Cincinnati Bearcats guard Luke Kandra
A constant for Cincinnati Bearcats football the past two seasons on the offensive line has been guard Luke Kandra. After two stellar seasons of missing no starts, the former Elder High School Panther appeared to be primed to be selected in Saturday's later rounds of the NFL draft.
But, after a day of waiting and seeing teammate John Williams get picked late by the Green Bay Packers with the 250th of 257 picks, Kandra's name was not called. The upside of that in the late rounds, is a player can pick a team where they may have a better shot at a roster spot.
Advertisement
"We're just figuring that out now," Kandra said April 26.
The broad-shouldered guard should have no shortage of suitors and Bengals president Mike Brown even made a point to speak with Kandra when he appeared at the local college workout the team annually holds for potential players.
Still, there was no hiding the disappointment from Kandra.
"It was a shocker," Kandra said. "But, I've got more fuel to the fire (now)."
Kandra's comments were brief as his agent was ringing him up to discuss future plans. The Enquirer will post those plans as soon as they are made public. By many draft ratings, Kandra was the highest-rated Cincinnati Bearcat available Saturday.
Advertisement
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound Kandra is nearly 24 years old and was married last summer. He was recruited out of Elder by Scott Satterfield at Louisville and followed his coach to come home and play at Nippert Stadium with the Bearcats. In addition to his blocking, he earned an MBA at UC.
Jul 9, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Cincinnati offensive linemen Luke Kandra speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Kandra is strong, throwing up 33 reps of 225 pounds at the NFL Combine, the best of any offensive lineman. At UC, he was only whistled for one penalty over two seasons. Both seasons he was named First Team All-Big 12 and both seasons he helped clear the way for Corey Kiner to run for over 1,000 yards.
Dartanyan Tinsley
Kandra's linemate Tinsley, who now checks in at 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds, told The Enquirer he had signed with the Cleveland Browns Saturday. That pairs him with former UC defensive lineman Jowon Briggs, drafted by the Browns last season.
Cincinnati Bearcats offensive lineman Dartanyan Tinsley signed a free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns April 26.
Tinsley will have no shortage of quarterbacks in Cleveland to protect as the Brown took both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the draft.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats guard Luke Kandra
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Predicting the Big 12's top wide receivers for the 2025 season
Predicting the Big 12's top wide receivers for the 2025 season While the Big 12 lost several top wide receivers to the NFL, 2025 could still be a tremendous year for pass catchers in the conference. The Big 12 was dominated by NFL-caliber talent last season, with Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan and Colorado's Travis Hunter leading the charge. However, of the conference's top ten receivers from last season, seven are now in the NFL. That turnover opens the door for a new wave of familiar faces and new playmakers to emerge and seize the spotlight in 2025. Despite losing top receivers, the conference is still returning top quarterbacks. Signal callers such as TCU's Josh Hoover and Iowa State's Rocco Becht will be looking for new targets in 2025, leaving ample opportunities for new No. 1 receivers across the Big 12. In addition to the exodus of elite wideouts, the Big 12 also saw many of its top running backs head to the NFL, which could shift offenses even more toward the passing game. With only a few proven bell-cow backs, several teams could lean more heavily on the play of their quarterbacks and receiver corps to move the chains. Some schools reshaped their wide receiver room through the transfer portal, but some schools are banking on underclassmen from last year to step up. With the 2025 season getting closer each day, here are our predictions for the Big 12's receiving leaders. If you're interested in the passing or rushing leaders, we've got you covered with our breakdown of the conference's top projected quarterbacks and top running backs as well. 10. Sincere Brown, Colorado Buffaloes The Buffs hit the transfer portal heavy for wide receivers after losing Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester. As a four-star transfer, Brown had a breakout season at Campbell, hauling in 61 receptions, 1,028 yards, and 12 touchdowns. If Brown can replicate his success at Campbell, he should be an immediate playmaker for Colorado. While the Pokes might not have the best year in 2025, Stribling should still find success. The 6-foot-2 wide out tallied 882 yards on 52 receptions in 2024. With his size and speed, he will be a reliable target regardless of how Oklahoma State performs this season. 8. Chase Roberts, BYU Cougars Roberts was the standout player for the Cougars last year and should see increased production in 2025. He averaged 16.4 yards per reception in 2024 while racking up 854 yards on 52 receptions. If BYU has another stellar year, Roberts should be a key to that success. 7. Josh Cameron, Baylor Bears Baylor should have a big year in 2025, and a big part of that will be a big season from one of their pass catchers. Baylor is returning quarterback Sawyer Robertson's top receiver from last season in Josh Cameron. The 6-foot-1 wide out racked up 754 yards, but should have more production this season if he takes another step forward. 6. Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech Red Raiders Texas Tech lost their top receiver, Josh Kelly, but they are replacing him with a player of the same caliber. The 6-foot-4 Douglas caught 60 passes for 877 yards, being the No. 2 wide receiver behind Kelly. That is elite production for a No. 2 receiver. Now, as quarterback Behren Morton's No. 1 option, Douglas should have major success in 2025. 5. Jayce Brown, Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State is full of speedsters, and Brown is undoubtedly one of them. The 6-foot wide out averaged 17.5 yards per reception in 2024 and should have success for the Big 12 title-contending Wildcats in 2025. If quarterback Avery Johnson makes the jump, Brown should have even more success as the No. 1 target. 4. Joseph Williams, Colorado Buffaloes The Buffs have a steep task of replacing Travis Hunter, and Williams is the guy for the Job. Last season with Tulsa, Williams brought in 30 receptions for 588 yards, good for 19.6 yards per catch. He should make a big jump from his freshman season at Tulsa to his sophomore year at Colorado. 3. Chase Sowell, Iowa State Cyclones The Cyclones lost both of their top wide receivers to the NFL. The solution? Bring in one of the top transfer recruits in the nation. Sowell tallied 678 yards on just 34 receptions, good for a gaudy 19.9 yards per reception. His 6-foot-4 frame should fit in nicely with the Iowa State offense and be the top pass catcher for quarterback Rocco Becht. 2. Jordan Dwyer, TCU Horned Frogs TCU also lost its top receiver, but may have upgraded with the four-star transfer. With Idaho, Dwyer was a workhorse, hauling in 78 receptions for 1,192 yards. With TCU returning talented quarterback Josh Hoover, he should have similar production to what he had with the Vandals. There is no doubt that Tyson can be the Big 12's best receiver in 2025. With running back Cam Skattebo in the NFL but quarterback Sam Leavitt returning for the Sun Devils, Tyson is set up for a productive season. In 2024, he tallied 1,101 yards on 75 receptions and could receive even more opportunities in 2025. Contact/Follow us@BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
Ten roster moves that shaped the Big 12 football offseason
If the newest era of college football has taught us anything, it's that roster management is now the most critical task for a coaching staff. From the transfer portal to recruiting, it's a constant numbers game for coaches hoping to strike the perfect balance to field the most competitive team possible. Advertisement The Athletic is examining 10 key roster developments that shaped the offseason in each Power 4 conference. Up Monday: The Big 12. Let's dive in. No school in the Big 12 was more productive in the portal than Texas Tech. Coach Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders brought in 20-plus commits, including 13 four stars, as ranked by 247Sports. Outside linebacker David Bailey comes to Lubbock by way of Stanford, where he played three seasons and finished 2024 with seven sacks. Howard Sampson returns to his home state after spending the 2024 season at North Carolina, where he logged more than 800 snaps and started 12 games at left tackle. Linebacker Romello Height is a fellow former ACC starter, having helped anchor Georgia Tech's defense a season ago. And former five-star wide receiver recruit Micah Hudson is back with the program after transferring (briefly) to Texas A&M. Thanks to this influx of talent, along with the return of quarterback Behren Morton, the Red Raiders should be among the favorites to win the league. The Sun Devils were one of the fun surprises of the 2024 season, reaching the College Football Playoff and taking Texas into double overtime at the Peach Bowl. Just six days after the loss, Leavitt announced he'd be returning to the Sun Devils for another year. Leavitt — who set a school record for total offense by a freshman in 2024 with 3,328 yards — lost his star running back, Cam Skattebo, to the NFL but will be in good company in the backfield with Army transfer Kanye Udoh (1,117 rushing yards in 2024). Where else would I rather be?! 🔱#forksup @SunAngelNIL — Sam Leavitt (@S_leav10) January 7, 2025 Avery Johnson, the exciting, young Kansas State quarterback, would have had plenty of suitors had he decided to leave the Wildcats and enter the transfer portal. But Kansas State retained him and should be a contender to win the conference as a result. Johnson, a former four-star recruit in the Class of 2023, finished the 2024 season with 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He'll need to improve his accuracy, but should feel extra comfortable in the system now that quarterbacks coach Matt Wells has been promoted to offensive coordinator. Advertisement Kansas State also added a key offensive piece in Linkon Cure, a top-40 national recruit who signed with the home-state Wildcats despite a late push by Oregon. Cure, the program's highest-rated signee of the modern era, is also a state championship-winning hurdler who gives Kansas State an athletic presence in the passing game. A 5 star who stayed in high school to set state records did just that on Saturday in Wichita! Linkon Cure ran a 14.36 to be the new 3A boys state record holder in the 110 meter hurdles! Take a look at history! @goodlandAD @sportsinkansas @KSHSAA @kansasrunning — KCMCsports (@KCMCsports) June 2, 2025 Cam Rising, who led Utah to Pac-12 championships in 2021 and 2022, announced last month that he was medically retiring from football after a tumultuous few years dealing with injuries. The Utes have their next quarterback in place, though. Devon Dampier transferred into the program in December from New Mexico, where he became the first QB in program history to earn first-team All-Mountain West honors. Dampier, like Johnson at K-State, will need to be more accurate in 2025 after throwing 12 interceptions and completing under 60 percent of his attempts in 2024. But he is a legit dual-threat who threw for 2,768 yards and ran for 1,166 with 31 total touchdowns last season. Even better: His offensive coordinator from New Mexico, Jason Beck, also made the move to Utah this season and is the team's new play caller. All eyes are on Colorado and coach Deion Sanders, who must replace his son, QB Shedeur Sanders, along with Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. The Buffs have a couple of options. Kaidon Salter, the likely starter, transferred from Liberty after throwing for 1,886 yards and rushing for 579 in 2024. Four-star quarterback Julian Lewis also enrolled in December after flipping from USC to Colorado in November. Lewis, the nation's No. 50 prospect and No. 6 quarterback, is considered the future of the program. Advertisement Coach Rich Rodriguez's return to West Virginia was one of the more fascinating developments of the offseason. The Mountaineers will have an entirely different roster in 2025, with 40-plus players having transferred out and 30-plus transferring in. That's in addition to the 25 high school prospects the program signed. Defensive linemen Jimmori Robinson from UTSA and Eddie Kelly Jr. from Missouri, as well as offensive lineman Carson Lee from Eastern Michigan, headline the transfer class. Robinson was particularly disruptive for the Roadrunners a season ago, finishing with 10 1/2 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. On the high school front, four-star cornerback Dawayne Galloway and four-star defensive lineman Taylor Brown are the two blue-chippers in the class. Rodriguez is looking at 50-plus new players in his first season back with the Mountaineers. Iowa State lost its top two receivers from 2024 in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, who are now both with the Houston Texans. The hope is that Chase Sowell, a transfer from ECU, can slide in and give the Cyclones a big-play threat. Sowell dealt with a hamstring injury late last season but still had 678 yards receiving and three touchdowns. Perhaps most impressive: his 19.9 yards-per-catch average. In case you missed it, the 2024 season was a rough one for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys won just three games, the fewest in coach Mike Gundy's 20 seasons at his alma mater. The response? Gundy cleaned house with his staff and beefed up his roster. Markell Samuel should be able to provide immediate help up front after starting 11 games at left tackle for Appalachian State in 2024. Wide receiver Terrill Davis set single-season records at Central Oklahoma last year with 1,609 receiving yards and 15 TD catches. Quarterback Hauss Hejny comes to Stillwater by way of TCU, and former Marshall wide receiver Christian Fitzpatrick finished 2024 as the Thundering Herd's leading receiver with 576 yards. Defensively, look for end Kyran Duhon to make some noise. The UTEP transfer earned second-team Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic in 2024 after recording seven sacks in 12 games. Arizona knew it would need some help at running back after its leading rusher, Quali Conley, wrapped up his eligibility last season and headed to the NFL. Enter Ismail Mahdi, a first-team All-Sun Belt selection last season who comes to Arizona from Texas State. Mahdi rushed for 2,322 yards and caught 44 passes for 470 yards in two seasons with the Bobcats. He should be an enticing plug-and-play option for the Wildcats, who ranked No. 120 nationally in rushing a season ago. Advertisement Conner Weigman, the 2022 five-star prospect, had a tough time with the Aggies, largely due to injuries. But at his best — and healthiest — he's still a productive quarterback with plenty of tread on the tires. He and Houston need each other, which could make this a nice little marriage. The Cougars finished No. 128 nationally in total offense and No. 126 in passing offense in coach Willie Fritz's first season. They need some help, and Weigman needs a fresh start. Fritz also brought in a handful of players around Weigman, including Dean Connors from Rice at running back and Tanner Koziol (Ball State) and Luke McGary (Tulsa) at tight end. Slade Nagle is the new offensive coordinator, which reunites him with Fritz from their Tulane days after Nagle spent the 2024 season at LSU. (Photo of Devon Dampier: Jake Crandall / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Big 12 Official Makes Final Decision on Controversial Penalty From BYU-Utah
Big 12 Official Makes Final Decision on Controversial Penalty From BYU-Utah originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Utah athletic director Mark Harlan showed his passionate side during last year's Holy War matchup. After storming the field and declaring his displeasure with the Big 12 in the postgame press conference, he was given a definitive answer on a controversial fourth down penalty. Advertisement Big 12 officials coordinator Greg Burks said the holding call that extended BYU's game-winning drive against Utah was the correct call, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. BYU was down by two points and faced a 4th and 10 at their own 9 with 1:30 to go. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff was sacked on the play, but it was negated due to a holding penalty with receiver JoJo Phillips on the ground. The Big 12 officials called a holding penalty on Utah's Zemaiah Vaughn for pulling Phillips down. The call extended the drive, allowing Will Ferrin to boot a 44-yard field goal as time expired. Harlan said the contest was 'stolen' from Utah. He was later fined $40K by the Big 12. The Avalanche-Journal obtained a copy of the Big 12's response to the University of Utah through an open records request and published it on Friday. In total, Utah questioned six calls from the game. The one most scrutinized was the holding call. Advertisement Related: Lil Wayne Turns Heads With Shout Out to Former BYU Star in Tha Carter VI '(Retzlaff) looks to (Phillips) immediately after the snap, as the receiver moves to go around the defender, the defender grabs the receiver and prevents him from running his route. Correct call,' Burks said in response to Utah's questioning of the call, according to The Avalanche-Journal. Related: BYU Officials Send Clear Message About Jake Retzlaff's Future in Provo The report helps put to bed the controversy between the Cougars and Utes. This year's edition of the Holy War will shift to Provo on Oct. 18. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
