NASCAR-KANSAS
Gordon pulls away late for win at Kansas Speedway
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Jeff Gordon grabbed the lead in the final laps at Kansas Speedway and held on for his first victory of the season and 89th overall.
The 42-year-old Gordon held off a hard-charging Kevin Harvick on the final lap to move into the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field.
Gordon won for the first time since October at Martinsville and became the ninth driver to win this season. He entered the race with the points lead, but exclaimed a weight was lifted off his shoulders as he crossed the finish line. He won for the third time at Kansas.
Kasey Kahne was third, followed by Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Danica Patrick was seventh for her best career Cup finish.
DRAFT-REDSKINS
Redskins draft 5 more players; RG3 entertains
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Redskins have completed their draft by adding five players.
The Redskins on Saturday selected cornerback Bashaud Breeland from Clemson in the fourth round, receiver Ryan Grant from Tulane in the fifth, running back Lache Seastrunk from Baylor in the sixth, and tight end Ted Bolser from Indiana and kicker Zach Hocker from Arkansas in the seventh.
They picked up the extra seventh round pick in a trade with Tennessee.
Quarterback Robert Griffin III again entertained the fans at a draft day party, although his appearance lacked the magnitude of his appearance a year ago when he performed jumping jacks and declared himself on pace to return from a severe knee injury.
Griffin told fans that new coach Jay Gruden is “bringing a great environment” to the team.
DRAFT-RAVENS
Ravens take Urban, then get offensive in draft
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — On the third day of the NFL draft, Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome finally gave offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak some ammunition for the 2014 season.
Newsome shored up the defense on Thursday and Friday, then started Saturday’s session by taking Virginia defensive end Brent Urban in the fourth round to improve a defense that ranked 12th last year.
He balanced the ledger by picking three straight offensive players to close out Baltimore’s draft. After taking Coastal Carolina running back Lorenzo Taliaferro, Newsome took Penn State guard John Urschel in the fifth round and Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning in the sixth.
The Ravens also drafted Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley; nose guard Timmy Jernigan and strong safety Terrence Brooks of Florida State; and Colorado State tight end Crockett Gillmore.
DRAFT-49ERS
49ers draft South Carolina WR Ellington
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers finally addressed one of their top needs in the NFL draft by selecting South Carolina wide receiver Bruce Ellington with the 106th overall pick in the fourth round.
The 49ers are looking for talented depth behind veteran starters Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree, but the team did not pick a receiver as expected with one of its five selections during the first three rounds.
Ellington will compete for regular playing time in San Francisco’s receiver rotation with newcomer Stevie Johnson and a group of unproven youngsters that includes Quinton Patton, San Francisco’s fourth-round pick last year.
The 49ers are hoping to add a legitimate receiving threat to complement their starters after finishing the 2013 season ranked 30th in the NFL in passing offense.
DRAFT-PANTHERS
Panthers select S Boston, CB Benwikere, RB Gaffney
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Panthers wrapped up the final day of the NFL draft by drafting a pair of defensive backs and a running back.
Carolina took North Carolina safety Tre Boston in the fourth round, then traded up 20 spots in the fifth round with Minnesota to take San Jose State cornerback Bene’ Benwikere.
Carolina selected running back Tyler Gaffney from Stanford in the sixth round.
Carolina sent Minnesota its fifth- and seventh-round picks to get Benwikere.
General manager Dave Gettleman ran the third day of the draft remotely through Skype from Worcester, Massachusetts, where his son graduated from Becker College.
The Panthers began the draft by taking Florida State wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin in the first round, Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy in the second and LSU guard Trai Turner in the third.
DRAFT-BENGALS
Bengals take QB McCarron, fill holes on defense
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Bengals got another quarterback to back up Andy Dalton, this one with a history of winning big games.
They took Alabama’s A.J. McCarron in the fifth round Saturday. The Heisman Trophy runner-up fell to the 164th pick overall.
So it’ll be A.J. McCarron-to-A.J. Green, but mostly in practice. Dalton is the unchallenged starter, and McCarron will have a backup spot for now.
Cincinnati shored up two areas on defense — cornerback and line — and drafted a potential starter at center and a power running back.
The Bengals drafted Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard, LSU running back Jeremy Hill, West Virginia defensive end Will Clarke, North Carolina center Russell Bodine, McCarron, Arizona linebacker Marquis Flowers, LSU receiver James Wright and Georgia Southern cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks.
DRAFT-BILLS
Bills land RB Brown; Add depth with final 4 picks
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley has closed the NFL draft much like he began it, by capping a series of trades to transform the team’s roster.
The Bills opened the draft on Saturday by selecting Duke cornerback Ross Cockrell in the fourth round, and Baylor guard Cyril Richardson in the fifth. And they closed it with two seventh-round picks: Florida Atlantic linebacker Randell Johnson and Miami offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson.
In between, Buffalo acquired running back Bryce Brown in a trade with Philadelphia.
The moves followed a busy two days for the first-year GM.
The Bills opened the draft on Thursday by trading up five spots to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins with the No. 4 pick. Buffalo then traded receiver Stevie Johnson to San Francisco on Friday.
