookie Betts hit a home run off former teammate Walker Buehler for his second homer in as many games. Betts seems to have come out of his offensive funk, entering Friday with a 1.061 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the previous 11 games.

Buehler earned the win, delivering five strikeouts in 5⅓ innings.

“[Buehler] is reinventing himself,” Roberts said. “He’s throwing the kitchen sink at you. Cutter, slider, changeup, two-seamers. He doesn’t just try to bully you, and he’s finding ways to just get guys out. So yeah, he’s gonna still go up there and compete.”

The Dodgers went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and squandered a bases-loaded opportunity with one out in the sixth inning after chasing Buehler. Max Muncy popped out and Kyle Tucker, back in the lineup after exiting Monday’s game because of back spasms, flied out.

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The Dodgers have built such a big lead in the division that the loss barely made a dent. The Padres, in second place, trail by eight games.

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