INDIANAPOLIS — And then there were four. Well, at least four. That seems to be the general consensus among personnel men regarding the quarterback class coming out of this past week’s NFL scouting combine. More precisely: As we roll toward the pro day circuit and personal workouts, a swath of talent evaluators believe that Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy has joined USC’s …

MIAMI — Chris Ewald Jr. has been a star on state title teams at Chaminade-Madonna, but he earned an individual honor on Sunday afternoon. The four-star prospect was one of more than 200 high school prospects to suit up for Under Armour’s Next Football Camp series at Miami’s Ives Estates Park, but he was one of two who earned invitations …

Report: 49ers expected to address Aiyuk extension after free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area Another 49ers offseason, another contract extension saga — this time, for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. But San Francisco has an excellent track record of paying its proven stars what they deserve, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport doesn’t believe that will change with Aiyuk. …

INDIANAPOLIS — Caleb Williams marketed the decision differently. As USC’s star quarterback confirmed he was indeed declining to participate in medical evaluations at the NFL scouting combine, he clarified that he wasn’t declining to undergo medical evaluations altogether. Rather, Williams will cycle through medical evaluations with teams whom he visits in the coming weeks leading up to the NFL Draft. …

The NFL scouting combine has come and gone, with many prospects showing off their skills in front of league personnel for the first time. This year’s crop of players had some strong performances and some duds, giving us the perfect avenue for a classic winners and losers evaluation from the 2024 combine. Winners Fiske turned heads with his performance during …

Ex-NFL QB believes drafting Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze would give Bears ‘scariest’ rookie duo originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago Former Chicago Bears quarterback Chase Daniel believes the Bears have an opportunity to make a huge splash in the 2024 NFL Draft if they play their cards right. On NFL Network, Daniel said if the Bears draft USC quarterback Caleb …

If you can’t beat ’em, hire ’em. Apparently, that’s what the 49ers considered after firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Via Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area, ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently reported that the 49ers explored luring Steve Spagnuolo away from the Chiefs. Spagnuolo’s contract was expiring. He could have gone anywhere. He signed an extension with the Chiefs. The …

WASHINGTON — Longtime Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov cleared waivers Sunday after not being claimed by any of the NHL’s other 31 teams and has been assigned to Hershey of the American Hockey League. The Capitals put Kuznetsov on waivers Saturday, hours after he was cleared to practice by administrators for the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. It’s unclear if Kuznetsov …

Chris Mortensen, an award-winning ESPN reporter who covered the NFL, dies at 72 originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago Chris Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died Sunday morning. He was 72. ESPN confirmed Mortensen’s death on Sunday. There was no immediate word on the …

One of the top linebackers in the 2025 recruiting class has narrowed his list of schools down to a final list of 10. Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers have made the list. LSU joins Alabama, Florida State, Oregon, Ohio State, USC, Texas A&M, Nebraska, SMU and Texas in the final 10. Elijah Barnes is a 6-foot-2, 225-pound, four-star linebacker …

USATSI Former NFL wide receiver Braylon Edwards rescued an 80-year-old man who was being assaulted inside a Michigan YMCA locker room this past Friday.  Edwards, a standout receiver at Michigan who enjoyed an eight-year NFL career, stopped a 25-year-old from further assaulting the elderly man. Edwards said he initially heard an argument about music and how loud it was being …

Joe Burrow still hasn’t been fully cleared for full contact after tearing a ligament in his throwing wrist in November, but he has a date in mind for when he wants to return. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is hoping to get full clearance by “the middle of May,” he told ESPN. “Over the next month [to] month and a half, …

University of Michigan players have done their pre-draft training all over the country, but 18 of them came back together only weeks after winning the national championship. The Wolverines set the Scouting Combine record by sending 18 prospects to Indianapolis. “It feels like Schembechler Hall around here,” Michigan edge rusher Braiden McGregor said. “Everywhere I’ve looked, you see everybody. It’s …

The Bills are moving on from running back Nyheim Hines. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Buffalo plans to release Hines at some point in the coming week. By making that known now, the Bills are likely signaling that they’re willing to trade Hines if any team is interested in parting with an asset for him. Schefter notes that Hines will …

Chris Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died Sunday morning. He was 72. ESPN confirmed Mortensen’s death on Sunday. There was no immediate word on the cause or place of death. “Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, …