INDIANAPOLIS – Just before 8 a.m. in Hall J of the Indianapolis Convention Center on Friday, The Promised One stepped to the podium.

This is what a franchise quarterback is supposed to look like, supposed to sound like. Sure, as Mendoza, 22, alluded to during his 13-minute media session, there is no cookie-cutter when it comes to what constitutes an NFL star.

Lamar Jackson looks and sounds nothing like Josh Allen, who looks and sounds nothing like the great Patrick Mahomes. Big-time ballers come in all shapes, shades and sizes.

Still, if you’re that team that for so many years has wallowed in mediocrity – hey, Silver and Black – and been unable to get out of its own way as it cycled through one coach after another, one quarterback after another, in matching Mendoza with the No. 1 pick overall in the upcoming NFL draft you are revived by the idea that miracles can indeed happen.

Somewhere, Al Davis is crowing.

Not only does Mendoza look the part, he’s fresh off leading Indiana – yes, Indiana! – to the national crown. He won the Heisman Trophy. And he’s tough. For all of his big stats and highlight throws, winning the natty came down to Mendoza barreling into the end zone like somebody’s Bronko Nagurski. The kid will sell tickets, but most of all he can play.

Celebrate Indiana’s CFP championship with our commemorative book!

And hey, some of us think he has jokes, too.

“The pick has not been selected yet,” Mendoza said of what lies ahead when the Raiders turn in the draft card on April 23. “Whatever team drafts me, I’m extremely grateful.

“Like I said, if I was the No. 1 pick or whether it’s the last pick in the draft, I’d be blessed and honored to be picked by any team, giving them my all.”

The last pick in the draft? Is he kidding?

Then again, that Mendoza seemingly will take nothing for granted, is one reason Raiders rookie coach Klint Kubiak can count his blessings. In explaining his obsession with minute details, Mendoza pointed out how he was the nation’s 134th-ranked quarterback coming out of high school.

And look at him now. He’s a poster child for details.

“That was a true ranking,” Mendoza reflected. “I was a raw prospect. I was terrible. And it’s about the small wins every day.”

Next up for Fernando Mendoza, Tom Brady pairing: meet in person

And now the big wins. The combine represents Mendoza’s opening act on an NFL stage, with the medical exams, meat-market measurements, interviews and the like. As you’d expect, QB11 drew the biggest crowd, of any probably all week, at his podium.

The first impression was textbook. Someone asked if he updated his LinkedIn profile.

“Well, right now, I’m unemployed,” Mendoza said. “I have no job. So, this is my job interview right now and like everyone says, it’s the most important job interview of your life. So, right now, I’m just trying to do everything to hopefully get employed.”

Yeah, the kid can spin it in more ways than one. Tom Brady is going to love pouring into Mendoza. And vice-versa.

Brady, the Raiders minority owner who entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick, isn’t on site as Mendoza goes through the combine paces. Even though Brady attended the national championship game with Raiders owner Mark Davis, he’s yet to meet Mendoza in person. But it’s coming.

When Mendoza met with key Raiders powerbrokers at the combine, the session began with a quick telephone hook-up with Brady.

“I was able to say a brief hi on the phone to Brady,” Mendoza said, “and so that was very special to me and I look forward to meeting him in person, hopefully, one day.”

Hopefully, he admits, it goes much deeper than that. Given Brady’s investment in the Raiders – with competitive football juices layered on top of his financial stake – Mendoza is seemingly on the verge of gaining the best resource any young quarterback could dream of.

No, it doesn’t seem fair. Brady won seven Super Bowl rings, gets a piece of the Raiders, doubles with his high-profile role as a Fox Sports analyst and is now poised, too, to tutor a QB with star potential.

“That opportunity would be fantastic,” Mendoza gushed. “Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback of all time, by a wide margin, and to be able to be mentored by him, it would mean so much. Especially to learn, and I’m all about learning.

“So, from Day 1, I’ve got to learn a lot. It’s going to be a long journey. And so, to potentially have a mentor like that, it would be pretty impressive and pretty meaningful.”

Mendoza looks the part, but Raiders must build around him

Mendoza will need plenty of support beyond Brady. Too often, teams land their franchise quarterback of the future with a high draft pick, only to fail to put the pieces around him. Ask Sam Darnold, who just won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, years after the New York Jets were supposed to take off with him at quarterback.

Then again, sometimes, it goes both ways. Look at the Indianapolis Colts, open for trade offers for Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. The Colts failed the quarterback and the quarterback failed the team – with bad luck on top of that equation.

In Mendoza’s case, though, he seems built for this moment after a circuitous journey from his hometown of Miami to Cal to IU, and three years starting on the college level. He also seems well-equipped to handle the spotlight and pressure.

He knows. With his status and position, leadership is an essential component for the expectations. He can ask Brady all about that.

“I believe that with an NFL franchise, to lead it you need equity,” Mendoza said. “And you need two things to build equity. No. 1, you want to play well. That’s where all my focus goes: football, football, football. If you want to lead, you’ve first got to play well.

“And second, to have the respect of your teammates. Through work ethic, through your leadership, through your tenacity, the way that you respond to mistakes. And so those are all things I’m looking to work on.”

Sounds like a plan. Even if the Raiders don’t select him (yeah, right) with the No. 1 pick.

“I’m just trying to be the best me possible,” Mendoza said. “Whatever team drafts me, I’m grateful, whether that’s the No. 1 pick, or the 199th pick.”

We heard that choice of words. The 199th pick, in 2000, happened to be a man named Brady … suddenly connected to The Promised One.

Contact Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on X: @JarrettBell

As the Unrivaled playoffs begin Saturday at Sephora Arena in Miami, the women’s 3-on-3 professional basketball league announced its postseason awards.

Phantom BC forward Aliyah Boston was named Defensive Player of the Year after recording 29 blocks in 14 games. She finished second in total defensive rebounds (111) and had 39 points off turnovers. Boston also averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots a game.

Breeze BC guard Paige Bueckers, Rose BC guard Chelsea Gray and Phantom BC guard Kelsey Plum were named to first-team All-Unrivaled. Phantom BC forward Aliyah Boston, Mist BC guard Allisha Gray and Laces BC wing Brittney Sykes were named second team. Phantom BC’s Roneeka Hodges was named Coach of the Year.

Bueckers averaged 22.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field and 38% from 3-point range in her rookie season. She led Breeze BC to the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.

Chelsea Gray led Unrivaled in total points (339), assists (85), 3-point field goals (49) and assists per game (6.1). She became the first player in league history to surpass 600 career points, 200 career field goals, and 100 career assists. Her Rose team opens the postseason against Breeze on Saturday (9:45 p.m. ET, truTV).

Kelsey Plum, who led Phantom BC to the No. 1 seed, averaged 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists. The Phantom have a bye for the first round of the playoffs and will face the lowest-seeded team to advance in the semifinals Monday at the Barclays Center in New York. The Unrivaled championship for Season 2 will take place on Wednesday in Miami.

All players and head coaches received a postseason award vote along with 21 media members. The voting was weighed as such: 35% to players, 35% to coaches and 30% to media.

MLS champion Inter Miami will visit President Donald Trump and the White House to celebrate its 2025 championship before an match upcoming against D.C. United, a club source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t yet announced the plans.

The Athletic first reported the visit would occur on March 5 – two days before the March 7 match at Audi Field in Washington D.C. The Miami Herald reported “everyone” from the club is expected to attend, meaning Argentine World Cup champion Lionel Messi, the two-time MLS MVP, could be present for the ceremony.

It would be Messi’s first visit to the White House. Messi was unable to visit when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden due to a scheduling issue in Jan. 2025.

If Messi does attend, Trump will have met two of soccer’s greatest sportsman in the last five months before the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo attended a black-tie dinner at the White House when Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last November.

It’s become customary for American sports league champions to visit the White House to celebrate their titles, however the topic has become a bit of controversy following the Winter Olympics.

Trump invited both the gold-medal men’s and women’s hockey teams, but the women declined their invite.

Inter Miami beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 to win the 2025 MLS Cup on Dec. 6, 2025. They will face Orlando City in their second match of the season on Sunday, March 1.

As the Unrivaled playoffs begin Saturday at Sephora Arena in Miami, the women’s 3-on-3 professional basketball league announced its postseason awards.

Breeze BC guard Paige Bueckers, Rose BC guard Chelsea Gray and Phantom BC guard Kelsey Plum were named to first-team All-Unrivaled. Phantom BC forward Aliyah Boston, Mist BC guard Allisha Gray and Laces BC wing Brittney Sykes were named second team. Phantom BC’s Roneeka Hodges was named Coach of the Year.

Bueckers averaged 22.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field and 38% from 3-point range in her rookie season. She led Breeze BC to the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.

Chelsea Gray led Unrivaled in total points (339), assists (85), 3-point field goals (49) and assists per game (6.1). She became the first player in league history to surpass 600 career points, 200 career field goals, and 100 career assists. Her Rose team opens the postseason against Breeze on Saturday (9:45 p.m. ET, truTV).

Kelsey Plum, who led Phantom BC to the No. 1 seed, averaged 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists. The Phantom have a bye for the first round of the playoffs and will face the lowest-seeded team to advance in the semifinals Monday at the Barclays Center in New York. The Unrivaled championship for Season 2 will take place on Wednesday in Miami.

All players and head coaches received a postseason award vote along with 21 media members. The voting was weighed as such: 35% to players, 35% to coaches and 30% to media.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Yoshinobu Yamamoto insists he has no concerns.

The Los Angeles Dodgers tell you, well, at least publicly, they have no worries.

And Dodgers fans will be at home watching with a knot in their stomachs, no sure how much success they want their ace to have in the World Baseball Classic, only that he returns fully healthy for the regular season.

Yoshinobu, after giving up five hits and two runs in three innings Friday against the San Franciso Giants in a 12-4 loss, is leaving for Tokyo where he will meet up with Shohei Ohtani and the rest of his teammates as Team Japan defends its WBC title.

“We’re going to miss him certainly when he’s away with Team Japan,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “but we absolutely got what we needed.’’

Yamamoto, who threw 37 of his 52 pitches for strikes, with four strikeouts, is tentatively scheduled to pitch against Chinese Taipei on March 6 in his WBC opener, where he will be limited to 65 pitches.

“I’m looking forward to that game against Taiwan,’’ he said. “I understand the passion of Taiwanese fans and baseball fans. So I think it’s special.’’

Yamamoto could pitch again in the quarterfinals with a 75-pitch limit, or if Japan advances to the semifinals in Miami, he could pitch the semifinal or championship game with a 95-pitch restriction.

“Yoshinobu knows when he’s going to pitch for Team Japan,’’ Roberts said. “And we’re aligned as far as our organization and our pitching guys. He’s comfortable with it.’’

So just how much will he pitch?

“It’s a secret,’’ Yamamoto said, laughing.

Yamamoto did concede that last season, pitching 211 innings last season, including 37.1 innings during the postseason in which he won the World Series MVP, had an effect on him. It wasn’t so much the physical effect, he said, but the mental stress.

“Mentally, I was a little bit tired,’’ he said. “You know, fatigue. But physically, I was good.’’

Now, after being in Arizona for most of February, he says he’s ready physically and mentally, hoping to lead Japan to back-to-back WBC titles in March, and the Dodgers to a World Series three-peat in October.

“I do think when the bell rings,’’ Roberts said, “he’s going to be fine, but I could certainly understand [with] what’s he gone through the last couple of years. It’s a tax mentally, but you know he’s going to have to ramp up for the WBC.

“We’ll see how he is when he gets back with us.’’

Certainly, Yamamoto has done everything possible to prepare for the workload after the short winter. He worked out six days a week, sometimes for six hours at a time beginning in December, preparing for this moment.

“The dude is an animal,’’ Dodgers teammate Kiké Hernández said on the “Baseball & Coffee’ podcast with Adam Ottavino. “Little guy, nicest guy in the world, but man … when he’s on the mound, that stadium is his, and he’s shown it.’

His value to the Dodgers can’t be understated. He not only is the Dodgers’ ace, but one of the select few Dodgers starters who are on schedule to open the season without restrictions.

Blake Snell, the Dodgers’ two-time Cy Young winner, has been bothered by shoulder fatigue and is still only playing catch at 90 feet. He certainly won’t be ready for opening day and is expected to open the season on the injured list.

Shohei Ohtani is healthy and scheduled to open the season in the starting rotation, but he didn’t pitch in a spring training game before leaving for Japan, and has no plans to pitch in the WBC either.

Emmit Sheehan missed a week with an illness, and is behind schedule.

Roki Sasaki struggled badly in his spring-training debut, and is no longer a lock to make the opening-day rotation.

Bobby Miller has shoulder tightness and still hasn’t pitched off the mound.

Brock Stewart is progressing well after shoulder surgery, but hasn’t pitched in a game, and will open the year on the IL.

Tyler Glasnow is healthy and pitched well in his spring-traiing debut, but he pitched just 90.1 innings last season with an assortment of injuries, and has pitched more than 100 innings just three times in his 10-year career.

And Clayton Kershaw is retired, coming back only to pitch in the WBC.

Needless to say, as deep and talented and rich as the Dodgers are, they badly need Yamamoto to be their ace again this season.

Yamamoto, who finished third in the NL Cy Young voting last season after going 12-8 with a 2.49 ERA and 201 strikeouts, struggled a bit with his command Friday, but was effective with all of his pitches, hitting 97 mph on his fastball. He gave up a leadoff homer to Willy Adames on a 3-2 curveball, and back-to-back hits to Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos in the second inning, but finished his outing by not permitting the last seven batters to hit the ball out of the infield, with three strikeouts.

“After today’s game, I do feel I got the feeling I wanted,’’ Yamamoto said, “and was looking for, although there’s some more stuff I need to work on.’’

Certainly, according to the scouts on hand, he looks like he’s nearly ready for the season, and certainly the WBC.

So, inquiring WBC fans want to know, if Yamamoto is pitching in the championship game for Team Japan against Team USA, who will Dodgers fans cheer for in the potential matchup?

“That’s a great question,’’ Roberts said. “I would like to say the U.S., the ones that are U.S. citizens, but it’s probably going to be a split camp because there’s a lot of Yoshinobu fans, for sure.’’

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Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is now in the books, and the defensive portion of the event has officially come to an end.

Cornerbacks and safeties worked out at the combine on Friday, and plenty of standouts emerged. The safety group was particularly strong, featuring the fastest 40-yard dash of the combine so far and excellent outings from a couple of fringe, first-round selections – Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

Later in the day, tight ends kicked off the offensive portion of the combine. During that, Kenyon Sadiq and Eli Stowers took turns breaking or tying records in the athletic testing drills while leaving NFL talent evaluators salivating about their next-level potential.

Here’s a run-down of the biggest winners and losers from Friday’s action at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

NFL combine Day 2 winners

TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Sadiq was expected to thrive at the NFL combine, and he didn’t disappoint. The Oregon ran the fastest-ever 40-yard dash by a tight end, completing it in 4.39 seconds to beat the 4.4-second record previously shared by Vernon Davis and Dorin Dickerson.

Additionally, Sadiq thrived in the jumping drills, logging a mark of 43.5 inches in the vertical jump and an impressive 11-1 in the broad jump.

The only question after Sadiq’s stellar showing is about how early he will be selected come April.

TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Sadiq wasn’t the only tight end to thrive in the combine’s athletic testing. Stowers jumped out of the gym, logging a tight-end record 45.5-inch vertical to go with a position-leading mark of 11-3 in the broad jump.

Stowers also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, tied for the second-fastest at the position with RJ Maryland, and measured in at 6-4, 239 pounds. The Vanderbilt product may have cemented his Day 2 status with his performance and made a strong case to be the second tight end chosen behind Sadiq.

CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

With top cornerbacks Mansoor Delane and Jermod McCoy opting not to work out at the 2026 NFL Combine, many other top prospects at the position got a chance to prove themselves.

Johnson was among those who best took advantage of the opportunity. The San Diego State product put together an excellent all-around day, looking fluid in the on-field drills and completing the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds – tied for third-best among cornerbacks.

Johnson’s performance will help to reaffirm his status as a fringe, first-round prospect. He may not ultimately be selected on the first night of the draft, but he doesn’t figure to last long on Day 2.

S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Thieneman may have cemented his status as a first-round pick with his stellar showing at the 2026 NFL combine. The Oregon product posted absurd athletic testing numbers, running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds while logging a 41-inch vertical, the second-best among safeties behind only Genesis Smith.

Thieneman had top-tier production across three seasons as a starter with the Ducks, so he well may end up being the second safety off the board in 2026 behind only Caleb Downs.

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

At the beginning of the day, it felt like McNeil-Warren might end up being a loser, as his athletic testing numbers were solid, but they weren’t spectacular. His 4.52-second 40-yard dash was tied for the slowest among 14 safeties to run, while he finished in the bottom five in the jumping metrics as well.

However, McNeil-Warren put together a stellar showing in the on-field drills. He highlighted his smooth movement skills and ball skills, which will be enough to keep him in the running with Thieneman to be the second safety selected in the draft.

S Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State

Just a day after his brother dominated the linebacker drills and testing at the combine, Styles shined during his workout. The Ohio State safety ran the first, sub-4.3 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL combine, blazing the drill in 4.27 seconds.

Styles added an impressive 1.49-second 10-yard split during the drill and also generated a 39-inch vertical – fourth-best among safeties – during the testing. His athleticism and experience playing both receiver and cornerback collegiately should help him get drafted as a potential special-teams contributor.

NFL combine Day 2 losers

Teams looking to evaluate Jermod McCoy

McCoy suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout in January 2025 and wasn’t able to play the ensuing college football season as a result. Many expected the Tennessee product to return to the field to work out at the NFL combine, but he opted to wait until his pro day.

McCoy’s decision wasn’t a significant surprise. Many top-tier prospects have chosen to skip drills at the NFL combine in recent seasons, so it’s hard to fault the consensus first-round prospect for taking extra time to get back to full strength.

Still, NFL teams hoping to get a look at McCoy on the field will have to be disappointed by the decision. The silver lining is many had the opportunity to put him through medical evaluations to see where he is in his recovery from the knee injury.

TE Oscar Delp, Georgia

Delp was hoping to work out at the 2026 NFL combine, but a routine X-ray revealed he had a foot fracture, per WSB’s Zach Klein. As a result, Delp wasn’t allowed to participate in the combine – despite wanting to – because of ‘liability issues.’

Delp’s plight was no fault of his own, as he had no previous knowledge of the injury. However, it will take away an opportunity for the 6-5 playmaker to show off his straight-line speed, which was expected to be among the best among those in attendance at the combine.

TE Khalil Dinkins, Penn State

Many expected Dinkins’ explosive athleticism and speed would show up in workouts at the combine. Instead, his 4.73-second 40-yard dash ranked third-slowest among tight ends while his 32.5-inch vertical ranked last among the group.

Dinkins’ performance will have scouts re-evaluating his tape to see if there’s reason for the disconnect between his perceived speed on tape and the numbers he posted at the combine. It could also just be that Dinkins had a tough day in Indianapolis, but that will put an increased emphasis on seeing how much the 6-4, 251-pounder can improve his metrics at his pro day.