Sports
2025 NFL Combine: Three Winners Who Improved Draft Stock in Indianapolis
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine concluded, and while it may not have matched the record-breaking heights of 2024, the event still featured some incredible performances from the top athletes in a solid draft class.
Much of the top-end talent in the class chose not to test, a decision that could cause controversy. It allowed gaps to be filled by players who were not viewed as consensus first-rounders until testing began. These three players truly took advantage of their opportunities in Indianapolis and should parlay their stellar performances into imminent draft success.
Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
Stewart addressed two concerns that may have previously held down his draft grade. He dropped his weight to 267 pounds, cementing himself as a defensive end rather than carrying the reputation of past Texas A&M tweeners like DeMarvin Leal. In a stacked defensive tackle class and an edge class with several question marks, Stewart took the correct positional route and will profit because of it.
Stewart also posted incredible testing numbers, running a 4.59-second 40-yard dash and nearly hitting 11 feet in the broad jump. He showed off explosive speed and fierceness on tape and backed it up with his testing.
Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
I underestimated Matthew Golden. In my defense, a 4.29-second 40-yard dash was outside the expectation of most. Many thought his teammate, Isaiah Bond, would break into the 4.2s, but while Bond disappointed, Golden delivered.
While he opted out of all other testing, his 40-yard dash time may be enough to push him into the WR1 conversation, as his competition has questions regarding long speed or production. Golden could have an outside chance at being a top-10 selection. If a team is not interested in the contested-catch archetype, it seems very possible that Golden goes early to fill a slot or outside spot as a designated speedster.
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
This running back class is crowded. After Jeanty, there are four or five running backs who wouldn’t be shocking as the second off the board. The newest addition to that list after his combine performance is Bhayshul Tuten.
Tuten showcased impressive agility with a 4.41-second shuttle time, and his drills demonstrated fluidity that should put him in top-50 conversations. He also ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash with a 10-yard split of 1.49 seconds. That explosiveness could serve a team well if they are looking for an RB1 who could be complemented by an impressive power back.
This has been an impressive year athletically for most positions in the class. The running back and defensive end positions, in particular, seem to be more athletic than usual, while tight ends posted the worst athletic testing numbers of the decade thus far. Now, draft analysts will look forward to pro days to find diamonds in the rough to fill out their teams’ late-round classes.
Sports
Andrew Vaughn's homer powers Brewers over Cardinals
May 6, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Andrew Vaughn (28) reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a three run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Andrew Vaughn hit a three-run homer for the Milwaukee Brewers, who had five pitchers team up to limit the host St. Louis Cardinals to just four hits in a 6-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
Vaughn, reinstated from the injured list Monday after breaking the hamate bone in his left hand on Opening Day, capped a four-run first with his first homer of the season, which he hit off Andre Pallante 403 feet to left-center field.
Pallante (3-3) got the first two Brewers batters out to start the game, but he allowed Brice Turang to reach on a single and hit William Contreras. Jake Bauers singled home Turang before he and Contreras scored on Vaughn’s blast, which came on a full count.
Milwaukee scored all its runs with two outs. Joey Ortiz scored on a Pallante wild pitch in the fifth, and Jackson Chourio’s ninth-inning double to right off Matt Svanson scored Sal Frelick.
The Brewers pounded out 11 hits to split the two-game series with the Cardinals. Bauers went 2-for-3 with a walk. Vaughn added a single as part of a 2-for-4 day, while Chourio and Frelick both enjoyed 2-for-5 games.
Brandon Sproat threw four shutout innings and allowed just a hit while striking out five. However, three walks and a hit batsman kept the 25-year-old right-hander, who entered Wednesday having allowed 20 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings, from being able to claim his first career major league victory.
Aaron Ashby (6-0) allowed just a walk in two innings of relief to get the victory. DL Hall pitched a perfect fifth inning with a strikeout for the Brewers.
Pallante went six innings, gave up eight hits and two walks and struck out three.
The Cardinals’ only hit through seven innings was Ivan Herrera’s first-inning double. Alec Burleson put the hosts on the board with an eighth-inning single off Trevor Megill that scored Victor Scott II to end the shutout.
Cardinals left fielder Nathan Church exited after three innings due to a left leg contusion he suffered when Sproat hit him in the second.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tigers place 2B Gleyber Torres (oblique) on 10-day IL
Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) bats a single against Texas Rangers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The Detroit Tigers placed three-time All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a left oblique strain.
Torres, 29, had progressed in recent days but continued to feel pain while swinging. He was unable to serve as a pinch hitter, leading the Tigers to put him on the IL, retroactive to Monday.
“It’s a mild left oblique strain that continues to nag him,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Obviously, Gleyber has been getting treatment and getting looked at by doctors — and it continues to be stagnant. Hopefully, this will resolve itself within a short time period, but nowadays, I don’t know.”
In his ninth MLB season, Torres is hitting .259 with two home runs, 11 RBIs and a .716 OPS in 32 games.
“I was getting better and better, but I still feel it a little bit in that area,” Torres said. “At this point, we don’t want to push it. It’s not a really big strain, so hopefully, I can get back (on a rehab assignment) in five days — not two weeks. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the next couple of days.”
Torres is a career .264 hitter with 156 homers, 526 RBIs and a .769 OPS in 1,065 games with the New York Yankees (2018-24) and Tigers.
Third baseman Jace Jung, 25, was recalled from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. He has appeared in two games this season for Detroit, collecting one hit and one run in four at-bats.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tigers' Framber Valdez suspended for beaning Trevor Story
Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers, on May 5, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan, with players and coaches from the Tigers and Red Sox on the field after a hit-by-pitch from Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez. Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez received a six-game suspension and an undisclosed fine Wednesday for intentionally throwing at Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story on Tuesday night.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch also received a fine and a one-game suspension, which he will serve in Wednesday night’s series finale against the visiting Red Sox. Bench coach George Lombard will fill in as manager.
Both benches emptied in the fourth inning after Story got plunked by a fastball from Valdez, earning the pitcher an ejection following the worst start of his career.
Valdez allowed a career-high 10 runs (seven earned) on nine hits, including three homers, in three-plus innings, taking the loss in the 10-3 setback.
Valdez, 32, is 2-2 with a 4.57 ERA through eight starts in his first season with Detroit, which signed him to a three-year, $115 million deal in February.
A two-time All-Star with Houston (2022, 2023), Valdez is 83-54 with a 3.41 ERA in 196 career games (174 starts) with the Astros (2018-25) and Tigers.
–Field Level Media
Andrew Vaughn's homer powers Brewers over Cardinals
Tigers place 2B Gleyber Torres (oblique) on 10-day IL
