Max Verstappen boots reporter from Japanese GP media session

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen banned a British journalist from a Formula 1 press conference ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

The Red Bull Racing driver refused to speak to reporters in Suzuka on Thursday until Giles Richards of The Guardian left the room.

"I'm not speaking before he's leaving," Verstappen said.

According to Motorsport.com, Verstappen's vexation dates back to a post-race media session following last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In that race, the 28-year-old Dutchman fell two points short of winning his fifth consecutive driver's title following a late-season push.

Richards asked Verstappen about a collision with Mercedes driver George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix on June 1. The collision prompted a 10-second penalty that knocked Verstappen down five places in the finishing order and cost him precious points.

"You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season," Verstappen snapped back at the time. "The only thing you mention is Barcelona. I knew that (question) would come. You're giving me a stupid grin now.

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"I don't know. Yeah, it's part of racing at the end. You live and learn. The championship is one of 24 rounds. I've also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me in the second half, so you can also question that."

Richards published his own version of the events on Thursday, saying he was "deeply disappointed" that Verstappen gave him the boot and acknowledged that he had "seemingly touched a raw nerve."

"When he saw me he stared, smiled and declared he would not speak until I left. In the course of a brief 30-second exchange, he told me to 'get out' twice. I have never been asked to leave a press conference," Richards wrote.

Richards said his media colleagues were "universally shocked" by the incident.

"Marching orders received I duly departed," he wrote. "Verstappen had been smiling throughout the exchange. Perhaps he was simply enjoying the power dynamic? The day carried on; there are far more serious issues in the world than an F1 driver being cross with you."

Verstappen ranks eighth in the F1 standings through two races after finishing sixth in the March 7 opener at Qatar and 16th at the Chinese Grand Prix on March 15.

--Field Level Media

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March 26, 2026

Max Verstappen boots reporter from Japanese GP media session

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen banned a British journalist from a Formula 1 press conference ahead of this we...

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Retirement not for St. John's coach Rick Pitino; planning to 'stay as long as I can'

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- St. John's coach Rick Pitino might not have plans for his 74th birthday in September, but he'll sooner consider putting them on his calendar than weigh the prospect of retirement.

Pitino has St. John's back in the Sweet 16 with a shot at No. 1 seed Duke in the East Region semifinals on Friday. Win or lose, he's exceedingly confident it won't be his final game as a head coach. That's because he already felt what it was like without basketball in his life for a few years.

"I think the lifestyle that I was leading was certainly, I shouldn't complain about it. But I just missed it every single day I was out of it," Pitino said Thursday as the Red Storm prepare for the Blue Devils. "So I realized there's no reason to try and get out because I knew how much I missed it.

"I'd like to stay in as long as I can. As long as God willing is giving me good health, I'd like to stay in it as long as I can."

St. John's hired Pitino in 2023 and he enters Friday's game with a record of 81-24 and a chance to make his eighth trip to the Final Four with two victories this weekend.

To advance to the Sweet 16, St. John's knocked off Kansas in the second round. Getting to Indianapolis would require taking down a few more of college basketball's so-called bluebloods. Duke is up first and the winner of that matchup draws either Michigan State or UConn on Sunday.

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But Pitino, previously head coach at Kentucky and Louisville before heading to Iona, said the idea of bluebloods having any advantage over the rest of college basketball is history.

That means something coming from a coach who lost the "Christian Laettner Game" to Duke in 1992 at Kentucky and then won a national title with the Wildcats. And if you need more context on his perspective of the eras of the college game, consider Boston University gave Pitino his first (non-interim) Division I head-coaching gig when the 3-point line was only an "experiment" under consideration.

He said the elimination of bluebloods is great for the game.

"All that's gone now. We are an offshoot of professional basketball. I look at it totally different. I think it's great because I just want excellence on the court between the lines. I want to see great players, execution, coaching. We are getting that now," Pitino said.

"For you guys in the media and me as a bystander looking at my non-coaching days, I want to see great basketball with great players. We're getting that now. I think it's awesome.

"I think the fact there are no more blue bloods, I think it's great. Kentucky will always be Kentucky. Duke will always be Duke because of their great, the legacy they left in the game, the history of their game."

--Field Level Media

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March 26, 2026

Retirement not for St. John's coach Rick Pitino; planning to 'stay as long as I can'

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- St. John's coach Rick Pitino might not have plans for his 74th birthday in September, but he...

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Army extends maximum recruitment age to 42, allowing older recruits to join

The U.S. Army is expanding its recruiting pool, raising the maximum enlistment age from 35 years old to 42, according to new service regulations reviewed by ABC News.

The move isn't without precedent. The service lifted the cap to 42 years old in 2006, during the height of the Iraq War, before lowering it back to 35 a decade later.

Bringing the limit back up puts the Army more in line with the Air Force and Navy regulations, which both cap enlistment at 41. The Marine Corps caps recruits at 28 years old, though older applicants can potentially enlist with special permission.

People with autism navigate roadblocks to serving in the military

Two sources familiar with the decision told ABC News the change has been in the works for months and is not tied to the ongoing war with Iran. Instead, it reflects a longer-term effort by the Army to widen the recruiting pipeline amid persistent shortfalls.

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The average age of recruits is going up marginally, going from 21 years old in 2010 to nearly 23 years old last year, service data reviewed by ABC News shows.

Additionally, the Army will now allow enlistments of individuals with only one marijuana-related conviction.

Military officials say recruiting off to strong start in 2025, building on recent trends

The biggest hurdle with recruiting is an increasingly shrinking pool of eligible candidates, according to the Pentagon.

The Pentagon has estimated that only about 23% of young Americans ( between the ages of 17 and 24 years old) are eligible to serve. Much of this is due to academic performance on the military's SAT-style entrance test, obesity and criminal records.

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March 26, 2026

Army extends maximum recruitment age to 42, allowing older recruits to join

The U.S. Army is expanding its recruiting pool, raising the maximum enlistment age from 35 years old to 42, according to ...

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College basketball is in a new era. This year’s Sweet 16 shows the coaching old guard is still thriving

Trying to understand Brad Underwood is not exactly solving the riddle of the sphinx. A knee-bending acolyte of the "Our Fathers of the Unflinching" Church built by Bob Huggins, Underwood is a disciplined, taciturn, hard-nosed coach who long has preferred his players who are molded in his own likeness.

Or at least he used to.

In the past few years, Underwood has come to realize that a bunch of barking alphas may not, in fact, be the best way to build a successful pack. He's also recognized that maybe – just maybe – he has to give a little to get. Perhaps meet his players where they are. Understand how they need to be coached. God forbid, maybe even feel a little empathy for them on occasion.

"I'm still disciplined, and I demand and expect the same things, but maybe tolerant is the right word?" the Illinois coach tellsCNN Sportsof his coaching evolution. "Or communicative. Definitely more communicative. I used to tell guys, 'I need you to pitch the ball ahead because that's how we do it.' Now, I actually explain why."

At 62, it is not an easy old lesson for an old dog like Underwood to master, but it is also the only way he believes he can keep effectively coaching.

"Acceptance is the best word," he said. "Accept the change and then figure it out for yourself."

If that sounds like the first in a 12-step program forbasketball rebirth,well, it sort of is.

This year's Sweet 16is a fascinating case study in the current cross- section of college basketball: A regional semifinal that could very easily be bifurcated by age. On the one side, there are the old dogs: St. John'sRick Pitino, 73;Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Tennessee's Rick Barnes, both 71; Houston's Kelvin Sampson, 70; and Underwood.

On the other, the young bucks: UConn's Dan Hurley and Nebraska'sFred Hoiberg, both 53; Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Alabama's Nate Oats, both 51; Michigan's Dusty May, 49; Iowa State's TJ Otzelberger, 48; Iowa's Ben McCollum, 44 and Duke's Jon Scheyer, 38.

And then the two tweeners, Texas' Sean Miller and Purdue's Matt Painter, 57 and 55, respectively, but head coaches for so long that you need to tack on some dog years.

The success of the (ahem) more mature coaches flies in the face of the narrative following a spate of recent retirements. In the last eight years, four Hall of Fame coaches (Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim and Jay Wright) have walked away and two likely future Hall of Famers (Tony Bennett and, this year, Greg McDermott) followed them out the door.

The discombobulation of college athletics contributed to their hasty exits.

"I think I was equipped to do the job here the old way. That's who I am," Bennett said at his 2025 retirement press conference.

Which, in turn, crafted a theory that perhaps it was time for a new generation more willing to delve into NIL and navigate the transfer portal to take over.

Instead, here comes the AARP revolution.

Rather than passing the torch, these older guys are reigniting it. Pitino just led the Johnnies to their first regional semifinal since 1999 and Izzo is in his third in four years. Excluding the Covid-19 shutdown, Sampson has made seven consecutive Sweet 16s (not to mention two Final Fours) while Barnes has rolled to four second weekends in a row. Underwood has led Illinois to this point twice in the last three years and Calipari is working on Arkansas' second consecutive Sweet 16.

"You know, you get to be 70, you realize it's a young man's game," Sampson said after Houston disposed of Texas A&M. "But we're still having fun."

Unlocking the secret

Ah, fun. Definitely the word one conjures when thinking of playing for Izzo, Pitino, Barnes, Underwood, Calipari and Sampson.

Fun like traipsing through a meadow of razor-tipped daisies.

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"Well, the guys that played for me at UMass, they say I got soft," Calipari said during the first weekend ofNCAA Tournamentgames. "They look at me and say, 'You are soft.'"

Soft Calipari earned himself a double technical for jawing with Florida coach Todd Golden earlier this month. Maybe not quite the same as being charged by an irate John Chaney threatening to kill him, but not exactly soft, either.

The dangerous misconception here is to presume these coaches have embarked on wholesale makeovers to succeed in modern-day basketball. They have not. With about five minutes left in a Big East Tournament final romp against Connecticut, Pitino's sharp, New York-hewn accent cut through the Madison Square Garden din. "Zuby, get over here," he said, beckoning his Big East Player of the Year, Zuby Ejiofor, to him – he might have added a few other unprintable words. He rattled off some sternly delivered message that left Ejiofor raising his eyebrows as if to say, "Dude, scoreboard."

Izzo this year told guard Kur Teng that he couldn't defend his 99-year-old mother, and most everyone in Spartan green agreed it was the nicest thing Izzo had said to Teng in ages.

Sampson's Houston still plays like schoolyard bullies, there to skin your knees and steal your lunch money, and Barnes – who insists, if he were a football coach, he'd run the Wing T – is still perfectly fine if Tennessee shoots fewer threes and runs its offense off hard screens.

There is, in fact, a beautiful grace that comes along with doing something long enough – and well enough – to realize that you don't have to cater to every new trend to survive. It also helps to have some gravitas. Four national championships and 25 Final Fours allow the older coaches to thumb their noses at convention.

But this era demands some bending. This is more than the one-and-done era, which Calipari mastered; or the advent of the 3-point line, which Pitino owned before everyone else. NIL payment and the portal are wholesale changes in how to construct a roster.

"In what ways are you adaptable, and in what ways are you uncompromising?" Barnes told CNN Sports. "That's the secret."

Playing the new game

It's probably best to think of the six coaches on a spectrum – from most willing to change (Pitino/Calipari) to most rigid (Izzo and Sampson).

Tyson chicken founder John Tyson literally staked his claim to Arkansas with a uniform patch. Pitino hired a TV crew to carve some space and garner some attention in the very crowded New York sports menu. Underwood turned to a behavioral assessment company, Profile, that not only does personality testing but implements AI so that coaches can help refine what it is they're looking for.

"It's been refreshing for me," Underwood said. "It's like reading a new book. The further you get into it, the more you get hooked."

Meanwhile, Barnes may not love the three, but he knows he needs it. Hence why freshman Nate Ament and transfer portal star Ja'Kobi Gillespie (Maryland) earned hefty NIL packages.

Michigan State's starting five is the only one in the entire Sweet 16 to have started at the school they're still attending. (By comparison, not a single Pitino player is a native Johnny). But Izzo also brings two transfers off the bench (and would have added a third if Divine Ugochukwu didn't get hurt).

Sampson boasts that he's only had four transfers in 11 years.

"We just always grow our own food," Sampson said. "We don't go to the grocery store and shop on aisle eight or aisle 10 or aisle 12. We just go in the backyard and pick our beans or get our corn."

But he's also shopping more at Whole Foods than Piggly Wiggly. His 2025 recruiting class, ranked third in the country, included two potential NBA lottery picks in Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr., who also happen to lead the team in scoring and rebounding, respectively.

The caveat to the old-man revolution is that the last plus-60 coach to win a national champion was then 66-year-old Roy Williams in 2017. More, the coaches of the last three title-winning teams (Florida's Todd Golden and Hurley) all come from the current crop of whippersnappers, as do the leaders of each 1-seed in this tourney.

But hey,64-year-old Curt Cignettiwon one for the gimpers in January.

Maybe, the tide is turning. Or more accurately, receding, like a hairline.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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March 26, 2026

College basketball is in a new era. This year’s Sweet 16 shows the coaching old guard is still thriving

Trying to understand Brad Underwood is not exactly solving the riddle of the sphinx. A knee-bending acolyte of the "...

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Growth rate slowed in US metro areas in 2025, with steepest drops along the southern border

Growth rates in U.S. metro areas dropped the steepest in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border last year because ofdeclines in immigrantswhile counties along Florida's Gulf Coast lost residents due toa series of hurricanes, according to new population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Census Counties Metro Population

The estimates showed that a majority of metro areas and counties had slower population gains last year, which the bureau attributed primarily to a slowdown in international migration, compared to the previous year when an influx of immigrants had helped urban areas recover from the COVID-19 pandemic a few years earlier.

The average growth rate for metro areas fell from 1.1% in 2024 to 0.6% in 2025.

The figures, covering one year through July 2025, reflect the initial months of President Donald Trump's second term and the beginning ofhis administration's immigration crackdown, Withan aging Americaand birth rates in the U.S. declining over the past two decades, immigration has become an important source of growth in many communities.

"With so little natural increase, migration determines whether an area grows or declines, particularly in the big metro cores that have continuous domestic out-migration and are dependent on immigration," said Kenneth Johnson, senior demographer at the University of New Hampshire.

Immigrant losses

Three metro areas along the U.S-Mexico border stretching from Arizona to Texas had the steepest drops in population growth rates in 2025, according to the Census Bureau.

The growth rate in Laredo, Texas, dropped from 3.2% to 0.2%. It went from 3.3% to 1.4% in Yuma, Arizona, and declined from 1.2% into negative territory at -0.7% in El Centro, California. All three experienced growth in 2024 because of an influx of thousands of immigrants.

"That pattern suggests a sharper rise-and-fall effect in border regions, where international migration plays a more central role in year-to-year population change," said Helen You, interim director of the Texas Demographic Center.

As in 2024, the top destinations for immigrants in pure numbers in 2025 were counties that are home to Houston, Miami and Los Angeles. But the drop in immigrant numbers in those counties was stark. Nine out of 10 U.S. counties had lower levels of immigration in 2025 compared to 2024, according to the Census Bureau.

urricane migration

Two destructive hurricanes,HeleneandMilton, tore through Gulf Coast counties in Florida in fall 2024, leaving behind tens of billions of dollars in damage. The storms also caused residents to leave, according to the population estimates.

Pinellas County, which is home to St. Petersburg, lost almost 12,000 residents, the second most in the U.S., trailing only Los Angeles County, which has been losing residents all decade. Pinellas County relies on migration for growth because deaths outpace births more than in any county in the U.S.

Taylor County, a tiny community ravaged by the hurricanes in Florida's Big Bend area, had the steepest growth rate decline among U.S. counties last year, with a -2.2% drop.

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But the hurricane migration wasn't limited to Florida. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, the county that is home to Asheville, North Carolina, had more than 2,000 residents leaving in the months after the remnants of Hurricane Helene destroyed homes and cut off power and communications to mountain towns.

Growth leaders

The New York metro area slid from growing by the most people in 2024 to ranking No. 13 in 2025 because of the drop in immigrants.

Instead, two perennial growth powerhouses this decade, the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas, were at the top of the list, followed by the Atlanta, Phoenix and Charlotte, North Carolina, metro areas.

Several midsize metros in Florida and South Carolina had the largest growth rates. Ocala, Florida, located 80 miles (129 km) northwest of Orlando and known for its horse farms, led the nation at 3.4%. It was followed by: metro Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,which has become a retirement haven; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Lakeland, Florida, located between the much larger metros of Tampa and Orlando; and Punta Gorda, Florida, about 35 miles (56.3 km) north of Fort Myers.

Sunbelt exurban growth

The far-out suburbs were top destinations among those who had moved from somewhere else in the United States.

They were led byCollin County, Texas,outside Dallas; Montgomery County, Texas, outside Houston; Pinal County, Arizona, outside Phoenix; and Pasco and Polk counties outside Tampa.

The rapid growthof far-flung exurbsis an after-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Census Bureau. Rising housing costs drove people farther from cities, and remote work allowed many to do their jobs from home at least part of the week.

Where the babies are

Even though New York had more people moving out than moving in, births allowed the metro area to gain more than 32,000 residents. The New York metro area led the nation in natural increase, or births outpacing deaths, followed by the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metros.

The metros where deaths outpaced births in the greatest numbers were Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and several Florida communities with large senior populations — the Sarasota, Daytona Beach and Tampa metro areas.

The two Texas metro areas topped the charts in natural increase because of their age structure and the fact that they have gained more people than anywhere in the U.S., You said.

"Decades of domestic and international in-migration have produced relatively young populations, with a large share of residents in childbearing ages, alongside comparatively smaller proportions of senior populations," she said.

Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky:@mikeysid.bsky.social.

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March 26, 2026

Growth rate slowed in US metro areas in 2025, with steepest drops along the southern border

Growth rates in U.S. metro areas dropped the steepest in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border last year because ofdec...

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Iran rejects US ceasefire plan, issues its own demands as strikes land across the Mideast

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Wednesday dismissed an American planto pause the war in the Middle Eastand launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including strikes that hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire.

Iran's defiancecame as Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran and as the United States deployedparatroopers and more Marines to the region.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war, "and we do not plan on any negotiations." That followed a report from Iranian state TV's English-language broadcaster quoting an anonymous official as saying Iran rejected America's ceasefire proposal and has its own demands to end the fighting.

Earlier, two officials from Pakistan, which transmitted the U.S. plan to Iran, describedthe 15-point proposalbroadly, saying it addressed sanctions relief, a rollback of Iran's nuclear program, limits on missiles and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is shipped.

An Egyptian official involved in themediation effortssaid the proposal also includes restrictions on Iran's support for armed groups. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet released.

President Donald Trump, speaking at a fundraiser Wednesday night in Washington, insisted that Iran still wants to cut a deal.

"They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," said Trump, who added: "They're also afraid they'll be killed by us."

Iran has long insisted it won't discuss its ballistic missile program or its support of regional militias, which it views as key to its security. And itsability to control passage through the Strait of Hormuzrepresents one of its biggest strategic advantages.

Iran's attacks on regional energy infrastructure, along with its restrictions on the strait, have sent oil prices skyrocketing, putting pressure on the U.S. to find a way to end the chokehold and calm markets.

More U.S. troops are on the way to the Middle East

At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to the Mideast in the coming days, three people with knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.

The paratroopers are trained to jump into hostile or contested areas to secure key territory and airfields.

The Pentagon is also sending about 5,000 more Marines trained in amphibious assaults and thousands of sailors to the region.

Most Americans believe the U.S. military action against Iran has gone too far and many are worried about the cost of gasoline, according to anew AP-NORC poll.

The survey indicates that while Trump's approval rating is holding steady, the conflict could be swiftly turning into a major political liability for his Republican administration.

Diplomatic efforts face major challenges

Mediators are pushing for possible in-person talks between the Iranians and the Americans, perhaps as soon as Friday in Pakistan, the Egyptian and Pakistani officials said.

Trump has said the U.S. is"in negotiations right now"and that the participants include special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. Trump has not identified anyone from Iran taking part.

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Press TV, the English-language broadcaster on Iranian state television, cited an Iranian five-point proposal that includes a halt to killings of its officials, safeguards against future attacks on Iran, reparations for the war, the end of hostilities and Iran's "exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz."

Those measures, particularly reparations and its continued chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, likely will be unacceptable to the White House.

While Iran and Oman both have territory in the strait, its narrow shipping channels areviewed as international watersthrough which all ships can travel.

Anytalks between the U.S. and Iranwould face monumental challenges. It's not clear who in Iran's governmenthas the authority and willingness to negotiate.

Iran remains highly suspicious of the United States, which twice under the Trump administration has attacked during high-level diplomatic talks, including when the war began on Feb. 28.

Israel launches new strikes on Iran — and also comes under attack

The Israeli military said Wednesday it had carried out waves of airstrikes in Tehran, following strikes a day earlier targeting an Iranian submarine development center in Isfahan.

Missile alert sirens sounded in Israel as Iran and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon launched attacks. Hezbollah has fired rockets into northern Israel around the clock since the war began.

Iran also kept up pressure on its Gulf Arab neighbors. Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said it had destroyed at least eight drones in its oil-rich Eastern Province, and missile alert sirens sounded in Bahrain. Kuwait said it shot down multiple drones but that one hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport.

Meanwhile, six people allegedly linked to Hezbollah were arrested in Kuwait for planning to assassinate Gulf leaders, Kuwait's Ministry of Interior said in a statement. Fourteen associates had fled the country, officials said.

More than 1,500 people have been killed in Iran, its Health Ministry says. Twenty people have been killed in Israel; two Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Lebanon. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed. More than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states have also died.

Nearly 1,100 people have died in Lebanon, authorities said. In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militant groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have been killed.

Energy prices fall back but remain high

The news of potential negotiations drove down the price of oil. Brent crude oil, the international standard, was trading around $100 a barrel Wednesday, after nearing as high as $120 earlier last week. That's still up around 35% from the start of the war.

Economists and leaders have warned of far-reaching effects if energy prices remain high — from rising prices on food and other basics to higher rates for mortgages and auto loans.

Iran has allowed a small number of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, but has said no ships from the U.S., Israel or countries seen as linked to them can pass.

Madhani reported from Washington, Corder from The Hague, Netherlands, and Ahmed from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo, Natalie Melzer in Tel Aviv, Israel, Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad and Nicholas Riccardi in Washington contributed to this report.

byAdministrator

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March 26, 2026

Iran rejects US ceasefire plan, issues its own demands as strikes land across the Mideast

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Wednesday dismissed an American planto pause the war in the Middle Eastand lau...

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NFL mock draft 2026: AI predicts lowly Jets landing QB Ty Simpson

Artificial intelligencehas come a long way in the last few years. But the "intelligence" in question can occasionally have its limits.

USA TODAY Sports put Alphabet Inc.'s AI product –Google Gemini– to the test by having the language-learning model put together its ownmock draft.

In its mock, Google Gemini made some no-brainer moves near the top of the board. Near the bottom, the LLM went for a couple of reaches on lower-rated prospects.

Indiana quarterbackFernando Mendoza, as almost every expert predicts, went to theLas Vegas Raiderswith the No. 1 overall pick. Ohio State LB/edge rusherArvell Reesewent to theNew York Jetswith the No. 2 overall pick, once again in line with most expert predictions.

NFL NEWS, TAKES, FANTASY ADVICE:USA TODAY Sports has you covered with our NFL vodcast

Further down in the draft order, Google's LLM continued to make rational draft picks that aligned with teams' needs.

Outside of needing a slight course correction – Gemini at first did not account for the Rams' and Broncos' trades of first-round picks forTrent McDuffieandJaylen Waddle, respectively – the biggest shocks were the aforementioned reaches for prospects. A few players outside of the top 32 players on USA TODAY Sports'Ayrton Ostly's big boardsnuck into the back end of the first round in the Google AI mock draft.

Here's a complete look at the AI's picks in a 2026 NFL mock draft, paired with a USA TODAY Sports writer's thoughts on each selection:

3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, OLB/DE, Texas Tech

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 4. Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Cleveland Browns – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Washington Commanders – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Cincinnati Bengals – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 12. Dallas Cowboys – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 17. Detroit Lions – Spencer Fano, OT/G, Utah

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 18. Minnesota Vikings – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Carolina Panthers - Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kadyn Proctor, OT/G, Alabama

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Los Angeles Chargers – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 23. Philadelphia Eagles – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 24. Cleveland Browns – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 25. Chicago Bears – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 26. Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 32. Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection

BIG BOARD:Ranking the top 150 best players available in 2026 draft

2026 NFL mock draft: First-round AI picks

1.Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

An easy, no-brainer pick here from Gemini. Mendoza is widely considered the top quarterback prospect in the 2026 class and a lock for the Raiders at No. 1.

2.New York Jets: Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Once again, a non-controversial pick by the Google-sponsored LLM. Reese is the No. 1 player onUSA TODAY Sports' 2026 big board, and the Jets could use the help on the edge after trading away Jermaine Johnson II.

3.Arizona Cardinals: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech

The Cardinals are a team in need of help in the trenches on both sides of the ball. As a result, many experts have either gone with the top edge rusher or top offensive tackle available at No. 3 overall in mock drafts. Gemini opted for the top edge rusher left on the board after Reese went to the Jets at No. 2, which is hard to argue with. Bailey had 81 pressures, 15 sacks and 23 quarterback hits in 2025.

4.Tennessee Titans: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Since the NFL combine, Love to the Titans has been a common pairing. The Notre Dame product ran a 4.36-second 40 in Indianapolis with excellent work in field drills to match the strong résumé he put on tape during his collegiate career. USA TODAY Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz deviated slightly in hislatest mock draft, having Tennessee opt for the other NFL combine standout in linebacker Sonny Styles (more on him later). Gemini, an artificial intelligence machine that gathers its intelligence from the takes put forth by humans, stuck with the status quo, pairing Love with second-year quarterback Cam Ward in the backfield in Nashville.

NFL DRAFT ODDS:Which team will draft Jeremiyah Love?

5.New York Giants: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Much like Love, Styles rocketed up draft boards after a stellar performance at the combine. His measurements, testing numbers and on-field drill work established that Styles is something of a freak athlete. It firmly placed him in the top-five conversation in the 2026 draft class despite playing a position not considered to be "premium" in the modern NFL. Gemini once again went with the status quo, following dozens of mock drafts since the combine that have sent Styles to New York at No. 5.

More:Best landing spots for Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

6.Cleveland Browns: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)

The Browns need help on the offensive line. Cleveland has emerged as a popular landing spot for OT1 – whoever draft experts feel that is – in mock drafts, presuming Arizona goes Bailey/best edge rusher available at No. 3. Google's LLM sent Miami's right tackle to Cleveland. Perhaps that was in order to give second-year lefty quarterback Dillon Gabriel a blind-side blocker or perhaps because the Browns need all the help they can get, wherever they can get it on the O-line.

7.Washington Commanders: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Gemini has WR1 come off the board at No. 7. The Commanders have been a popular landing spot for the draft's top wide receiver for many draft experts, as well as for Tate's teammate, safety Caleb Downs. According to Google's artificial intelligence, Washington should opt to enhance its receiving corps with Deebo Samuel hitting free agency and Terry McLaurin hampered by injuries last year.

8.New Orleans Saints: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

And now CB1 is off the board. Delane is the top-rated cornerback on Ostly's big board for his excellent play in pass coverage during his collegiate career. After Kool-Aid McKinstry's 2025 breakout, the Saints let Alontae Taylor walk in free agency this offseason. Gemini strayed from the more common choice for New Orleans to draft a wide receiver at No. 9 to replace Taylor with another starting cornerback.

9.Kansas City Chiefs: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

With the No. 9 overall pick, Google Gemini had the Chiefs select one of the best athletes in the class. Downs is not expected to be a top-five pick because of the position he plays, but the No. 7-10 range has been a common landing spot. With Downs, the Chiefs would get their replacement for Bryan Cook and bolster a secondary that also lost cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

10.Cincinnati Bengals: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)

Arm length be damned. Despite the concerns about how Bain's shorter-than-average arms could influence his play at the pro level, the physicality and power he brings to his position have kept him in the top-10 range of most mock drafts. Here, Gemini gets the Bengals their replacement for edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who left for the Ravens on a multi-year deal in free agency.

11.Miami Dolphins: WR Makai Lemon, Southern California

Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has stripped down the entire roster, including cutting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, before trading away wideout Jaylen Waddle. Now, Sullivan has to rebuild the roster. The AI's first step in simulating that rebuild is drafting a consistent wide receiver that new quarterback Malik Willis should be able to trust – Lemon had just two drops on 108 targets in 2025.

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12.Dallas Cowboys: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Dallas' defense was clearly the weak link in 2025. While the Cowboys have already signed Cobie Durant and Corey Ballentine in free agency, cornerback remains a position of need. Gemini agreed with that sentiment in its mock draft selection, sending a tremendous athlete to Dallas at No. 12. Did Google's AI consider the injury concerns with McCoy, who did not play in 2025 with an ACL tear? Unlikely, given its propensity for copying the work of other draft experts as an LLM, but it's still something worth noting.

13.Los Angeles Rams(viaAtlanta): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Los Angeles proved how close it is to Super Bowl contention with its playoff run to the NFC championship game last year. As a result – and after filling their biggest need by trading for cornerback Trent McDuffie – the Rams can focus on filling in depth at key positions to plan for the future. In this case, Gemini's Tyson selection gives the NFC runners-up an excellent third wide receiver that can eventually replace veteran Davante Adams – and more immediately give the Rams the league's best one-two-three punch at wideout.

14.Baltimore Ravens: OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

No more Tyler Linderbaum in the interior of the Ravens' offensive line. He signed with the Raiders in free agency. Google Gemini gave Baltimore a reinforcement in Linderbaum's absence with the top guard in the draft class.

15.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn

Tampa Bay ranked 11th in pass-rush win rate, per ESPN, but its defense finished in the bottom half of the league in sacks. Gemini's pick of Faulk at No. 15 is higher than the consensus of other mock draft experts, but it does fill a position of need for the Buccaneers and gives them more size in the defensive front seven.

16. New York Jets (viaIndianapolis): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

Draft experts have started to say that there is more of an indication that Simpson could hear his name called on Day 1 of the draft. Gemini had the Jets improve their defense at a premium position with the No. 2 overall pick, and now the AI has Gang Green fill its most important offensive position with the Alabama quarterback. It's unclear what the AI tool's plans are for Simpson – whether he'll start immediately or take over from veteran Geno Smith, whom the Jets just re-acquired in a trade.

HUMAN MOCK DRAFT:Surprises in top 10 of latest first-round projection

OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> CB Trent McDuffie: Traded to Los Angeles Rams (previous team: Kansas City Chiefs)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RB David Montgomery: Traded to Houston Texans (previous team: Detroit Lions)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> WR DJ Moore: Traded to Buffalo Bills (previous team: Chicago Bears)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

17.Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

As the first round reaches its second half, Gemini continues to hit on picks that fill positions of need. The Lions need major help on the O-line with Taylor Decker's release, and Proctor can fill in immediately as a big-bodied lineman whom Detroit could choose to slide into a guard spot as well.

18.Minnesota Vikings: S Dillon Thieneman, Purdue

No risks for Google Gemini at pick No. 18. Minnesota has been a very popular landing spot for Thieneman after the Vikings let veteran safety Harrison Smith hit free agency at age 37.

19.Carolina Panthers: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

The Panthers filled several positions of need with excellent players in free agency: offensive tackle Rasheed Walker, edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd. So Google Gemini must have figured, "Let's get quarterback Bryce Young another excellent pass-catcher, one who can also be a willing blocker in the run game and easily the top tight end in the class." Hard to argue with that logic.

20. Dallas Cowboys (viaGreen Bay): Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)

Dallas drafts to double down on defense. Besides being a tongue twister, it's a sound strategy for Gemini to follow for the Cowboys. Like McCoy, Gemini's earlier pick for the Cowboys, there are concerns with Mesidor. Namely, his age – he'll be a 25-year-old rookie – and history of foot injuries. Looking past that, Dallas could benefit from adding a productive pass-rusher in the wake of last year's Micah Parsons trade.

21.Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Denzel Boston, Washington

A bit of a head-scratcher here from Gemini, but still a pick that could have sound logic. Offensive line feels like it should be a bigger priority for the Steelers in this draft. Keeping whoever starts at quarterback (Aaron Rodgers?) upright is key, and Pittsburgh could use a replacement for Pro Bowl guard Isaac Seumalo, who departed in free agency. The Steelers addressed their wide receiver need by trading for and extending Michael Pittman Jr., but Boston brings some younger depth to the Steelers' receiving room.

22.Los Angeles Chargers: OT Spencer Fano, Utah

This is not the best pick for the Chargers. Starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater will be back from their injuries in 2026, and Los Angeles has some pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball, namely at edge rusher. But Fano gives the Bolts valuable depth as a potential swing tackle, or maybe Gemini envisioned Fano starting on the interior. We concede it makes sense for the Chargers to add offensive line help after last year's disaster. If Fano falls this far, Los Angeles should probably pounce after so many edge rushers came off the board early in this mock.

23.Philadelphia Eagles: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Would have thought edge rusher would be a higher priority for the Eagles after their shortcomings rushing the passer in 2025. But like the Chargers before them, perhaps Gemini sees Philadelphia as pressured into seeking help elsewhere on the roster after several top edge rushers came off the board early. McNeil-Warren gives the Eagles a secondary defender to replace Reed Blankenship after his free agency departure.

24.Cleveland Browns(viaJacksonville): WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee

This is arguably the most shocking pick by Gemini in its mock draft. Brazzell ranks 49th on Ayrton Ostly's 2026 big board and sits behind three other wide receiver prospects still on the board at this point in the mock draft. Even after his 4.37-second 40 at the NFL combine, Brazzell has largely been left out of other experts' first-round mock drafts. While Cleveland does need help at wide receiver, it's unclear why Gemini pulled up Brazzell into the first round. It's a reach, given that Texas A&M's KC Concepcion and Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. are still available.

25.Chicago Bears: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Chicago could really use more help in the secondary – where it let five players walk in free agency – or on the edge after ranking 31st in pass-rush win rate, per ESPN. McDonald could develop more pass-rush skills in the future, but he helps the Bears' need for a run stopper more immediately. With edge rushers T.J. Parker (Clemson) and Cashius Howell (Texas A&M) still available, it would have been nice to see Gemini opt for one of them here instead.

26.Buffalo Bills: Edge R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

On one hand, it's important the Bills keep reinforcing their pass-rush attack – even after signing Bradley Chubb – after struggling last year. On the other hand, Thomas is still not the best edge rusher available at this point in the draft. His smaller frame might mean he projects better as a rotational, depth piece and pass-rush specialist rather than a bona fide, three-down contributor and first-round pick.

27.San Francisco 49ers: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

One of the better picks of the back half of this mock draft so far. Lomu is a prospect still in need of further development, which makes him a perfect match for a 49ers team with a talented, aging veteran in Trent Williams that Lomu could learn from and replace one day.

28.Houston Texans: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Secondary is the No. 1 area of strength for the Texans, so this pick does not make much sense. Houston strengthened its defensive backs situation already by signing safety Reed Blankenship, and its cornerbacks room is already loaded. Terrell is a very good player, but he does not fit here.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (viaRams): Edge Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

It would be a bold strategy for the Chiefs to draft a player who is already in the NFL. The Panthers drafted Scourton in the second round last year, so this selection is letting some of the cracks show in the AI's logic.

30. Miami Dolphins (viaDenver): CB Colton Hood, Tennessee

Not a perfect second selection for the Dolphins, a team that could really use some help on the edge after releasing Bradley Chubb. But even though Miami signed four cornerbacks in free agency, all of them are on one-year deals. Hood would bring a blend of strong pass coverage and willing run tackling to the Dolphins' secondary, elevating the position group as a whole.

31.New England Patriots: DT Peter Woods, Clemson

Gemini flagged this selection as the steal of the draft if things pan out this way, and it's understandable. Woods ranks as the 17th overall prospect on Ayrton Ostly's big board for his athleticism and abilities as a pass-rusher on the interior. Pairing a player like that with Milton Williams on the Patriots' defensive line would be a scary sight for opposing offensive linemen.

32.Seattle Seahawks: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

This would have been a good spot for another running back to replace Kenneth Walker in the backfield or a cornerback to replace Riq Woolen in the secondary. Concepcion's abilities as a dynamic receiver and returner would be valuable for a lot of teams, but they seem to clash with Seattle incumbent Rashid Shaheed, whom the Seahawks just re-signed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL mock draft 2026: Google Gemini predicts entire first round

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March 26, 2026

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