We’re almost at the halfway point of June and several high-profile Florida football recruits have made their college decision. In the past two weeks, Sumner offensive tackle Ziyare Addison committed to Oregon, Wiregrass Ranch cornerback Graceson Littleton committed to Clemson and Atlantic running back Deandre Desinor announced that he is headed to West Virginia. Most of the players on the …
Read More »Daily Archives: June 16, 2024
In Roob’s Eagles Observations: Can Avonte Maddox really play safety?
In Roob’s Eagles Observations: Can Avonte Maddox really play safety? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia Why I have concerns about Avonte Maddox playing safety, an unprecedented achievement for DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown to go after in 2024, and the only player to score a touchdown in his only game as an Eagle. We may be entering the only …
Read More »LSU football and baseball collaborate on star safety’s recruitment
Two-sport stars aren’t new to LSU. Many will remember Chad Jones, who was All-SEC on the gridiron and won a national championship on the baseball field. More recently, Maurice Hampton was a member of both squads. That’s the vision LSU athletics tried to sell to five-star safety Jonah Williams this weekend. “Jonah Williams is the definition of a two-sport star,” …
Read More »Gophers land pair of offensive lineman in key recruiting weekend
The Gophers football program held is second “Summer Splash” recruiting weekend, and on Sunday coach P.J. Fleck and his staff began receiving commitments from players who made their official visits to campus. The first players to commit from the group of 13 visitors were a pair of offensive linemen: Mark Handy, a three-star recruit from La Cueva High School in …
Read More »Imagining SEC name change possibilities from Waffle House to Tito’s to Nick Saban
The Big 12, as you once knew it, is long gone. Half of the membership from the original dozen teams vamoosed. The conference’s name itself might be the next to go. What’s in a name? Money, in this case. The Big 12 preserved its name even while it operated with 10 and later 14 teams. Now, that it’s back to …
Read More »Rivals Five-Star: West prospects that can boost ranking at event
Adam Friedman/Rivals.com The Rivals Five-Star is June 25-26 in Jacksonville, and the top high school football prospects from across the country will compete against each other in the summer’s marquee event. Many of these competitors are known quantities after competing at other events, but others have had fewer opportunities against elite competition and will have a chance to boost their …
Read More »The six college football QBs replacing 2024 first-round draft picks, ranked by best chance of success
A few weeks ago, I locked myself in my film cave and meticulously analyzed every snap of coaches’ film to evaluate the six quarterbacks stepping in to replace the outgoing 2024 first-round picks from the 2024 NFL Draft. Some took a long time (new Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel), while others, thanks to a smaller sample size, were much shorter, though …
Read More »Steelers WR coach Zach Azzanni on George Pickens: “It’s right there for him”
Steelers receiver George Pickens has superstar potential. For whatever reason (and part of the problem is the team hasn’t given him enough chances), it has yet to fully emerge. With a revamped offensive coaching staff, led by new coordinator Arthur Smith and including new receivers coach Zach Azzanni, Pickens in his third year might finally become what the Steelers need …
Read More »With expectations low, Chargers have high hopes they’ll answer big questions at camp
Coach Jim Harbaugh (brown hoodie) is pointing the Chargers in a new direction. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Over the franchise’s last 19 games, the Chargers have won five times. This is a team that has beaten one opponent that finished with a winning record since Dec. 5, 2021, a stretch covering 40 games. The over/under win total …
Read More »Colorado the only Big 12 team in PFF’s top 10 college football receiving corps
The Colorado Buffaloes have a talented group of receivers in Boulder, arguably the best in the 16-team Big 12 Conference. Pro Football Focus college analyst Max Chadwick thinks so, ranking Travis Hunter and Co. on his list of college football’s top 10 best receiving corps. The black and gold were the only team in the Big 12 to make the …
Read More »After mini (camp) previews, these are questions Rams must answer in training camp
Rams coach Sean McVay was surrounded by prospects during OTA practices this spring. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Optimism abounded, though it was tempered by uncertainty. That is how the Rams entered their summer break. Players emerged last week from voluntary offseason workouts without major injuries, star receiver Cooper Kupp appeared to regain his form, and coach Sean McVay …
Read More »SEC Football Power Index rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?
The SEC just got more dangerous. Football powerhouses such as Georgia and Alabama already call the conference home. But now OU and Texas, two heavyweights from the Big 12, are also in the mix. The SEC boasts numerous teams capable of reaching the College Football Playoff. And with the 2024 season set to begin in late August, the conference hierarchy …
Read More »Film Study – Michael Thomas III gives Rutgers football an electric player
The Tuesday commitment of Michael Thomas III gives Rutgers football a high-level athlete with elite attributes. Thomas from Donovan Catholic (Toms River, New Jersey) has elite speed, great footwork, strong hands, a solid frame, and excellent hands. He is the kind of player who could be special for Rutgers. He is a multi-sport athlete, recording a 10.76-second 100-yard dash in …
Read More »Imagining SEC name change possibilities from Waffle House to Tito’s to Nick Saban | Toppmeyer
The Big 12, as you once knew it, is long gone. Half of the membership from the original dozen teams vamoosed. The conference’s name itself might be the next to go. What’s in a name? Money, in this case. The Big 12 preserved its name even while it operated with 10 and later 14 teams. Now, that it’s back to …
Read More »When P. T. Barnum (excuse me, Brett Yormark) comes to college sports
Welcome to SEC Unfiltered, the USA TODAY NETWORK’s newsletter on SEC sports. Look for this newsletter in your inbox Monday through Friday. Today, SEC columnist Blake Toppmeyer takes over: P.T. Barnum got a new idea. This one pertains to college sports. How fitting, considering college athletics is a bit of a circus. Excuse me, it’s not Barnum who thought up this bright …
Read More »