ON THE DAY she would become the all-time winningest coach in the history of the all-time winningest Division I softball program, UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez went about her usual game-day routine. She had no idea she was about to make history.

When she walked onto the field in Fullerton, California, for the Bruins’ doubleheader last month and saw her former coach and boss, Sue Enquist, she asked quizzically, “What are you doing here?”

Inouye-Perez eventually figured out she was about to pass Enquist in the UCLA record books with win No. 888. In her 20th year as head coach, and 38th overall as a member of the UCLA program, Inouye-Perez added the record to a list of accomplishments that includes three national titles as a player, three as an assistant and two as a head coach, all while living through nearly every era of collegiate softball.

But her focus has never been on how many wins she has piled next to her name.

“We are so much more than wins,” Inouye-Perez said. “At the end of the day, I’m proud of what we do here at UCLA in very hard moments.”

In Year 2 in the Big Ten, the No. 8 Bruins (27-3) are riding a 22-game winning streak while on a two-week road trip — culminating in a huge Big Ten showdown at No. 6 Nebraska (24-5) starting Friday.

That the 56-year-old Inouye-Perez has spent her entire career at UCLA is remarkable. That she is still winning despite the changes, challenges and upheaval in the current collegiate landscape might be most remarkable of all.

IN THE MOMENTS after UCLA beat Florida 15-12 on Feb. 27 to clinch the historic win for Inouye-Perez, the team gathered for an impromptu celebration just outside the stadium. UCLA deputy athletics director Christina Munger-Rivera said to Inouye-Perez, “You have helped build this legacy. You continue to build this legacy and you accomplished something that I bet you never as a young girl ever thought you’d be standing here doing. Today Coach Enquist passes the crown on to you.”

Enquist knelt down and bowed her head as she gave Inouye-Perez a gold crown studded with blue gems.

“The key to success is to surround yourself with people that are just as committed and passionate as you,” Inouye-Perez said to the group gathered around her.

Tears in her eyes, Inouye-Perez immediately called over best friend and longtime assistant Lisa Fernandez, who got a crown of her own. “It’s not about any one person. It’s about all of us that represent something that is bigger than all of us,” she said.

“I still see her as that little catcher with her big bangs, and now she is just this transformative leader running one of the most storied programs in the history of softball,” Enquist said. “The thing that I’m most in awe of Kelly is her sustained ability to be in the run for championships every single year for this long.”

Every decision Inouye-Perez has made, going back to the day she decided she wanted to be a catcher as a 10-year-old in Southern California, led her to this moment. Inouye-Perez took one look at the daughter of her coach, in all her gear, and thought, “Wow she looks cool. I want to try that.” The first time she crouched behind the plate to take a pitch, it bounced off her mask. Undeterred, Inouye-Perez wanted to try again, and again, and soon it became clear she had the skill, talent and mentality to play a position that serves as a de facto coach on the field.

She quickly joined a travel team, where she met Fernandez, who would become perhaps the greatest pitcher in the history of the sport.

Fernandez found a like-minded soul in Inouye-Perez, starting a 46-year friendship that still has them together — the way they envisioned when they used to tell each other as UCLA players, “Wouldn’t it be cool to one day be the coaches here?”

“You find people that are passionate and they have a common thought process and inquisitiveness, or just that ability to want to learn more,” said Fernandez, in her 28th year working side by side with Inouye-Perez. “Really, it’s that belief that you can conquer all. Kelly has that about her. There is no situation that cannot be managed. It may not be easy, but it can be done, and it’s very contagious.”

Take the anecdote current senior Jordan Woolery shares when asked for her favorite Inouye-Perez story. UCLA was at Stanford two years ago, and Woolery was in the middle of a rough stretch. During the game, Inouye-Perez told Woolery to just vent and let all her complaints go. When Woolery was done, Inouye-Perez took her phone out and showed Woolery one of her favorite quotes:

“They whispered to her, ‘You cannot withstand the storm.’ She whispered back, ‘I am the storm.'”

On her next at-bat, Woolery hit a home run.

“Coach I has this ability to connect with people and meet them where they’re at, and also bring out the best in them,” Woolery said. “It’s really unique. I said three complaints. She showed me the quote, and then, boom, I was ready to go.”

A crushing shoulder injury during Inouye-Perez’s sophomore year opened her eyes to the possibility of coaching, but she had planned to go to graduate school to study sports psychology once her playing career ended in 1993.

What Inouye-Perez did not know is Sharron Backus and Enquist, co-head coaches at the time, needed a No. 2 assistant to fill out the staff.

“Sharron asked me, ‘Who are you thinking?'” Enquist said. “I’m like, ‘Hands down, I’m thinking Kelly.'”

“Of course,” Backus said in response. “My co-pilot.”

Inouye-Perez always rode up front with Backus in their team vans on the way to games. Enquist says from the day Inouye-Perez arrived as a freshman in 1989, “It was like we had a mini coach.”

“Her technical, tactical expertise, and her game IQ were off the charts,” Enquist said. “Her relationship range was off the charts, too. She could connect with the spoiled person on the team, with the person that lacked confidence, but she also spoke the vernacular of the future greatest softball player in the world, Lisa Fernandez, and she had this uncanny ability to bring them all together.

“To have the rigor on the performance side but also know how to build those relationships was indescribably important.”

Inouye-Perez became a UCLA lifer, loyally upholding the history and tradition of a program with a record 33 Women’s College World Series appearances, to go with a record 13 national championships and more wins than any other program in softball. She remains the only person in Division I history to win a national championship as a player and coach.

“I’ve learned now to take the harder path,” Inouye-Perez said. “You don’t really know what the best version of yourself is until you truly get challenged.”

That happened in 1999, when she learned she was pregnant with her first child. At the time, there were few coaches with children, fewer still who had their children with them at practices or games.

Inouye-Perez asked to meet with Enquist, bawling. She planned to quit.

“I can’t do this,” Inouye-Perez told her. “I can’t put softball before my family. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Enquist told her without hesitation. “We can do this. We will do this. You’re not leaving this program, Kelly. You are going to be in this program forever.”

“I had no children, but I knew in our industry we were in this interesting time,” Enquist said. “It was all about dedication, and everyone’s a professional, and you’ve got to pick your career. But my mother raised us all to believe that being a mom was an asset.”

Enquist called a team meeting with a clear message to her players: “If you can’t make this adjustment, if you can’t get A’s in school, and you can’t field a backhand and change a diaper, then I recruited the wrong person.”

They found a way. They had cribs and strollers in the clubhouse and on the road. Inouye-Perez’s parents traveled with her to help care for her son, Mikey, born in August 1999, and later her daughter, Kylie. Her husband, Gerardo Perez, took a job as a high school baseball coach to be closer to home. When he was 1, Mikey took his first steps at an Embassy Suites during another trip to the WCWS, ringed by the entire UCLA team.

Inouye-Perez has a photo of that moment hanging in her house.

OVER THE PAST 38 years at UCLA, both the game and the enterprise have changed dramatically. When Inouye-Perez played, pitchers dominated and games often went 20-plus innings. Since then, changes to the sport and advances in technology have transformed softball into a hitter’s game — one that has gained substantial popularity as a result. To that end, UCLA is currently on pace to set a school record for runs scored in a season and a school record for highest team ERA.

But the biggest changes happened over the past five years, with NIL, loosened transfer rules and, most recently, revenue sharing with student-athletes — all while UCLA made the move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten to begin play in 2024.

UCLA does not have a softball budget that ranks among the top 10 programs in the country, nor does Inouye-Perez rank among the top 10 coaches in salary. A school such as Texas Tech, without the same softball tradition as UCLA, can suddenly become a contender with a $1 million player on its roster in pitcher NiJaree Canady — a player the Bruins know all too well. She played at Stanford the last year of the Pac-12 in 2023. This past offseason, UCLA lost one of its starting pitchers, Kaitlyn Terry, to Texas Tech.

“Sharron Backus built the blueprint, and when I took over, I never had to change the blueprint,” Enquist said. “But Kelly, midway through her career, she had to change the blueprint because the game and collegiate athletics had a systemic renaissance. I’m just so proud that she has been able to maintain the legacy blueprint of UCLA softball, while changing and adapting.”

Inouye-Perez acknowledges “we don’t have every resource,” but accepting the challenges of this new era is something she and Fernandez have willingly embraced. They have won, too. Maybe not national championships, but Inouye-Perez always says the goal is to get to Oklahoma City, and then see what happens.

Since NIL went into effect in July 2021, UCLA has had three 50-plus-win seasons and made three WCWS appearances, including last season.

“We’re competitors, and we have an inner drive that we can find a way,” Fernandez said. “We were meant to be in this time, in this place. We are going to do everything we can to continue to evolve and develop as the game changes.”

Enquist noted the way Inouye-Perez has built a network of fundraising and business partners to help fill in the gaps.

“We are at a very challenging time in the sport, and to be able to sustain it is not easy,” Inouye-Perez said. “To be at an academic school when the game is about money right now — it’s not the golden ticket it used to be. It used to be the golden ticket to get that college degree. This generation, it’s more difficult. They would take softball and the money over the college degree. So it’s challenging. There’s a whole different dynamic.”

UCLA softball has had only three head coaches in its 52-year history: Backus, Enquist and Inouye-Perez. If there is pressure to uphold the UCLA standard, Inouye-Perez never shows it because she has a job to do, and the job is more than the wins and the losses.

“It’s not about making more money or finding an easier way to win or even rebuilding something in a different location,” Inouye-Perez said. “This is not just about a job. It’s not just about softball for me at all. This is much more than that. To be able to represent Sharron and Sue is something that I’m very proud of.”

The game has changed, the landscape has changed, but her core values have not. So she goes to work every day challenged, yes, but wholeheartedly believing in her mission to help develop the women on her team into the best version of themselves, to keep the “Bruin Bubble” filled with people who come back to support each other and support the program.

If she never wins another championship, Inouye-Perez will know she has done more than enough. It is like one of the favored clichés she tells her seniors:

“Get to your final destination as late as you can with a smile on your face to know that you enjoyed the journey.”

The main part of NFL free agency is over, so all 32 teams are now entirely focused on building out their draft boards. The 2026 NFL draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, and will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App. Teams will address remaining roster holes there across seven rounds.

Where is each roster looking to improve? We asked our NFL Nation reporters to identify the three most glaring positional needs for all 32 franchises entering the draft, ordered from largest to smallest. Then we had NFL draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid name prospects projected to be picked after Round 1 who could fill one of those needs.

Let’s get started with the Bills, who have some big holes to fill under first-time head coach Joe Brady.

Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

AFC EAST

Top three needs: Edge, LB, WR. The Bills brought in a veteran for this edge group by signing 29-year-old Bradley Chubb, but adding to the future is important next to Greg Rousseau and Michael Hoecht. And though a big splash was made by trading for wide receiver DJ Moore, the Bills need to add at least another player to the pass-catcher group. Inside linebacker also hasn’t been addressed this offseason, and general manager Brandon Beane has spoken on the strength of this draft class at that position. — Alaina Getzenberg

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Jaishawn Barham, Edge, Michigan. He is still learning the edge position after moving from linebacker, but Barham has the type of burst that the Bills have been missing. He’s a projected Round 3 prospect who could move up, depending on how many edge rushers go off the board in Round 1. — Miller

Top three needs: WR, Edge, CB. Trading Jaylen Waddle vaulted wide receiver to the top of Miami’s list of draft needs, with no No. 1 option in place. Signing Joshua Uche and David Ojabo is an improvement on the Dolphins’ pass rush, but that shouldn’t stop them from spending a first-round pick on the position. Early in the draft, Miami could also look at cornerback, which is one of the most unproven position groups on its roster despite free agent signings. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Devin Moore, CB, Florida. The Dolphins are loaded with seven selections in the top 100 picks, but landing Moore late in Round 3 would offer an immediate boost to the secondary. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he has the size and length to be a factor in the press-man scheme new coach Jeff Hafley will employ. — Miller

Top three needs: OL, Edge, LB. Team officials are optimistic about the projected starting offensive line: left tackle Will Campbell, left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, center Jared Wilson, right guard Mike Onwenu and right tackle Morgan Moses. But they need to build better depth alongside top backup C/G Ben Brown. Also, Moses is 35 and entering his 13th NFL season; coach Mike Vrabel hinted that he’ll be managed by a reduced workload in training camp/practices.

Likewise, more depth on the edge is a need. Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said at the combine that the draft matches up nicely for the team because of the volume of quality prospects at that position. — Mike Reiss

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois. A key area of need for New England is finding speed off the edge. At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, Jacas is well built but also has the first-step twitch that’s missing in Vrabel’s defense. — Miller

Top three needs: WR, QB, Edge. The bulk of free agency was devoted to the defense. Now, it’s time to get a playmaker to complement wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The receivers not named Wilson have combined for only two career TDs — both by Adonai Mitchell. The low-cost acquisition of Geno Smith provides a Band-Aid at quarterback, but the Jets need to add a young arm to the mix. They could add a developmental QB on Day 3, waiting until 2027 to make the big splash — when they have three first-round picks.

They signed Joseph Ossai to replace Jermaine Johnson (traded) on the edge, but there’s still a glaring need for a speed rusher opposite of Will McDonald IV. — Rich Cimini

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State. If the Jets opt to wait until Day 2 to select a quarterback, the traits of Allar are intriguing. The 6-foot-5, 228-pounder has the biggest arm in this draft class and plus mobility. An ankle injury derailed his final college season, but Allar’s potential is high if he’s developed. — Miller

AFC NORTH

Top three needs: IOL, DT, WR. The Ravens’ biggest need is clearly fortifying the interior offensive line for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Baltimore has the major challenge of replacing Tyler Linderbaum. After the signing of longtime backup center Danny Pinter, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Ravens selected a center in the first or second round. “I think we have a pretty good history of drafting centers,” general manager Eric DeCosta said early in free agency. “So, I’m confident we can do that.”

At defensive tackle, there has been growing optimism that two-time Pro Bowl player Nnamdi Madubuike will return from his neck injury. And last season, wide receiver Zay Flowers set career highs with 86 receptions and 1,211 receiving yards; the Ravens’ other receivers combined for 51 receptions for 735 yards. — Jamison Hensley

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech. A rugged and tough interior blocker, Rutledge fits the profile of Baltimore’s identity. He has the potential to slot in at center or guard at the next level. — Reid

Top three needs: DT, OT, WR. A perfect draft could look like this for Cincinnati: interior defensive lineman (preferably a pass rusher), an offensive tackle who could fill in as a swing guy and a slot wide receiver. Cincinnati will have a good draft slot in each of the first three rounds to add depth at each of those spots. Of course, if a player who could be an immediate starter at slot cornerback or an elite edge rusher is available at No. 10, that seems like a no-brainer. Otherwise, Cincinnati should take advantage of its poor 2025 record and take players at premium positions. — Ben Baby

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia. Miller is a potential laden and disruptive defender who slots best as a 3-technique. His skill set could thrive in a scheme that allows it’s interior players to get up field and create chaos at the first level. — Reid

Top three needs: OT, WR, QB. The Browns spent the first wave of free agency upgrading their offensive line, but they still have a glaring hole at left tackle; Dawand Jones is coming off his third consecutive season-ending leg injury and is more comfortable at right tackle. Cleveland also needs a playmaker to lift the league’s least productive receiver room in 2025. And though the Browns haven’t added another quarterback and will miss out on Fernando Mendoza, this new staff could be compelled to draft at the position. — Daniel Oyefusi

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State. Outside of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., the Browns lack perimeter threats. Hurst could unlock the team’s downfield passing game, as he averaged 15.5 yards per reception over the past two seasons. — Reid

Top three needs: WR, IOL, S. Yes, the Steelers are doing their homework on the quarterback prospects, but that’s not necessarily a top-three need in this weak class. Instead, they need to prioritize adding another wide receiver after trading for Michael Pittman Jr. and losing Calvin Austin III. New coach Mike McCarthy’s scheme calls for more wide receiver usage than Arthur Smith’s tight end-heavy system.

The Steelers also lost starting guard Isaac Seumalo, though Spencer Anderson is developing into a solid player. And while adding Jaquan Brisker bolstered the depth of their safety group, they still need help for DeShon Elliott — and Jalen Ramsey if he continues to play safety. Last year’s signings of Juan Thornhill and Chuck Clark largely didn’t pan out. — Brooke Pryor

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama. He isn’t shy of rolling up his sleeves and doing the dirty work, epitomizing the qualities that Pittsburgh has prioritized in previous years at receiver. Bernard can align at multiple spots in formations to use his strong hands and display how he’s an asset as a run blocker. — Reid

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AFC SOUTH

Top three needs: IOL, DT, CB. The focus for Houston in this draft is finding budding talented players who could become starters at the interior offensive line and defensive tackle. Right now, Houston has a guard duo of Wyatt Teller and Ed Ingram, along with Jake Andrews at center. Ingram just signed a three-year deal, but Houston needs a long-term answer on the left side.

Since coach DeMeco Ryans arrived in 2023, the Texans have rotated through starting defensive tackles. It’s time for a long-term answer to pair with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. off the edge. With cornerback, it’s more about depth, just in case Jalen Pitre, Derek Stingley Jr or Kamari Lassiter suffer an injury. — DJ Bien-Aime

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State. With two second-round picks and one in the third, the Texans can be serious about attacking this deep cornerback class. At 6-foot, 193 pounds, Johnson ran a 4.40 at the combine and has the length to be a nuisance for NFL wide receivers. — Miller

Top three needs: Edge, LB, WR. The Colts made revamping their front seven with “younger and faster” personnel a key part of their offseason plan. They’ve begun that process, but with departures that include linebacker Zaire Franklin and defensive end Kwity Paye, they haven’t adequately replaced the production they lost.

The Colts’ underwhelming record of drafting edge rushers is inescapable, especially in a year when they lack a first-round pick. Their history of discovering linebacker gems is much more encouraging, and they’ll need a couple of hits given the serious lack of depth there. At receiver, the trade of Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers has eroded depth at a key position. — Stephen Holder

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri. He has risen up boards since declaring for the draft has given more time to review his tape. Trotter is a big-time hitter between the tackles and has great closing speed when working downhill. He could be a dream fit in coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme. — Miller

Top three needs: DT, Edge, LB. The Jaguars led the NFL in rush defense in 2025 but struggled rushing the passer (ranked 27th with 32 total sacks). Other than Arik Armstead (5.5 sacks), there was minimal pressure from the interior. That put the burden on edge rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, who combined for 11.5 sacks.

Armstead is 32 with a $19.4 million cap figure, so there’s a chance the team moves on from him as a post-June 1 release. The biggest offensive need is adding another running back alongside Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten. Travis Etienne Jr. signed with the Saints in free agency.— Michael DiRocco

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri. With three picks in the third round, the Jaguars will have ample opportunity to fill their need at defensive tackle. At 6-foot-4, 313 pounds, McClellan has fantastic quickness off the snap and can use his massive, strong hands to control offensive linemen. — Miller

Top three needs: Edge, WR, C. The Titans still need to incorporate an impactful edge rusher with Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers despite trading for Jermaine Johnson. New coach Robert Saleh said he views Oluwafemi Oladejo as a legitimate defensive end, but he’s only in Year 2 and missed most of last season due to injury.

The WR room is mixed with young players Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, veteran Calvin Ridley and free agent addition Wan’Dale Robinson. Tennessee could use another young playmaker for Cam Ward — maybe running back Jeremiyah Love? Center is also a question as free agent Austin Schlottmann is set to take over despite only four starts with the Giants last season. — Turron Davenport

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama. If the Titans don’t add a receiver in Round 1, Bernard is the type of winner on crossing routes and in traffic that would immediately benefit Ward. Giving Ward easy answers on the outside, while Robinson is in the slot, would open up the offense in a hurry. — Miller

AFC WEST

Top three needs: TE, LB, DL. Other than the trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, the Broncos’ approach to free agency has been to re-sign their own free agents. Denver re-signed 17 of their 21 unrestricted, restricted or exclusive rights free agents. But that means the biggest needs they went into free agency with are still their biggest needs. None bigger than tight end and linebacker.

Denver’s tight ends combined for three touchdowns last season and none averaged more than 9.8 yards per catch. They also released linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who played 348 snaps despite sitting out more half the season because of injuries and a one-game suspension. — Jeff Legwold

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt. He would be the perfect addition to coach Sean Payton’s offense. With his value primarily coming as a big receiver, Stowers has the potential to be a mismatch on second- and third-level defenders in the slot or out wide. — Reid

Top three needs: Edge, WR, DT. The Chiefs don’t have a quality pass rusher on the edge opposite George Karlaftis. And even after tight end Travis Kelce returned, the Chiefs could use another talented receiver to play alongside Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. As for defensive tackle, the team needs to add depth behind Chris Jones and free agent signing Khyiris Tonga. Omarr Norman-Lott, their 2025 second-round pick, sustained a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee last October. — Nate Taylor

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan. I’d expect the Chiefs to gravitate toward a dense and powerful edge rusher, and Moore fits the description. He has plenty of pop in his hands to set a strong edge as a run defender, plus he can routinely win as an edge rusher with overwhelming power. — Reid

Top three needs: QB, WR, DT. The Raiders have only one quarterback on the roster, Aidan O’Connell. But that’s expected to change after they select Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. The real question is what’s next? The Raiders using their Day 2 pick on either a wide receiver or a defensive tackle makes the most sense. Las Vegas is developing a nice support system for Mendoza, with center Tyler Linderbaum, running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers. They have speedy receivers in Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker as well. — Ryan McFadden

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State. Not only does “Big Citrus” have the best nickname in this class, but he’s also one of the best interior run defenders. The Raiders’ interior line ranked 22nd in run block win rate last season. Orange can also cloud the vision of passers by collapsing the pocket. — Reid

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Top three needs: RG, LG, DT. The Chargers’ interior offensive line has been this team’s Achilles’ heel for the past two seasons. The Chargers will have a new interior after center Bradley Bozeman’s retirement, right guard Mekhi Becton‘s release and left guard Zion Johnson‘s departure in free agency.

L.A. signed former Commanders starting center Tyler Biadasz, but questions still remain at the guard spots. The team signed Cole Strange from Miami, but he ranked 40th out of 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate last season. And the Chargers have a solid defensive tackle group led by Teair Tart, but they could use better pass rushers from that position. — Kris Rhim

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Jalen Farmer, G, Kentucky. In an offense that will be more fast-paced under new coordinator Mike McDaniel, Farmer has the power and balance combination to slot in as a starter. He’s an underrated guard in the class and could be the Chargers’ second-round pick. — Reid

NFC EAST

Top three needs: LB, Edge, CB. The Cowboys didn’t answer all of their defensive questions in free agency. Even if they add a middle linebacker with a trade or signing, they’ll need depth. Though they traded for Rashan Gary, their other projected starter on the edge, Donovan Ezeiruaku, is coming off hip surgery and will be limited during the offseason. They added Cobie Durant at cornerback, but they have to be mindful of the health of DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel Jr. The draft still has to be about helping the defense in every way. — Todd Archer

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas. Dallas is looking for speedy and playmaking ability in the middle of the defense, and that’s Hill to a tee. The three-year starter had 17 sacks and three interceptions at Texas. Hill is capable enough as a pass rusher that some scouts think he could move there full time in the future. — Miller

Top three needs: DT, G, CB The Giants desperately need to improve in the trenches. They gave up a league-high 5.3 yards per carry last season and still haven’t adequately addressed their interior defensive line. They’re also currently without a starting right guard after it didn’t work out with Alijah Vera-Tucker in free agency, and with Greg Van Roten still unsigned.

Plus, the Giants don’t have a true No. 1 cornerback. Instead, they’re banking on Paulson Adebo, whom they paid a lot of money to add last year, and Greg Newsome II on a prove-it deal with little behind them. — Jordan Raanan

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech. Protecting Jaxson Dart and opening holes for Cam Skattebo is paramount to the Giants’ draft plans. Rutledge might be the only prospect tougher and nastier than Skattebo. He’s an elite run-game blocker and has upside in pass protection, making him a fixture at right or left guard. — Miller

Top three needs: Edge, OL, TE. The Eagles made a push to re-sign Jaelan Phillips in free agency but lost him to the Panthers. Though the addition of Arnold Ebiketie helps, there’s more work to do at that position.

Lingering injuries affected the offensive line last year, highlighting the need to pour more resources into the front — especially with right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson contemplating retirement this offseason. The return of Dallas Goedert puts a Band-Aid on the tight end position, but Philadelphia needs a long-term solution. — Tim McManus

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt. If the Eagles are thinking about their future at tight end, why not draft the player who set combine records in the broad jump (11 feet, 3 inches) and vertical jump (45.5 inches)? Stowers could open up the Eagles’ offense with the ball in his hands. And though he’s not a classic in-line blocker, he is capable of sealing off the edge against linebackers and safeties. — Miller

Top three needs: WR, CB, C. The Commanders simply need more good players, but some positions definitely need more help. They fortified their receiver depth but lack a strong No. 2 opposite Terry McLaurin — Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs opted for other situations. At cornerback, Washington has only three players under contract who would be considered roster locks — but two of them are around 5-foot-9. The Commanders released center Tyler Biadasz and failed to sign Tyler Linderbaum. Nick Allegretti will compete for the job if nothing else but adding a center to develop later in the draft would be wise. — John Keim

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Connor Lew, C, Auburn. With no Round 2 pick, the Commanders’ target at No. 71 should be Lew. An ACL tear in October is the only reason he would still be on the board at the top of Round 3, but that would be a steal for Washington if he develops into Jayden Daniels‘ new personal protector. — Miller

NFC NORTH

Top three needs: Edge, S, C. The Bears didn’t use free agency to sign a star defensive end, so all signs point toward using an early draft pick on a player to start opposite Montez Sweat. Chicago hasn’t used a first-round pick on an edge rusher since drafting Leonard Floyd at No. 9 in 2016 but given the depth of the position in this draft class, the Bears are in good position to address a major need early. With the departure of both Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker, safety is another position that needs to be addressed, as is finding a center the Bears can develop over time given Garrett Bradbury has only one year left on his contract. — Courtney Cronin

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn State. A well-put-together edge rusher, Dennis-Sutton is a versatile prospect who checks a lot of the boxes for a Dennis Allen-led defense. His strength against the run and his traits as a pass rusher fit the scheme and provides a boost at a position of need. — Reid

Top three needs: OL, Edge, CB. After struggling to adapt to new faces on the line last season and the release of veteran left tackle Taylor Decker, Detroit can benefit from drafting an offensive tackle or O-lineman early. Adding an edge rusher to pair with Pro Bowl player Aidan Hutchinson would also be smart, as Al-Quadin Muhammad signed with Tampa Bay. Plus, their cornerback room was plagued by injuries the past couple of seasons. — Eric Woodyard

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern. He is a high-floor prospect who has the requisite attributes to be a long-term starter at either tackle spot. Tiernan showcases physicality as a run blocker and has slightly above-average range as a pass protector. — Reid

Top three needs: Edge, CB, OL. After trading Rashan Gary and losing Kingsley Enagbare in free agency (and with Micah Parsons unlikely to be ready for the start of the season), the Packers might need multiple pass rushers. At cornerback, they signed Benjamin St-Juste in free agency, but his relatively modest contract (two years, $10 million) suggests they don’t view him as a permanent starter. Also, they basically swapped him for Nate Hobbs, who was released, in a position that was already thin.

Though their starters on the offensive line appear set with Jordan Morgan taking over for Rasheed Walker at left tackle, they need depth across the entire front. — Rob Demovsky

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia. When drafting corners, the Packers have prioritized high-end athletes and length. Everette contains both as a versatile corner with the speed and change-of-direction skills to remain consistent in man coverage. His spatial awareness in zone could also be useful for new coordinator Jonathan Gannon. — Reid

Top three needs: C, S, WR. Ryan Kelly‘s retirement left the Vikings without an obvious replacement at center. Backup Michael Jurgens started three games last season and the Vikings converted guard/tackle Blake Brandel to start five more, but it’s unclear if either is a long-term answer.

The Vikings are also considering how to replace veteran safety Harrison Smith, who at age 37 has yet to decide if he will retire or play another season. And though their top two receivers are set with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, they have no proven depth Jalen Nailor’s departure to the Raiders. Tai Felton, a 2025 third-round draft pick, played only 46 offensive snaps last season. — Kevin Seifert

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State. A quick center, Hecht is an ideal fit for teams that incorporate lots of zone scheme principles. He’s the third-best center on my rankings and would provide immediate competition for Brandel. — Reid

NFC SOUTH

Top three needs: LB, WR, DT. New president of football Matt Ryan and new coach Kevin Stefanski have both noted that this version of the Falcons is one that will want to run the football and stop the run. To do that, Atlanta must replace Kaden Elliss at inside linebacker and David Onyemata on the defensive line. Both left as free agents.

Stopping the run was the weak point of coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s defense last season even with those two players, and Atlanta is also still searching for a true No. 2 wide receiver to complement Drake London. — Marc Raimondi

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia. Let’s stay in state for Atlanta and go with Branch, who posted a 4.35 in the 40-yard dash. His yards-after-catch ability from the slot would be ideal next to London and Kyle Pitts Sr. — Miller

Top three needs: S, WR, Edge. The Panthers re-signed safety Nick Scott, but he still has coverage deficiencies despite 111 tackles last season (second most on the team). Carolina also needs a more impactful receiver behind 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker.

Despite signing Jaelen Phillips in free agency and taking Nic Scourton in the second round last year, finding another impactful edge rusher to develop also remains a need. As general manager Dan Morgan has said repeatedly, you can’t have too many pass rushers. — David Newton

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU. At pick No. 83, the Panthers’ target should be clear if Haulcy is on the board. The 6-foot, 215-pound safety rocks ball carriers, plus he posted eight interceptions over the past two seasons. — Miller

Top three needs: WR, Edge, CB. The Saints don’t have another star wide receiver next to Chris Olave, who will be playing on his fifth-year option. The Saints have a starting quarterback in Tyler Shough, so it would make sense to surround him with more talent. They already filled multiple needs in free agency, but they did not sign a free agent receiver. Plus, they lost slot cornerback Alontae Taylor to the Titans and could use another pass rusher since franchise sack leader Cameron Jordan is still a free agent. — Katherine Terrell

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville. Want to help Shough? Pair him with his former wide receiver. Bell is recovering from a torn ACL, but his tape shows examples of him running away from coverage after using his size (6-foot-2, 222 pounds) to body defenders and make tough catches. — Miller

Top three needs: Edge, LB, TE. Signing Al-Quadin Muhammad to a one-year, $4 million deal doesn’t preclude the Bucs from drafting an edge rusher, even with his production of 11 sacks last season. They did sign both Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom at inside linebacker ahead of Lavonte David’s retirement, so there’s some wiggle room there. And with coordinator Zac Robinson’s frequent use of 12 personnel, they need to add another tight end who can serve as a big-play threat.— Jenna Laine

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech. The former quarterback turned linebacker ran a 4.57-second 40 at the combine after causing seven fumbles last season. He profiles as a better inside linebacker than the weakside playmaker David was, but his college tape is full of big-time plays in coverage, against the run or getting after the QB. — Miller

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NFC WEST

Top three needs: OL, QB, S. The Cardinals didn’t address their most important need during free agency: right tackle. Now that’s left for them to take care of during the draft, which could happen as soon as pick No. 3. After releasing Kyler Murray and signing Gardner Minshew, drafting a quarterback seems likely. This year’s quarterback class isn’t nearly as deep as next year’s, so could they trade back into Round 1 for one? With Jalen Thompson leaving in free agency and Budda Baker turning 30, Arizona also needs to start planning for the future in its deep secondary alongside Dadrion Taylor-Demerson. — Josh Weinfuss

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College. At 6-foot-5, 314 pounds, he is a good developmental player who routinely flashes reps that generate excitement. He primarily lined up at left tackle for Boston College, but he could fit Arizona’s long-term plans at right tackle. — Reid

Top three needs: WR, OT, CB. The Rams’ top two receivers are among the best pair in the NFL and they could again use a high rate of 13 personnel (three tight ends on the field) in 2026, but they need a dependable third pass-catcher. The Rams have Rob Havenstein’s replacement at right tackle in Warren McClendon Jr. but could add depth to the position. And the Rams have room in their cornerback room despite trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson from the Chiefs. — Sarah Barshop

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss. In an offense that requires versatility in its receivers, Stribling’s slot and outside capabilities make him an ideal fit in coach Sean McVay’s offense. With strong hands and the ability to win across the route tree, he could go off the board as early as Round 3. — Reid

Top three needs: S, Edge, OL. The 49ers filled enough needs in free agency with the likes of wide receivers Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, so they should be able to lean toward a “best player available” approach. But they could still use an upgrade at safety and more help off the edge to complete their defensive makeover.

On the offensive line, they need more competition for the left guard job vacated by Spencer Burford. And it wouldn’t hurt to be forward-thinking at tackle or center. — Nick Wagoner

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Treydan Stukes, S/NB, Arizona. Stukes primarily played at nickel corner last season, but there’s belief among multiple scouts I’ve talked to that he could be a free safety in the NFL. His range and tackling ability would both be pluses in San Francisco’s secondary. — Reid

Top three needs: RB, Edge, CB. With Kenneth Walker III departing in free agency and Zach Charbonnet likely to miss much of next season after knee surgery, the Seahawks have to replace their top two rushers from 2025. They’re high on George Holani and signed Emanuel Wilson to give them a power runner, but they still need to replicate Walker’s explosiveness. And even if DeMarcus Lawrence puts off retirement for another year, Seattle has to add youth on the edge after letting Boye Mafe walk. They did the same with Riq Woolen, who was their No. 3 corner. — Brady Henderson

Prospect to fill a need outside Round 1: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas. At 6-foot-1, 223 pounds, Washington is a large running back who has ascended throughout the predraft process. Like Walker, he can puncture defenses with a mixture of explosive and tough runs. Washington had 51 rushes of 10-plus yards in 2025. — Reid

At the end of Álvaro Arbeloa’s news conference following Real Madrid‘s gutsy, gripping 3-2 win over Atlético Madrid in Sunday’s LaLiga derby, there was time for one last question.

It was a simple one. What would you say to those who doubted you? “That they didn’t know the players I had,” Arbeloa replied.

Since taking over from Xabi Alonso in January, Arbeloa has relentlessly shifted the focus on to the players, praising them, and deflecting any credit for Madrid’s turnaround in their general direction.

“I’m lucky to have him,” has been a constant refrain when the coach has been asked about Vinícius Júnior, Federico Valverde, Kylian Mbappé and others. “I’d make a statue of him and put it in my garden,” he said before the derby, when asked about defender Antonio Rüdiger.

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Whether it’s the coach, the players, or both, Madrid have improved since Arbeloa took charge on Jan. 12. Since then, they’ve won 17 of their 21 games in all competitions, losing the other four.

In LaLiga, they’re four points behind leaders Barcelona — the same deficit as when Alonso was sacked — with a potentially decisive Clásico on May 10. In the UEFA Champions League, they will face Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals after eliminating Manchester City 5-1 on aggregate.

In just a few weeks, Arbeloa’s Madrid have beaten three teams coached by managerial greats: José Mourinho’s Benfica, Pep Guardiola’s City and Diego Simeone’s Atlético

It hasn’t all been plain sailing. Arbeloa’s debut as first-team coach saw Madrid knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Albacete. After back-to-back LaLiga defeats to Osasuna and Getafe, club sources told ESPN that barring “a miracle” or winning the Champions League — which at the time, felt like the same thing — Arbeloa would be replaced in the summer.

But results show the coach has, unquestionably, got a number of key things right, starting with his management of one of the team’s biggest — and previously most underperforming — stars.

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Vinícius Júnior, back in form

Vinícius became the public face of dressing-room opposition to Alonso with his petulant on-field reaction to being substituted by the coach during last October’s Clásico.

Alonso’s doubts about the Brazil forward had been evident since last summer — ESPN reported that he considered dropping Vinícius during the FIFA Club World Cup — and the coach left him out of the team in both LaLiga and the Champions League, despite being fully fit. The result: Vinícius lost confidence, went three months without scoring, and was loudly whistled by home fans at the Bernabéu,

Negotiations over a new contract — with his current deal up in 2027 — were at a standstill. ESPN reported that Alonso was a major, perhaps insurmountable, obstacle in Vinícius’s contract renewal.

Arbeloa’s top priority after taking over was to get the former Ballon d’Or runner-up back on side. He has praised and defended Vinícius at every opportunity, making him a fixture in the starting XI again.

“I’m going to work to get the best out of Vinícius,” the coach said in January. “I’m going to demand that [the other] players look for him [with the ball]. He’s fearless. He’s one of the most dangerous players, if not the most dangerous, in the world. He embodies what a Real Madrid player is.”

Arbeloa’s faith and patience were rewarded when Vinícius scored in five consecutive games in February — matching his career-best run — and then scored back-to-back braces against City and Atlético Madrid. When he was substituted late on against Atlético, Arbeloa was waiting with a bear hug on the touchline.

“I don’t know if [Vinícius] is in the best form of his career, but he’s not far off,” the coach said on Sunday.

Speaking while on international duty with Brazil this week, Vinícius said he now wishes to stay at Madrid “for a long time.”

A new role for Valverde

If Vinícius’ transformation has been the most eye-catching of Arbeloa’s tenure, Valverde’s metamorphosis hasn’t been far behind. Valverde was another of the senior players, alongside Vinícius and Jude Bellingham, who — sources close to the dressing room told ESPN — were unconvinced by Alonso.

TV images showed the midfielder unenthusiastically warming up on the sidelines after being left out of the XI for a trip to Kairat Almaty in September, and he was frequently picked at right-back — a position he said he “wasn’t born to play” — in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal.

Valverde hadn’t scored this season until January’s Spanish Supercopa. Now, under Arbeloa — and after being restored to the marauding right-wing position he thrived in under Carlo Ancelotti — he has scored six goals in a month, including a hat trick against City that made headlines around the world, and the crucial second goal against Atlético.

“Fede is everything a Real Madrid player should be,” Arbeloa said after Valverde scored a 94th-minute winner at Celta Vigo on March 6. “He has the spirit of [1980s club legend] Juanito. He has that quality which the great players in our history have had, and today he carried the team on his back.”

Liberated from right-back, and shifted out wide from a deep-lying central position which looked ill-suited to his skillset, Valverde is thriving. This is no reinvention from Arbeloa. Instead, as with Vinícius, it’s been about giving a talented player confidence, and putting them in a position to flourish.

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Pitarch and homegrown talent

As the former coach of Madrid’s reserve side, Castilla — and before that, with the club’s youth teams — Arbeloa’s first-hand knowledge of the academy was signalled as a positive before his appointment. But the opportunities he has given to young players have been more frequent and more extensive than anybody could have predicted.

In Madrid’s 4-1 win over Elche at the Bernabéu on March 14, Madrid kicked off with one young homegrown talent, midfielder Thiago Pitarch, in the starting eleven, before Arbeloa introduced another five — Gonzalo García, Daniel Yañez, Diego Aguado, Manuel Ángel and César Palacios — off the bench. Madrid were only 2-0 up at the time, the outcome far from certain.

“I can die in peace after a night like this,” Arbeloa said, with a touch of hyperbole, afterward. “For someone who came up through the youth ranks and made it to the first team, this is a day of immense happiness and pride … It reminded me of the Madrid of the [famous 1980s homegrown team] Quinta del Buitre era.”

Arbeloa’s belief in youth has been justified. The energetic, fearless 18-year-old Thiago Pitarch has excelled, starting the team’s last six games, bringing dynamism and movement to a previously static midfield. Yañez contributed an assist against Elche.

Arbeloa has shown that he wasn’t just talking up the academy; he meant it. Sources told ESPN that senior club executives are delighted with his focus on the cantera, conscious of the resulting soaring valuations for homegrown players like Pitarch.

A compact 4-4-2 and a ‘false No. 9’

Pitarch has slotted into an athletic midfield quartet alongside Aurélien Tchouaméni — the team’s other outstanding player in recent weeks — Valverde, and Arda Güler. Vinícius has formed part of Arbeloa’s front two, starting on the left but with the freedom to step inside and take up dangerous, goal-scoring positions inside the box.

Partnering him, in the absence of Mbappé — who has been recovering from a knee sprain — has been Brahim Díaz. Díaz has often underwhelmed since joining Madrid, and made just one start in Arbeloa’s first two months in charge after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations a week into his new coach’s reign. But he has now started Madrid’s last five games, including both legs against City, playing an unshowy, hard-working ‘false No. 9’ role, and growing in stature.

“[Díaz] is understanding well what I want from him,” Arbeloa said on Sunday. “When opponents sit deep, he has a lot of freedom to move between the lines. He wanted opportunities, and just not making mistakes wasn’t enough. He’s a player who should take chances, have one-on-ones, get shots on goal and win penalties like today. That’s the Brahim we need.”

Winning over the doubters

Multiple sources close to the first-team squad have told ESPN that there is a notable improvement in the atmosphere around the Valdebebas training complex — and inside the dressing room — since Arbeloa’s arrival, a welcome sight following the fraught end to Alonso’s reign. Club executives are aware of this change, sources said, and point to it as proof that they made the right decision in removing Alonso when they did. The former coach had been focused almost exclusively on tactical solutions to the team’s problems, sources said, while Arbeloa is less concerned with on-field coaching, and more with supporting the players emotionally and putting them in a position to perform.

However, it must also be said that when results were bad — after the LaLiga losses to Osasuna and Getafe — the picture painted of Arbeloa’s management by sources close to the dressing room was much less positive. Then, some players were critical of Arbeloa’s approach and messaging, while executives said that he was almost certain to lose his job in the summer.

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What about Mbappé and Bellingham?

The recoveries from injury of Mbappé — who made his return as a substitute against City — and Bellingham — who came off the bench against Atlético — present an opportunity, but also a significant challenge for Arbeloa. Two of the world’s best players are back and available for selection; but their inclusion risks breaking up the cohesive team unit that the coach has been able to build in their absence.

There is no doubt that top scorer Mbappé will replace Díaz, who has been an important part of the team’s success in recent weeks, while Bellingham will come in for either Pitarch or Güler. But while the two superstars possess many qualities, they may find it difficult to emulate those that their lower-profile teammates brought to the side: selfless work-rate and an acceptance of a specific, defined role to benefit the team as a whole.

After the international break, Madrid travel to Mallorca in LaLiga, before hosting Bayern Munich, one of the best teams in Europe, in the Champions League quarterfinals. Despite Arbeloa’s successes in recent weeks, club sources are still reluctant to state that he would remain in charge next season if his Madrid aren’t able to win either trophy.

“I’m not Gandalf,” Arbeloa said last month in another idiosyncratic news conference diversion, when asked about changing the team’s fortunes. “What I’m getting is what I wanted from my players: commitment and effort.”

That back-to-basics approach has worked its magic so far. Eliminating Bayern would be Arbeloa’s greatest trick yet.