
Ohio State wide receiver gets Heisman prediction going into sophomore season
It also won't be a surprise to see that some experts are predicting Smith to take home college football's most coveted individual award, the Heisman Trophy. On3's JD Pickell and host of The Hard Count has logged his prediction for Jeremiah Smith to become the seventh Buckeye to win the Heisman.
That prediction not only says a lot about Smith but also what he feels will come from presumed starting quarterback Julian Sayin. If Smith is to win the eighth Heisman in Ohio State history, he will need a competent quarterback to get him the ball. Pickell is clearly all in on Sayin as plug and play.
In fact, Pickell feels so strongly in the duo, he has Ohio State making it back to the national championship game. However, he would stop short of predicting back-to-back championships for the Bucks, having them fall to the LSU Tigers. Pickell has LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier finishing as the runner-up to Smith in the Heisman race.
Those are some lofty expectations for the Buckeyes, but nothing that is out of the realm of possibility. If things play out the way Pickell sees it, this will be an overwhelmingly successful season, especially with the number of NFL draft picks the Buckeyes lost. Let's be honest, nothing outside of a win over Michigan and a national championship will be good enough for most og Buckeye Nation.
It's a long season, and Ohio State has a tough road ahead. That road starts in just about a month when Texas comes to town for the season opener.
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Fox Sports
43 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
2025 SEC Title Odds: 'There's Not A Real Standout Team'
College Football 2025 SEC Title Odds: 'There's Not A Real Standout Team' Published Aug. 6, 2025 3:06 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Can you believe it: The Southeastern Conference has four teams among the top 10 in College Football Playoff championship odds. Then, two more teams are knocking on the door of the top 10, and there might be a sleeper or two in the mix, as well. So it's no surprise that, for SEC championship odds, bookmakers expect quite a battle to see who takes home the league crown and presumably a first-round bye in the CFP. "The SEC feels more competitive than in past years. It used to be just Georgia and Alabama," Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. "There's not a real standout team, so maybe we will get some variance this year." Feazel serves up his insights into how bettors are playing SEC championship odds. Texas' Time? Texas has been in the SEC all of one season, but it was a pretty good one. The Longhorns reached the SEC title game, losing to Georgia 22-19, though still earning an at-large berth into the College Football Playoff. From there, Texas knocked off Clemson and Arizona State to reach the CFP semifinals, where the Longhorns' season ended in a 28-14 setback to eventual national champion Ohio State. For this season, Caesars opened Texas as the +280 favorite to win the SEC, and the Longhorns are now +260. That said, Feazel remains a little wary. "The Texas Longhorns are still new to this conference, but right now, they're controlling most of the money," Feazel said. Quarterback Quinn Ewers moved on to the NFL, which fully swings open the door for Arch Manning to start. That has early bettors quite enthusiastic. "They're banking on Arch Manning. He's the Heisman Trophy favorite. But is he gonna be that guy this year?" Feazel said. "He does have a high ceiling, but we don't know how low his floor is." ADVERTISEMENT Manning got two starts last year, when Ewers was out with an oblique injury. Those starts came against two overmatched teams: Louisiana-Monroe, in a 51-3 blowout, and Mississippi State, in a 35-13 victory. Joel Klatt on Ohio State-Texas, teams that can win it all and Belichick-UNC Close Behind Georgia is the +375 second choice in SEC championship odds. As noted above, the Bulldogs won the conference title last year, getting a bye to the CFP quarterfinals. That's where the season ended, in a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame. Georgia has played in the last four SEC title games and won back-to-back national crowns in 2021-22 and 2022-23. With that success, though, comes a higher calling for many players: the NFL. "Every year, Georgia loses a lot to the draft," Feazel said. "There are question marks around this team, whether it will have its dominant form." Alabama is the +400 third choice to win the SEC. But as the post-Saban era hits Year 2, bettors aren't quite as intrigued by the Crimson Tide, who didn't reach the SEC final or the CFP last season. "Alabama still has its betting faithful, but there's less action than they were getting in the Saban years," Feazel said. LSU is expected to be in the conference championship mix, as well, and in fact has seen its odds notably improve in the offseason. Caesars opened the Tigers at +1100, and they're now +650. "We have a big Louisiana betting base. That's the case every year," Feazel said, adding there's plenty of belief in QB Garrett Nussmeier. "He will be one of the top quarterbacks drafted next year. The LSU faithful are coming in." Major Mover Oklahoma is a +2500 long shot in odds to win the SEC, but that's significantly better than where the Sooners opened months ago, at +6000. Feazel and oddsmakers at other books feel Brent Venables' squad could be an SEC dark horse. "Oklahoma has one of the hardest schedules, but is getting really good action. More action than you'd expect on Oklahoma," Feazel said. "The Sooners are not the dominant offensive team we've seen in past years. They're trying to get that back. "They seem to be a value play in the SEC, driving a lot of money." Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He's based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas. 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! share


Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Davante Adams Casts Doubt on Travis Hunter's NFL Future
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025 NFL season will feature quite a few intriguing storylines. One of the most intriguing will be attached to Jacksonville Jaguars rookie and No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter. Hunter will be attempting to play both sides of the football like he did during his college career. He plays both wide receiver and cornerback. At least for now, the Jaguars are giving it a shot. Playing both sides of the football is not common. Hunter would be one of the first to be successful at it should he be able to pull off the impressive feat. Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars practices during Training Camp at Miller Electric Center on August 5, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars practices during Training Camp at Miller Electric Center on August 5, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo byWhile it's a buzzing storyline in NFL circles, there has been a lot of skepticism about his ability to make it work. Read more: Peyton Manning Doesn't Hold Back About Denver Broncos One current superstar wide receiver, Davante Adams of the Los Angeles Rams, recently spoke out with his thoughts on the matter. He doesn't see playing both ways working out for Hunter. During an appearance on the "Pivot" podcast, Adams made his thoughts clear. "I don't even think it's possible to do, for real," Adams said. "Not at a high level. Once you get out there playing both sides, now you have to tackle. You've got to tackle Derrick Henry with that frame." Adams makes a good point. Thinking about Hunter trying to take down Derrick Henry does not sound like a pretty sight. However, he is going to give it a shot. Plenty of fans took to the comments section to share their opinions on the matter. What Are NFL Fans Saying? "Ask cooper dejean about how to tackle Derek Henry - it's about technique not how big you are," one fan wrote. Another chimed in, "He won't be able. I think what will happen is if he's needed he can play it." "Davante is just keeping it real," a third comment read. A fourth fan said, "Coming from a realistic place... but doesn't need to be said... Give the kid a chance to prove everyone right/wrong." Read more: Packers QB Jordan Love Sounds Off on Rookie Teammate It will be interesting to see what Hunter is able to do on both sides of the football during his rookie season. He won the Heisman Trophy last year with the Colorado Buffaloes in his final college season. Throughout the 2024 season with Colorado, Hunter racked up 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. Defensively, he totaled 35 tackles, a forced fumble, four interceptions, and 11 defended passes. Hunter doesn't let doubters bother him. Now, he simply has an NFL star to prove wrong. For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.


San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cam Ward, Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty are among the NFL rookies to watch this season
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Impressive and fantastic are a couple of the words that have been used to describe Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward as the No. 1-overall pick in April's draft takes over as the starter for a franchise that won just three games last season. Yes, the preseason means many rookies will be surrounded by the hype that made them top draft picks, even if some might be tagged already as potential busts soon to be forgotten. Ward isn't the only one being watched closely to see how his first NFL season turns out. Travis Hunter will have to show he really can play wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL, just like he did in winning the Heisman Trophy at Colorado. The Las Vegas Raiders certainly hope Ashton Jeanty runs through defenses like he did at Boise State. Abdul Carter won't have to carry the New York Giants' pass rush by himself. Then there's Shedeur Sanders, who was projected to be a first-round selection but who wasn't taken until the fifth round by Cleveland. After his draft slide, everybody will be monitoring what Sanders does all season long. Here's a closer look at some of the NFL rookies to watch this season: Cam Ward The Titans tried to temper expectations for the rookie during the offseason. They embraced giving him as much work as possible and listed him as the starter to start the preseason with Will Levis' decision to have season-ending shoulder surgery. Ward has shown the ability to adapt quickly after playing at three different colleges. He set a Division I record with 158 touchdown passes in his career. He threw for 18,184 yards during his college career while running for 473 yards and 20 more TDs. He became an AP All-American at Miami. Titans coach Brian Callahan, who worked with Joe Burrow as a rookie in Cincinnati as the Bengals' offensive coordinator, has studied how other top picks fared in their rookie seasons at quarterback, hoping to help Ward avoid missteps. 'There's really no stone unturned when it comes to getting a rookie quarterback ready,' Callahan said. 'And there's nowhere I won't look for potential edges or advice or anything like that. So it's been a fun process for sure.' Travis Hunter Yes, Jacksonville plans to give the man they traded up to select at No. 2 overall a chance to play both offense and defense in the NFL. The Jaguars have Hunter listed as a starting wide receiver and a backup cornerback to start the preseason. Hunter is getting plenty of work with the offense, where the Jaguars want Hunter to help receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville also is making sure Hunter gets practice time on defense. Hunter did join Charles Woodson (1997) as the only full-time defensive players to win the Heisman Trophy. The Jags have packages for the rookie to contribute defensively. 'He's still learning,' Jaguars coach Liam Coen said. Ashton Jeanty The Raiders finished last in the NFL in 2024 by managing just 79.8 yards rushing per game. That's why they selected Jeanty at No. 6 overall and made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley was taken No. 2 overall in 2018 by the Giants. Jeanty's production easily won over the Raiders, overcoming concerns about his size at 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds. Jeanty led the nation by rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs last season, averaging 7.0 yards on 374 carries. He just missed Barry Sanders' college record set in 1988 by 27 yards and finished second to Hunter in the Heisman voting. Now Jeanty just has to prove he can help the Raiders run in the AFC West. Abdul Carter Unlike Ward, who got Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon's permission to wear his No. 1, Carter was sacked by Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor in his quest to wear No. 56 even though he came to the Giants after 12 sacks at Penn State and after leading the nation with 23 1/2 tackles for loss last year. The third-overall pick in April won't have the pressure of carrying the Giants' pass rush, a unit that features three-time Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The 6-3, 250-pound Carter will have the chance to be rested and strong throughout games. Shedeur Sanders Projected to be drafted as high as No. 2, Sanders had to wait until No. 144 overall to hear his name called during the draft. Now the quarterback is at the back end of a crowded quarterback room. The Browns have him fourth on the depth chart behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick. But it is Cleveland, where four different quarterbacks started at least one game during the 2024 season.