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USA Today
02-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Eagles announced the signing of 9 intriguing 2025 undrafted prospects to free agent deals
Eagles announced the signing of 9 intriguing 2025 undrafted prospects to free agent deals The Philadelphia Eagles signed nine 2025 prospects to undrafted free agent deals ahead of the rookie minicamp The Eagles came away with a dynamic ten-player 2025 NFL draft class last weekend, but the biggest and most efficient nuggets can be found in undrafted free agents. Reed Blankenship went undrafted four years ago, but enters the final year of his rookie deal as a potential Pro Bowl safety for the league's best defense. Philadelphia usually is among the league leaders in bonuses paid out, but with an already stacked roster, Howie Roseman put together one of the smallest classes with just nine players. WR Darius Cooper – Tarleton State #41 A player to watch, the St. Louis, Missouri native joins the Eagles from Tarleton State, where he earned first-team Associated Press FCS All-America honors in his senior season. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound receiver is athletic and finished second in Division I in receiving yards with 1,450 (the second most in single-season school history) and sixth in touchdowns with 14 (the third most in single-season school history) in 2024. In 48 career games, Cooper accumulated 164 catches for 3,185 yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging 19.4 yards per catch. LB Lance Dixon – Toledo #41 A former five-star recruit and No. 13 prospect coming out of high school, Dixon had 46 tackles and two forced fumbles in 2024 for Toledo after transferring from West Virginia, where he spent three seasons. The former safety turned linebacker is 6-2, 233 pounds, and is from Oak Park, Michigan. DB Maxen Hook – Toledo #37 A former teammate of star cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Hook was a first-team All-MAC selection in 2024, his third straight season earning the honor. He was the third Toledo Rocket to make an All-MAC team in four seasons. Hook could be this year's Reed Blankenship after accepting an invitation to the Reese's Senior Bowl and finishing 24th in the nation with 8.92 tackles per game. Hook finished his career with 356 tackles, seven interceptions, and 22 passes defended in 52 games. DB Brandon Johnson – Oregon #35 Named All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2024, Johnson played in 14 games for the Ducks, logging 45 tackles, five pass breakups, and 4.5 tackles for loss. Johnson played three seasons at Duke before transferring to Oregon. RB Montrell Johnson Jr. – Florida #34 Johnson, a 5-foot-11-inch, 216-pound running back, wrapped up an impressive college career with over 3,000 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns. Known for his powerful running style, big-play ability, and reliable hands out of the backfield, Johnson became a solid running back for the Gators after transferring from Louisiana. A former Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and an East-West Shrine Bowl participant, Johnson made an impact everywhere he played. DB B.J. Mayes – Texas A&M #49 At 6-1 and 195 pounds, Mayes is a versatile nickel corner with the size and speed to play on the outside. Mayes played one season at Texas A&M and led the team with four interceptions in 2024, which ranked fourth in the SEC. Before his time with the Aggies, he spent two seasons at Incarnate Word and one at UAB. WR Taylor Morin – Wake Forest #45 Morin is Wake Forest's all-time leading pass catcher after logging 2,974 yards throughout his career and finished second all-time in school history in receptions (227) and fourth in touchdowns (21). Morin was a 2024 All-ACC Honorable Mention after picking up a team-high 64 catches and 756 yards. Morin has also been used as a punt returner, finishing second in program history in career punt return yards (809). OL Hollin Pierce – Rutgers #63 The 6-8, 341-pound Trenton, New Jersey native was Rutgers' first offensive lineman to earn All-America status since Anthony Davis in 2009. He also earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 after starting 13 games at left tackle. RB ShunDerrick Powell – Central Arkansas #39 Powell rushed for over 4,000 yards in his collegiate career with 42 total touchdowns. He had eight 100-yard games in 2024. The two-time FCS All-American is a three-down running back and potential special-teams standout.
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Chiefs fans need to know about KC's Round 7 pick SMU Mustangs RB Brashard Smith
Everything Chiefs fans need to know about KC's Round 7 pick SMU Mustangs RB Brashard Smith The Kansas City Chiefs may have found a diamond-in-the-rough in Round 7 of the 2025 NFL draft by picking up Southern Methodist University Mustangs running back Brashard Smith. A former wide receiver, Smith was supremely productive as a collegian and could be an underrated contributor to Kansas City's offense as a rookie if Andy Reid can find a niche for him next season. Check out everything the Chiefs had to say about Smith in their official draft packet: Brashard Smith college bio "Appeared in 14 games (10 starts) for SMU in 2024… Recorded 1,329 yards and 14 touchdowns on 234 carries and also added 327 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 39 catches… Set the single-season program record for all-purpose yards with 1,977… Spent three seasons at Miami (Fla.) (2021-23)… Appeared in 36 games and tallied 177 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries… Also added 69 receptions for 770 yards and four touchdowns… Finished with 1,946 all-purpose yards in his three seasons at Miami … All-ACC first-team (2024)… DCTF first-team All-Texas (2024)… AP All-ACC first-team (2024)… AFCA second-team All-America (2024)… AP third-team All-America (2024)… Sporting News second-team All-America (2024) … Phil Steele fourth-team All-America (2024)… All-ACC second-team by Phil Steele (2024)… Selected to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl." Brashard Smith personal notes A consensus four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals. Ranked the No. 158 overall player in the Rivals Top 250. Rated the No. 24 wide receiver nationally and No. 25 player in Florida by Rivals. Selected to the Under Armour All-America Game and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Brashard Smith draft notes The Chiefs have only selected one other player in franchise history with the 228th overall pick,most recently selecting S Jarrad Page out of UCLA in the 2006 NFL draft. Smith becomes the first running back to be selected by the Chiefs in the seventh round since RBIsiah Pacheco was taken 251st overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Kansas City has selected seven running backs in the seventh round with the addition of to his selection, the franchise drafted RB Isiah Pacheco (2022, Rutgers), RB JavarrisWilliams (2009, Tennessee State), RB Ken Thomas (1983, San Jose State), RB Daryl Posey (1983,Mississippi College), RB Billy Jackson (1981, Alabama) and RB Rod Wellington (1976, Iowa) inthe seventh round. The selection of Smith marks the second year in a row that the Chiefs have drafted an offensiveplayer in the seventh round since the selection of OL C.J. Hanson out of Holy Cross with the248th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Smith was the second running back taken in the seventh round and the 21st running back takenoverall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Smith is the second player to be selected out of SMU in the 2025 NFL Draft and joins WR RasheeRice as the only other SMU Mustang on the current Chiefs roster. What did Smith have to say after the Chiefs drafted him? Q: Where do you think you will fit into the Chiefs offense? SMITH: 'I feel like my skillset fits perfectly with the offense. They're (Chiefs) already dynamic, and I feellike I'm a dynamic player as well. I feel like I'm going to bring a lot of juice to the offense and special I'm on the field, I'm going to bring some juice.' Q: On SMU Head Coach Rhett Lashlee's comparison to Isiah Pacheco. SMITH: 'I heard Isiah Pacheco all season. It was kind of cool hearing that because he's a great (running)back, and he does make a lot of plays for you guys (Chiefs). It felt good with him (Rhett Lashlee) sayingthat.' Q: How ready are you to come in and compete for a roster spot?
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
W&M's Charles Grant picked by Raiders in third round of NFL Draft
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — William & Mary offensive tackle Charles Grant was taken in the third round with the 99th pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft Friday. The 6-foot-4, 300 pound Grant started 41 games in college and was named a two-time FCS All-American following his junior and senior seasons. He allowed just one sack in 2024 and two sacks in his last three seasons, while the Tribe ranked fourth nationally in rushing yards, averaging 232.8 yards per game. Advertisement Grant's 91.2 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus was the second-highest of any tackle in the nation — FBS and FCS. Williamsburg's Mike Green picked by Ravens in second round of NFL Draft Grant, a Portsmouth native who played high school football at Churchland, is the Tribe's highest drafted player since Derek Cox was taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 73rd overall pick in 2009, and is the second W&M player in the past three years who was drafted. He also accepted an invite to the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl and was also invited to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. Notably, Grant was a bone marrow donor, something that was mentioned on the NFL Draft telecast. Advertisement Sun Belt Player of the Year Mike Green, who played for Williamsburg's Lafayette High School, was taken in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens with the 59th overall pick. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Everything Chiefs fans should know about second-round pick Tennessee DT Omarr Norman Lott
Everything Chiefs fans should know about second-round pick Tennessee DT Omarr Norman Lott The Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on Tennessee Volunteers defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott with the No. 63 pick in Round 2 of the 2025 NFL draft last week. Though Norman-Lott's draft stock fell a bit after he failed a medical evaluation at the 2025 NFL combine, he is an exciting pass-rushing prospect who might be able to contribute for the Chiefs as a rookie. Norman-Lott tallied 13.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss during his time as a collegian and will be a valuable asset for Kansas City's front-four in the years ahead. Take a look at everything the Chiefs had to say about Norman-Lott in their official draft packet: Omarr Norman-Lott college bio "Played two seasons at Tennessee (2023-24)… Totaled 44 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and one fumble recovery with the Vols… Played three seasons at Arizona State (2020-22) and appeared in 21 games (three starts) totaling 44 tackles… Played in 47 career games (21 at ASU, 26 at UT)… Tallied 89 total tackles and 17 TFLs in his career, including his time at Arizona State… Invited to the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl." Omarr Norman-Lott personal notes A consensus four-star prospect among all recruiting services out of Grant Union High School (Calif.). Tabbed by Rivals as the No. 27 defensive tackle recruit nationally and No. 29 overall in California. Finished his high school career with 110 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 17.0 sacks. Omarr Norman-Lott draft notes Norman-Lott becomes the first defensive tackle to be selected by the Chiefs in the second roundsince DT Chris Jones was taken 37th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Kansas City has selected seven defensive tackles in the second round with the addition ofNorman-Lott. Prior to his selection, the franchise drafted DT Chris Jones (2016, MississippiState), DT Junior Siavii (2004, Oregon), DT Eddie Freeman (2002, Ala. – Birmingham), DT/DESylvester Hicks (1978, Tennessee), DT Cliff Frazier (1976, UCLA) and DT Wilbur Young (1971,William Penn) in the second round. The selection of Norman-Lott marks the first time the Chiefs have drafted a defensive player inthe second round since the selection of S Bryan Cook out of Cincinnati with the 62nd overall pickin the 2022 NFL Draft. Norman-Lott was the ninth defensive tackle taken overall and the fourth defensive tackle takenin the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Norman-Lott joins G Trey Smith as the only other Tennessee Volunteer on the current Chiefsroster. What did Norman-Lott have to say after the Chiefs picked him? Q: What is your first reaction to the Chiefs drafting you? NORMAN-LOTT: 'I'm incredibly blessed to be a part of the Chiefs Kingdom. So happy, I'm so ready to getin a system and learn a system and just be a hell of a player for the Chiefs Kingdom.' Q: What was your draft experience like? NORMAN-LOTT: 'I have all my family around me. I have all my close peers around me. I have people fromTennessee who supported me heavily all around me. It was just a surreal experience and so good to be apart of.' Q: How does it feel to be playing for Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo? What were yourconversations like with him?
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens select Alabama A&M OL Carson Vinson with pick No. 141 in the 2025 NFL draft
Ravens select Alabama A&M OL Carson Vinson with pick No. 141 in the 2025 NFL draft Baltimore hosted intriguing Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson for a top 30 visit 19 days ago and used pick 141 on the All-American The Ravens love to do their due diligence on talented small-school draft picks, and with one of his 11 selections, GM Eric DeCosta may have found a diamond in the rough in later rounds. Baltimore hosted Alabama A&M offensive tackle Carson Vinson at the Under Armour Performance Center on April 9, and during the fifth round, the Ravens drafted the intriguing prospect. Vinson was named First Team All-SWAC for his play in 2024 and a First-Team FCS All-American. He accepted an invitation to the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl and was the lone invite from an HBCU program at the 2025 NFL Combine. Vinson plays with a physical, aggressive mentality and loves to set the tone in the run game, something the Ravens flourish at. The North Carolina native was a four-year starter at left tackle and projects as a developmental talent at the NFL level. Vinson measured 6-6 304 pounds in Mobile and started 48 games at offensive tackle during his career.
