logo
Urban Meyer: Percy Harvin is 'the greatest player to put on a helmet'

Urban Meyer: Percy Harvin is 'the greatest player to put on a helmet'

Fox Sports13-06-2025
Between Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State, Urban Meyer has seen remarkable talent on the football field.
Over his 17 years of coaching at the collegiate level, one player stands out as the "greatest."
Meyer boasts a star-studded roster of players who made it to the NFL, including Tim Tebow, Cam Newton and Terry McLaurin. He also coached Joey Bosa, Taylor Decker, Ezekiel Elliott and Michael Thomas, all of whom were on Ohio State's national championship team in 2014.
Yet, the player Meyer considers the greatest is former Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin.
Meyer led the Gators from 2005-2010, and Harvin played for the team from 2006-08, winning two BCS national championships.
In a recent episode of "The Triple Option" podcast, Meyer spoke to FOX broadcasters Mark Ingram and Rob Stone about Harvin.
"I've said this and not many people disagree who watched him, or played against him, or played with him," Meyer said . "I think he's arguably the greatest player to put on a helmet. He's the most violent runner I've ever had, and Mark, he never got hit. We used to say he'd have eyes on the side and the back of his head. He was extremely smart."
Throughout his career at Gainesville, Harvin was a threat both in the air and on the ground. He recorded 133 receptions for 1,929 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,852 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Harvin holds the Florida record for most career yards rushing by a wide receiver (1,852) and the most rushing yards in a single season by a receiver (858 yards in 2007).
After his time in Florida, Harvin was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 22nd pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He then won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He last played in the NFL in 2016 with the Buffalo Bills.
​​Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
recommended
Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Appeals court agrees NFL can be put on trial over claims Black coaches face discrimination.
Appeals court agrees NFL can be put on trial over claims Black coaches face discrimination.

Associated Press

timea few seconds ago

  • Associated Press

Appeals court agrees NFL can be put on trial over claims Black coaches face discrimination.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL can be put on trial over civil claims that Brian Flores and other Black coaches face discrimination, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, finding insurmountable flaws with a league arbitration process that would permit Commissioner Roger Goodell to serve as arbitrator. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld Judge Valerie Caproni's ruling that Flores can proceed with claims against the league and three teams: the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans. In a written decision, the appeals court said the NFL arbitration rules violate the Federal Arbitration Act to explain why Flores and other coaches should be permitted to take their claims to trial rather than be forced into arbitration. The 2nd Circuit said the NFL constitution's arbitration provision 'contractually provides for no independent arbitral forum, no bilateral dispute resolution, and no procedure.' 'Instead, it offends basic presumptions of our arbitration jurisprudence' by forcing claims to be decided by the NFL's 'principal executive officer,' the appeals court said. Messages for comment were sent to lawyers for the league and coaches who sued. In February 2022, Flores sued the league and several teams, saying the league was 'rife with racism,' particularly in its hiring and promotion of Black coaches. Other coaches later joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs. After filing his lawsuit, Flores said he believed he was risking the coaching career he loves by suing the NFL, but he said it was worth it for generations to come if he could succeed in challenging systemic racism in the league. Flores is currently the defense coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. Caproni said in a March 2023 decision that descriptions by the coaches of their experiences of racial discrimination in a league with a 'long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers — are incredibly troubling.' 'Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black,' she said.

Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders sidelined with oblique injury, unlikely to play against Eagles
Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders sidelined with oblique injury, unlikely to play against Eagles

Associated Press

timea few seconds ago

  • Associated Press

Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders sidelined with oblique injury, unlikely to play against Eagles

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cleveland rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders remained sidelined from practice Thursday with an oblique injury and it was unlikely he would play in the Browns' preseason game against the Eagles. Sanders sustained the injury during drills ahead of practice Wednesday. Sanders and the Browns were in Philadelphia for a pair of joint practices ahead of Saturday's preseason game. The Browns said Sanders is day to day. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said ahead of Thursday's practice that Sanders would be out 'for a little bit' and the team wanted to be smart with his health because the former Colorado standout is 'a thrower.' 'If you're a right guard, you can kind of play though that,' Stefanski said. 'When it's a quarterback, you kind of need that muscle to throw.' Sanders wasn't completely ruled out for Saturday's game. Stefanski said backup Joe Flacco won't play against the Eagles. Tyler 'Snoop' Huntley and Dillon Gabriel could get the bulk of playing time. Kenny Pickett is limited with a hamstring injury. Sanders completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards with two first-half touchdown passes to Kaden Davis in his NFL preseason debut in a win over Carolina on Friday night. The Browns took Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL draft. He wasn't selected until the 144th overall pick, a stunning fall for one of the most recognizable players in the draft class. Sanders finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season for Colorado and threw for a school-record 4,134 yards last season. 'Injuries stink for all these guys,' Stefanski said. 'They don't want to miss a rep for any reason. There's a way to continue to prepare to continue to get better even when you're not getting those reps because of injury.' ___ AP NFL:

2025 Fantasy Football Tight End Preview: The Big 3, and everyone else
2025 Fantasy Football Tight End Preview: The Big 3, and everyone else

Yahoo

time28 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

2025 Fantasy Football Tight End Preview: The Big 3, and everyone else

At tight end in 2025, there's a clear dividing line. George Kittle, Brock Bowers and Trey McBride aren't just the top three on my board — they're in their own tier, a category reserved for players who project as the unquestioned No. 1 target earners of their offenses. People will debate which one should be ranked first, but the reality is they're all true TE1s. If you land any of them, you're drafting the focal point of an NFL passing game. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] McBride led all tight ends with a 29.3% target share and topped the position in expected fantasy points per game (19.2), turning that into 111 receptions, 1,146 yards and 15.6 fantasy points per game — second-best at the position. Bowers commanded a position-leading 153 targets, finishing first in receptions (112), yards (1,194) and yards after the catch (596), while matching McBride's fantasy output at 15.5 points per game. His ability to create downfield separation (2.09 yards) and post a 27.8% dominator rating as a rookie is absurd. Kittle continues to be the model of efficiency — first in yards per route run (3.10), yards per target (11.8) and yards per reception (14.2) — and matched the others in production at 15.8 points per game. His eight touchdowns tied for second among tight ends, and his 2.33 yards per team pass attempt was also best at the position. These are your 'Big 3' — whichever one you land, you're drafting a player with a locked-in role, elite metrics and weekly difference-making upside. RayG's Top 24 Fantasy Tight Ends for 2025 George Kittle Brock Bowers Trey McBride Travis Kelce TJ Hockenson Mark Andrews Sam LaPorta Evan Engram Tucker Kraft David Njoku Tyler Warren Dallas Goedert Jake Ferguson Dalton Kincaid Zach Ertz Hunter Henry Jonnu Smith Brenton Strange Kyle Pitts Sr. Colston Loveland Mike Gesicki Dalton Schultz Ja'Tavion Sanders Mason Taylor Preferred Draft Strategy My plan at tight end is simple — I'm chasing elite outcomes. The players whose offenses run through them. The guys who can give you 20 points in any given week and finish as the WR1 in their own offense. If I get Kittle, Bowers or McBride, I'm locking them in as my starter every week, only sitting them for their bye. If I don't land one of those top options, I pivot to cost-conscious plays with paths to volume. In that middle TE8–TE16 range, I'll take small bites but rarely go heavy-exposure. At that point, I'd rather throw late darts on players who can massively outperform ADP and give me a streaming edge. [Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Plus and unlock Instant Mock Drafts today] 3 Tight Ends I'm Targeting at Cost Tyler Warren, Colts – Rookie tight ends rarely deliver right away (Bowers and LaPorta bucked that trend), but Warren steps into a clear role in a shallow target tree. Indianapolis will play conservatively, and Warren's athleticism plus early opportunity make him worth the shot at his price. Hunter Henry, Patriots – While the focus in New England is on Drake Maye's young wide receivers, Henry remains the constant. He ranked top 10 in air yards share (19.2%), red-zone targets (18) and expected fantasy points per game (12.2). At cost, he's one of the few tight ends outside the elite tier who can realistically lead his team in touchdowns. Ja'Tavion Sanders, Panthers – Bryce Young needs middle-of-the-field weapons, and Sanders' second-year jump could be real. Practically free, with room to grow into a key target-earner. Sleepers to Watch Elijah Arroyo, Seahawks – Seattle's rookie from Miami is one of the best downfield weapons in the 2025 tight end class. Right now, his path to fantasy relevance may only require beating out AJ Barner for the starting job. In an offense with Cooper Kupp underneath and Jaxon Smith-Njigba stretching the field across multiple formations, Arroyo could carve out chunk plays as soon as Year 1. Tyler Conklin, Chargers – Conklin isn't going to break fantasy scoring records, but in deep formats he's a free square for a steady floor. The Chargers will be without LT Rashawn Slater, meaning quick throws to safety valves like Conklin could be a bigger part of Justin Herbert's plan. With Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey commanding coverage, Conklin should see favorable 1-on-1s — a solid waiver-wire TE who won't give you a zero. Zach Ertz, Commanders – A 34-year-old veteran with little dynasty appeal but sneaky 2025 value. With Terry McLaurin's status in Washington up in the air, Ertz steps in as Jayden Daniels' likely security blanket. His ability to find soft spots in coverage makes him a high-floor streaming option who could easily outproduce ADP. 1 Fade at Cost Sam LaPorta, Lions – I love the talent, but he's coming off the board as TE4 in most drafts — three spots ahead of my ranking. We don't know what Detroit's offense will look like under new leadership, and paying elite capital for a player in a changing system is a bet I'm not willing to make right now. Final Word If you're going to spend up, spend for the ceiling. The safest path is securing one of the top three and walking away from the position until bye week. If you miss, attack the late rounds with upside swings — because the gap between TE12 and TE24 isn't as wide as most think.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store