Now that he’s retired, Aaron Donald is finally ready to give up his crown as the NFL’s defensive king. Donald, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year during his 10-year career with the Rams, has passed the baton to Steelers defensive standout T.J. Watt.  “If you wanna say that next guy, that defensive player, I would say right now it’s …

Oregon Ducks defensive back Jahlil Florence (right) defends a pass against Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Tiger Bachmeier (left) during the first quarter at Stanford Stadium in September 2023. Cornerback Jahlil Florence, whose breakout sophomore season was cut short by injury, hasn’t yet participated in any of Oregon football’s spring practices. There is optimism, however, that he could be back on …

USATSI The Houston Texans got a new weapon for quarterback C.J. Stroud this week, acquiring former Buffalo Bills star Stefon Diggs via trade. It turns out Diggs got a little something in return. Not only will the wide receiver join one of the AFC’s upstart contenders, but he’s also headed for 2025 free agency, according to ESPN, after Houston agreed …

Patriots pre-NFL Draft tracker: Updates on top 30 visits, meetings originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston The New England Patriots are busy doing their due diligence on the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. After finishing last in the AFC with a 4-13 record last season, it is of the utmost importance for the Patriots that they conduct a …

Saturday will mark the 16th spring game of the Dabo Swinney era at Clemson, and as with every game before it, fans will have a lot to keep their eyes on. Generating some of the most buzz this spring is highly touted freshman receiver Bryant Wesco, a five-star recruit from Midlothian, Texas. Wesco was ranked the No. 6 receiver in …

Greg Auman NFC South Reporter During an offseason in which the Panthers have had such heavy turnover on their defense, Carolina took a major step Friday to lock up a central part of that unit, signing defensive tackle Derrick Brown to a four-year extension worth $96 million. Brown, who turns 26 this month, made his first Pro Bowl this past …

Getty Images The Carolina Panthers are keeping one of their defensive anchors in-house for the foreseeable future. The club has agreed to a four-year, $96 million extension with star defensive tackle Derrick Brown, according to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones.  The massive deal includes $63.165 million guaranteed, per ESPN. Brown’s $24 million AAV now has him as one …

We are under three weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft. Yes, that reads like the “It Is Your Birthday” banner hung by Dwight Schrute at Dunder Mifflin, but I felt compelled to toss aside my normal aversion to writing a calendar lede out of sheer excitement that the draft is that darn close!  While we got more clarity on …

Wisconsin football stepped up its game in November of 2022 with the hire of Luke Fickell, one of the industry’s hottest young names. The move marked a substantial philosophical change by Chris McIntosh and the athletic department. It was a clear attempt to invest in an infrastructure that can compete in the modern age of college athletics. The results will …

The Panthers are locking up one of their best players. Carolina has agreed to a four-year extension with defensive tackle Derrick Brown, the team announced on Friday. Multiple reports initially indicate Brown’s deal is worth $96 million with $63 million guaranteed. Brown, who turns 26 this month, was the No. 7 overall pick in 2020. He has become a key …

ESPN’s Craig Haubert authored the publication’s latest top-25 rankings for the 2025 college football recruiting cycle and the Florida Gators were among the top schools in the country. Coming off a disappointing 2024 class that was highly ranked at one point but saw a handful of defectors when it came time to sign the scholarship offers. When the dust finally …

Victoria Matiash, Fantasy HockeyApr 5, 2024, 01:00 PM ET CloseESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010 Clock’s ticking. There are fewer than two weeks left for fantasy managers who remain in the competitive thick of matters to make the most of each and every opportunity. Thirteen days. So, with many perceived favorable match-ups peppering this long weekend’s schedule – …

What would it take for Patriots to trade down from No. 3 pick in draft? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston The New England Patriots will probably get calls from several teams looking to trade up in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. And according to our Tom E. Curran, it’s going to take quite a large package …

Nick Lucero/Rivals.com The 2026 Rivals250 was unveiled last month and programs around the country are beginning to sort out their priorities for the next recruiting cycle. Here are five programs from the Midwest Region that are off to good starts with the 2026 class. THIS SERIES: Five East Coast programs off to strong starts for 2026 | Mid-South | Southeast …

Getty Images They say everything is bigger in Texas. But can one of the state’s marquee football cities really handle two pro football teams? Its mayor thinks so.  Dallas mayor Eric Johnson is publicly supporting a return to Dallas for the Kansas City Chiefs after a sales tax in Jackson County, Missouri, was shot down by voters earlier this week. …