Shedeur Sanders made his case to be one of the first quarterbacks selected in the 2025 NFL draft Friday at Colorado’s pro day. The son of a Hall of Famer Deion Sanders threw for the first time since the end of the season in front of dozens of NFL scouts and front office members.

Miami’s Cam Ward is the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the draft to the Tennessee Titans but Sanders is a likely first-round pick. Where he will go is unclear three weeks out from the draft but he offers a skillset to be a starter as a rookie.

Sanders led college football with a 74% completion percentage in 2024. His profile, production and experience make him the most pro-ready passer in the class. His best qualities are his accuracy and timing and those were on full display Friday in Boulder.

Sanders threw to teammates Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester over an hour Friday afternoon.

Here’s what to know about Sanders’ workout:

Shedeur Sanders pro day recap

He started with short drops and quick throws in the short areas of the field before transitioning to five-step drops and throwing intermediate routes.

His passes were slightly wobbly to start out before he settled in to a rhythm with intermediate passes. Sanders is at his best when hitting timing-based routes accurately and this part of the workout played to his strength. Multiple play-action passes allowed him to show off as well.

He opened up with more deep shots to showcase his arm strength. Those were some of his best throws on the day, including a deep shot to Horn Jr., with a ball that traveled more than 40 yards in the air.

He followed that up with a mix of passes and hit multiple in-breaking and out-breaking routes, notably a perfectly placed ball to Sheppard on a out route.

Sanders and the Colorado receivers wrapped up the day with an attempted two-minute drill. They weren’t able to get the length of the field but Sanders still hit multiple key passes to move the ball down the field.

Shedeur Sanders pro day grade

Grade: B+

Sanders’ early wounded ducks gave way to on-target throws with play-action passes and throws on the move. He hit multiple deep shots accurately down the field to show off his arm talent.

Sanders himself looked bulked up from the end of the college football season and was able to generate a little more power on his throws. He still needs to improve using his lower body in throws but this looked like a step in the right direction.

He’s the most pro-ready passer in the draft and today’s workout confirmed his strengths. It didn’t ease much of the concern over his weaknesses (taking on pressure, relying too much on his average mobility) so there’s a cap on how well he could’ve done to change his pre-draft perception.

SAN ANTONIO – Rick Pitino’s direct connection to this Final Four runs through Walter Clayton, Jr., the senior point guard whose clutch shotmaking propelled Florida through tough tests against Connecticut and Texas Tech earlier in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

But just a couple years ago, Pitino was hoping that Clayton could lead his team to a similar type of run at Iona.

“I had a great team for Iona, and I thought they could have gone far that year,” Pitino said Friday after accepting one of the national coach of the year awards here for his work at St. John’s. “It’s going to sound crazy but I thought Iona was a Sweet 16 team because we had one of the best backcourts. Unfortunately, our (first round) matchup was the champions (UConn). But with Walter Clayton, it did not surprise me the success he’s having now.”

Clayton, who is from a small town near the I-4 corridor between Tampa and Orlando, was actually supposed to be a big-time football recruit. Several SEC schools and Notre Dame offered him scholarships to play safety, but he far preferred basketball. There was only one problem: With COVID-19 limiting the summer travel circuit for basketball, Clayton didn’t have much exposure and only drew interest from mid-major programs.

“We looked at the film, and what I liked is that he won back-to-back high school championships,” Pitino said. “I wanted a winner at Iona, and he was a winner. Even though he was a football player, I liked the way he passed the ball. I liked what he was doing. And when he first came in, he struggled a bit like all freshmen do. Then he became MVP of the league. His sophomore year, he was a killer basketball player as he is now at Florida.”

PREDICTIONS: Five reasons Duke won’t win title and one why it will

BEST EVER?: A list of the seven best Final Fours in since expansion

Iona missed the NCAA Tournament in Clayton’s freshman season, losing in the MAAC quarterfinals after he missed the front end of a one-and-one with 20 seconds left while Rider made the game-winning shot.

The next year, after an offseason of intense work, Clayton averaged 16.8 points and shot 43 percent from the 3-point line as Iona made the tournament again. The Gaels actually gave UConn a good test for 20 minutes, leading by two at halftime before losing 87-63.

That turned out to be the last game for both of them at Iona. Pitino left for St. John’s, while Clayton chose to return home to the Gators, becoming the best guard in the SEC and arguably the best in the country this year.

“I think he’s going to be a great pro,” Pitino said. “He plays hurt. He plays all the time. He’s a tough kid. He makes shots. He’s a great passer. He lets the game come to him. He has quick hands. He jumps much better than people think. His vertical is much better than people would ever see but it was a treat coaching Walt. Great guy.”

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders addressed the bankruptcy case of his son Shilo Friday and said a recent financial issue involving Shilo’s car was because of a “disruption in payments” after the termination of his ‘online account access.’

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on Tuesday filed a motion in court that said Shilo, an NFL draft prospect, defaulted on his car payments for a Mercedes car that he agreed to purchase in May 2023 on a monthly payment plan. The company said he was past due for $6,877 in payments and hadn’t paid his monthly installments from December through February.

As a result, the company asked the bankruptcy court’s permission to repossess the car amid Shilo’s bankruptcy proceedings.

Deion Sanders brought up the issue at a news conference Friday during Colorado’s pro day workouts in Boulder.

“I know some other bulljunk came out, but he fulfilled all his financial obligations,” Deion Sanders said. “These issues appear to have risen due to disruptions in the payment process −this is from his attorney − ‘following the termination of Mr. Sanders’ online account access.’ So he’s good.”

Why was this an issue?

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services considered this “disruption in payments” to be a default on payments, meaning he stopped paying what he owed. As a result, the company moved to take the car back because Shilo, a safety for Colorado, still owes $97,239 on a $135,000 car from 2023 that now has a trade-in value of $97,000, according to its court filing in federal bankruptcy court.

Shilo’s bankruptcy filing in October 2023 triggered an automatic stay or hold on debt collection efforts against him. But Mercedes-Benz Financial Services argued it should be entitled to relief from this stay under these circumstances.

“The motor vehicle is depreciating in value, the contract is in default and the movant (Mercedes-Benz Financial Services) is being prevented by the automatic stay from exercising its remedies to repossess and liquidate its collateral, the motor vehicle,” said the court filing from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and its attorney Doug Koktavy.

Shilo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after falling into more than $11 million debt – almost all of it owed to one man, John Darjean, a security guard from his former school in Dallas. It’s not clear yet if making any back payments will change the position of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. The company’s attorney didn’t immediately return a message.

Why does Shilo Sanders owe this money?

It stems from an incident in 2015, when Shilo was 15 and Darjean tried to confiscate his phone at school. Darjean accused Shilo of elbowing and punching him, causing severe and permanent injuries.

Shilo has said it was self-defense. But Darjean sued Shilo for damages. And when the case finally went to trial in Dallas in 2022, Shilo didn’t show up for it. The judge then issued an $11.89 million default judgment against Shilo after hearing evidence at the trial.

After Darjean tried to collect on that judgment owed to him, Shilo filed for bankruptcy to stop the debt-collection efforts and try to have the debt discharged so he could get a “fresh start.”

Darjean is fighting this in court because he wants to collect every penny he’s owed. If Darjean succeeds, the debt could follow Shilo into his NFL career. If Shilo succeeds in court, the debt will go away with relatively little harm done to him financially.

‘Different standard’ for Sanders family

Shilo, now 25, was Colorado’s leading tackler in 2023 and third-leading tackler in 2024 despite missing three games with a broken forearm. On Friday, he worked out in front of NFL scouts and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, a good time for a safety prospect.

“I love who he is on and off the field,” Deion Sanders said of Shilo. “He’s a great young man.”

His father on Friday also generally addressed how his family is held to “a different standard.” His youngest son, Shedeur, is a top quarterback prospect for the NFL draft in April.

“I’m held to a different standard, but I don’t care,” Deion Sanders said. “We are here to change the game, so you’re gonna be held to a different standard. I like that. All the kids that play for CU are held to a different standard when we walk into a city. And the way you (the news media) report on us, you’re held to a different standard. So we cool with that. Ain’t nothing changed about that.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts confirmed Friday that he would be attending his team’s upcoming visit to the White House, six years after skipping a World Series celebration with Donald Trump as president.

Then with the Red Sox, Betts (and manager Alex Cora) opted out of Boston’s 2019 trip to see Trump, but the now-three-time World Series champion went along for the Dodgers’ visit when Joe Biden was in office, celebrating the club’s 2020 championship.

“No matter what I say or what I do, people are gonna take it as political,” Betts said Friday. “But that’s definitely not what it is. This is about what the Dodgers were able to accomplish last year.”

Betts told reporters that his skipping the visit with the Red Sox was a ‘regret,’ and the 2018 American League MVP thought it distracted from that Red Sox team’s accomplishments.

“This is not about me; I don’t want anything to be about me,” Betts said Friday. “This is about the Dodgers. Because these boys were there for me.”

The Dodgers have started the 2025 season 8-0, with Betts slugging three home runs in five games since returning from illness.

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About USA TODAY Sports’ 30 Days to the NFL draft series, which started March 25: Every five days, we will focus on a unique aspect of the 2025 draft, which is April 24-26.

We hear about the quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft. Then again, we always hear about the quarterbacks: Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, among others. Everything revolves around them. Like planets orbiting a giant star. Or something like that.

But there’s one thing you should pay attention to with this draft. The quarterbacks will be the show but Penn State’s Abdul Carter is a player to watch closely. Really, really closely.

Many mock drafts have Carter going second overall to the Cleveland Browns. That’s the most logical scenario.

However, I’m hearing from people I trust in the league who are seeing a potentially different picture emerging. There’s a view we could see some type of gold rush moment where several teams (or maybe more than several) try to trade with the Browns into that second spot to get Carter.

This isn’t totally shocking and also not some type of hardcore insider reporting. The point some are making is that teams have been far more impressed with Carter than maybe the rest of us understand, and while we’ve focused on the quarterbacks, several teams are focusing on Carter.

Stuff I’m hearing about Carter: Best athlete in the draft… Titans, with the first pick, seriously considering taking him… Ten years from now, when everyone looks back to evaluate this draft, he will be viewed as its best player… Teams are considering offering a bevy of picks to move up and get him… Teams like his personality… Coaches that have met him, love him. On and on it goes.

You never fully understand what’s true and not when it comes to the draft. Some things are solid. Some are lies. Some are neatly engineered pieces of misinformation designed to throw teams off various trails.

Eventually, however, small pieces of information, accurate information, slip through.

That’s what’s happening with Carter. The idea that some teams are more obsessed with him than perhaps some in the media realize might be accurate.

Again, the likelihood of Carter going second to Cleveland makes the most sense. But I also wouldn’t be shocked if another team jumped into that spot and took Carter. Or if Cleveland’s phone rings off the hook on draft day as teams try to move into that spot to take Carter.

“You definitely need a franchise edge rusher,’ Carter said at the NFL scouting combine in February. ‘If you look at all the great teams – all the great teams that have won Super Bowls – you have that one standout, great defensive player. And I feel like I’m that.”

He’s confident and also correct.

One thing I keep hearing is that teams aren’t in love with this group of quarterbacks. Even Ward. And the view of some teams is that Carter is a safer pick up high in the draft.

At least, that’s how the stories go. But who really knows this time of year.

The draft is one of sports’ great puzzles. It’s easy to understand why. The behavior of many human beings are difficult to predict in the best of circumstances. Throw all of that into a violent sport where a player goes to a bad franchise, and those predictive models are even more difficult.

One pick can be Peyton Manning. One pick can be JaMarcus Russell. That’s just how it goes.

No one can say Carter is a sure thing. Maybe the best way to put it: he could be the surest thing possible.

SAN ANTONIO – Steven Pearl and Todd Golden talk so often, it’s hard for Peal to remember precisely when they realized this weekend might be possible.

Friends since they played together at the 2006 Maccabi Games in Australia, Pearl and Golden have stayed close as they climbed through their playing and, now, coaching careers. It’s easier to remember the days they don’t connect, at least briefly.

So it was hard for Pearl to pin down exactly which Florida game — he estimated about three months ago — impressed him so much he realized Florida and Auburn might meet in San Antonio. That night, he called Golden and told him how good Florida looked. Golden replied in kind.

“‘If we both continue to progress, it’s not crazy to say we’ll meet in San Antonio for the Final Four,’” Golden told his friend.

Saturday night, they will.

“We were hoping it would be on a Monday night, not Saturday night, but the fact that we actually spoke it into existence a few months ago is kind of crazy,” Pearl told USA TODAY Sports on Friday. “We both ended up here. It’s pretty cool.”

Saturday’s early semifinal will be the latest reunion for two basketball families whose roots stretch back two decades. Pearl and Golden played together multiple times at the Maccabi Games, including in 2009 on a team coached by Pearl’s father, Bruce.

Now, Golden is coaching Florida in its first Final Four appearance since 2014. Bruce Pearl has Auburn in the national semifinal for the second time in the last six years, with his son, Steven, serving as associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

“It’s a little surreal, to be honest, to be able to be here at the Final Four. That in itself is a little surreal. But playing on Saturday against one of your biggest and best mentors, not exactly something you expect when the season starts,” Golden said Thursday. “I know he’s incredibly proud of me. I’m incredibly grateful for him and his family and the opportunities they provided for me.

“I would not be here if I didn’t have my relationship and experience working with and being around Bruce and his son, Steven. A little bit of a full-circle moment for both of us.”

PREDICTIONS: Five reasons Duke won’t win title and one why it will

BEST EVER?: A list of the seven best Final Fours in since expansion

Bruce Pearl brought Golden with him as an assistant when Pearl took the Auburn job in 2014. Golden spent two years with the Tigers before moving to San Francisco, where he worked three seasons each as an assistant and then three more as head coach.

When he parlayed that into the Florida job, in 2022, Golden returned to the SEC coaching against one of his mentors, and a pair of old friends.

“Even though I only had Todd for two years, he helped lay the foundation, helped getting some of the recruiting started that helped us in our fourth year,” Bruce Pearl said. “Todd and (Golden’s wife) Megan had just gotten married. They were newlyweds. They had their first son while he was at Auburn. I was one of the first to hold his son. There’s a close connection.”

That foundation Pearl referenced now supports one of the best basketball programs in the country. Auburn has won 25 or more games in six of the last eight seasons, with a combined five SEC regular-season and tournament titles.

The Tigers have been among college basketball’s best teams all season. They moved into the top five in both major polls after one week, and never left, with multiple turns at No. 1.

This time around, Golden’s Florida joined them. After two years of steady build — including 24 wins and an NCAA tournament appearance last season — the Gators rejoined the ranks of the elite, winning the SEC tournament and grabbing a No. 1 seed.

Golden, Steven Pearl said, was a dogged competitor on those Maccabi Games teams, in addition to being a dangerous shooter.

Steven Pearl said he sees the same competitive streak in Golden’s teams that defined Golden when he played.

“He was scrappy. He worked hard. He was gritty when he was out there. He was really focused on the details of things,” Steven Pearl said. “I don’t think that’s any different than how he coaches. He’s very energetic on the sideline. He really gets after it. He’s competitive …. In coaching, I think that gives you an edge and your players respond well to that, and I think they take that identity as well, which is why they’ve been so successful this year.”

Someone’s year will end Saturday night. Florida — which won the two teams’ only meeting this season by nine in February in Auburn — is a narrow favorite.

The outcome won’t change the strong bond connecting both sidelines. For years, Golden and the Pearls have stayed close. This season, they’ve tracked and cheered one another’s success.

When Golden’s Florida defeated Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, and Auburn beat Michigan State a day later, that conversation months ago with his old friend turned prophetic.

“We FaceTimed on Sunday after they beat Michigan State. We were shaking our heads like, ‘Man, we’re legitimately going to the Final Four, competing against each other,’” Golden said. “Bruce and Steven are incredibly important to me, have been really impactful with the opportunities I’ve had. I’m just really grateful for my relationship with them. I think it speaks volumes about the way we build our programs that we’re both still alive right now.”

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on X: @ZachOsterman.

Paige Bueckers has the UConn women’s basketball team back in the Final Four for the 24th time in program history. Lauren Betts has UCLA in the Final Four for the first time ever. The Huskies and Bruins are battling tonight for a spot in Sunday’s national championship game, where the winner will face either South Carolina or Texas. 

Bueckers has been on a scoring tear during March Madness, hunting her first national championship ring and Geno Auriemma’s 12th. Betts and the Bruins have shown their toughness and perseverance during March Madness as they try to reach the national championship game for the first time in program history. 

USA TODAY Sports is bringing you live updates, scores, highlights and analysis throughout the game. Follow along. 

When is next UConn women’s basketball game?

The Huskies tip off against the UCLA Bruins at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Where can I watch UConn women’s basketball tonight vs. UCLA? 

ESPN is airing the contest. You can also stream on Fubo with a free trial.

Paige Bueckers stats

Superstar UConn guard Paige Bueckers has poured in 105 points over the last three games, setting a record for most points by a Huskies player in a three-game span. The fifth-year senior averages 20.1 points, 4.4 boards, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game to lead the Huskies. She shoots 54.3% from the floor and 42.7% from 3. 

Lauren Betts stats

UCLA center Lauren Betts averages nearly a double-double this season: 20.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game to go along with 2.8 assists and 3.0 blocks. In four games this March Madness, Betts has put up 23 points, 9.25 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Ready Nancy Armour’s full story on how Lauren Betts has evolved as a player.

Where is Paige Bueckers from? 

Paige Bueckers is from Hopkins, Minnesota. 

Gabriela Jaquez stats

Gabriela Jaquez has become a major contributor to a deep Bruins tournament run. She was instrumental in UCLA’s Elite Eight win over LSU, leading the team with 18 points and drilling a huge late 3-pointer. She averages 9.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

UCLA women’s basketball roster 

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Lauren Betts has shown up and recorded monster March Madness numbers for UCLA, including a historic 31-point, 10-rebound performance in the Sweet 16. That night, she shot 93.8% from the field, tying the record for the highest field-goal percentage in an NCAA Tournament game with a minimum 15 attempts. Betts is top five in the nation in field goal percentage (64.91%) and blocks per game (3), but she not only scores and defends. Betts also creates open looks for her teammates. And UCLA’s role players have made opposing teams pay. Gabriela Jaquez and Timea Gardiner combined for nine of UCLA’s 10 threes in the team’s Elite Eight win. Here’s the full UCLA women’s basketball roster. — Cydney Henderson 

How to watch Women’s Final Four 

ESPN is airing both contests. You can also stream on Fubo with a free trial.  

Final Four games tonight 

South Carolina vs. Texas live updates and highlights (tips off at 7 p.m. ET) 
UConn vs. UCLA tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET 

UConn vs. UCLA predictions

Nancy Armour, USA TODAY: UConn 
Meghan L. Hall, For The Win: UConn 
Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel: UConn 

UCLA vs. UConn odds

Odds via BetMGM as of Friday, April 4.

Spread: UConn -7.5
Moneyline Favorite: UConn -400
Moneyline Underdog: UCLA +310
Total: 135.5

The NBA on Friday fined Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant $75,000 for ‘twice making an inappropriate gesture on the playing court.’

NBA executive vice president/head of basketball operations Joe Dumars announced the fine. 

‘Morant was previously warned by the league office that this gesture could be interpreted in a negative light,’ the league’s statement said.

The league on Wednesday had warned Morant, the Grizzlies, Golden State and Warriors guard Buddy Hield to refrain from making a gesture that resembles shooting a gun after Morant and Hield made the gesture during Golden State’s victory over Memphis Tuesday.

The league refrained from issuing a penalty after talking to both teams and the players, who were told the gesture was inappropriate and urged not to make those gestures moving forward. The players and teams involved said they were not making violent gestures.

The Grizzlies have been doing that gesture – and a similar gesture – as a celebration all season, and other players make similar gestures, especially after making a 3-point shot.

However, Morant repeated the gesture in Memphis’ victory over the Miami Heat Thursday.

‘I’m kind of used to it,’ Morant said after Thursday’s game. ‘I was pretty much a villain for two years now. Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. So, yeah. I don’t care no more.’

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