Latest news with #All-BigSky
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Duke's Cedric Coward Sends Strong Message on Jon Scheyer At NBA Draft Combine
After reaching the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, the Duke Blue Devils saw a wave of player departures this spring. Fortunately for head coach Jon Scheyer, those exits came for all the right reasons. Four of Duke's five starters are heading to the NBA Draft, led by projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and fellow standout Kon Knueppel. While Flagg is getting most of the national spotlight, Knueppel is widely expected to be a top-10 selection. Teammates Tyrese Proctor and Khaman Maluach are also attracting strong interest from NBA teams. Advertisement Amid this roster turnover, Duke basketball provided an update on a player they had hoped would suit up for them this coming season—Cedric Coward. Though his stay in Durham was always expected to be a one-year stop, his status remains uncertain. "Cedric Coward on his looming decision to stay in the draft or go to Duke" Coward, 21, has already logged four seasons of college basketball. He began his career at Willamette University before transferring to Eastern Washington, where he earned First-Team All-Big Sky honors. In his final season with the Eagles, he averaged 15.4 points per game. He then transferred to Washington State, where he played just six games last season before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in November. Despite the short stint, Coward was impressive, averaging 17.7 points and seven rebounds per game. Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer.© Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images At the NBA Draft Combine, Coward spoke about his connection with Coach Scheyer and how involved the Duke staff has been throughout the draft process. Advertisement "Talking to Coach Scheyer and the staff, I communicate pretty much everything with them as I get information,' Coward said. 'They're completely supportive of me focusing on the draft right now because this is my dream. At the moment, I'm 100 percent focused on the draft.' Asked what it would take for him to stay in the draft, Coward explained: "At the end of the day, I don't know if there's something specific I need to hear. It'll come down to conversations with my agent and making the best decision with the best information I have.' When pressed on why Duke was still a consideration if he returns to college for one more season, Coward was quick to praise the program. Advertisement "Tremendously. There's a reason I picked them. I love Coach Scheyer and his staff. I believe they can help me if I were to go there.' The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft and retain NCAA eligibility is May 28. Related: 4-Star Recruit Makes College Commitment Decision on Monday Related: Kentucky Guard Makes Life-Changing Announcement After Freshman Season
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
6-Foot-9 Punter Turns Heads At Packers Rookie Minicamp
The Green Bay Packers' rookie minicamp is underway, with 38 players vying for a roster spot. Among them are the 2025 draft class, 10 undrafted free agents, 11 tryout players, and nine returning faces. For some, it is a shot to keep their NFL dreams alive; for others, it could be the end of the road. Competition is the driving force that brings out the best in every football player. General Manager Brian Gutekunst has ensured that every facet of the roster has capable talent. Whether you are an established veteran or a rookie, you should have to fight for your job. Advertisement Matt LaFleur expects fierce competition throughout the roster, including special teams. Punter Daniel Whelan was one of the most consistent players on Green Bay's roster last year, yet the team has brought in competition for him in the form of an unconventional player. Green Bay Packers HC Matt LaFleur walks to the field against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field.© Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Montana State's Brendan Hall took the field at Green Bay's rookie camp. He is 6-foot-9 and brings uncommon length and impressive leg strength. Still, he must refine his hang time and sharpen his consistency to improve his odds of sticking in the pros. Hall started his career at SMU, handling kickoffs and punts for two seasons while earning Ray Guy Award Watch List honors. He transferred to Montana State in 2023 and quickly emerged as one of the top specialists in the FCS. Advertisement Over two seasons, he earned All-America and All-Big Sky honors, averaged over 45 yards per punt, and led the FCS in kickoff touchbacks both years. Hall was also selected for the Hula Bowl and named Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week twice. You don't see a 6-foot-9 punter in the NFL every day, and Brendan Hall's presence adds an intriguing wrinkle to Green Bay's offseason. Still, there's no reason for the Packers to move on from Daniel Whelan. Special teams have been an Achilles' heel in recent playoff losses, and Whelan brought much-needed stability to the punting game. Why risk that progress now? Related: The Packers Found A Versatile Defensive Steal Late In the 2025 NFL Draft Related: Georgia DT Drops Three-Word Message After Signing With Packers
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Golden Nuggets: What a beautiful week to extend Brock Purdy
49ers post-NFL Draft depth chart: How many rookies could reasonably start Week 1? (paywall) 'We're predicting that veterans Elliott and Givens are the Week 1 starters, though it would be of little surprise if Collins or West — or both — are in the starting mix. Body-wise, Collins is reminiscent of 2020 first-round pick Javon Kinlaw but without the knee issue that plagued Kinlaw early in his career. West is like one-time 49er D.J. Jones. Anderson, meanwhile, is part of the group that stuck around the team facility in the offseason. He's been working out alongside fellow 2024 rookies Puni and Malik Mustapha.' Why Simms believes 49ers 'absolutely crushed' 2025 NFL Draft 'Mykel Williams, big badass MOFO off the edge from Georgia to start,' Simms told Florio. 'Alfred Collins, big bad ass MOFO from Texas in the middle of the defense. Nick Martin, our kind of guy that we talk about with the 49ers – linebacker, a little smaller, kamikaze, throws his body around everywhere. CJ West, a great D-tackle from Indiana, who's really good, undersized, disrupt-the-play kind of guy.....I thought the San Francisco 49ers absolutely crushed the draft,' Simms told Florio on 'PFT Live.' 'They got back to their roots. This is what they were. This is what [head coach Kyle Shanahan] and [president of football operations and general manager John Lynch] took over. This is how the team was formed. A bunch of badasses on the defensive side of the ball. Let's accumulate that, let's kick the crap out of everybody else.' How Saleh's influence is reflected in 49ers' 2025 draft picks Advertisement 'Right when we hired him, the very first day, he sat down with us and he talked about how he has evolved in his time away from here,' 49ers director of player personnel RJ Gillen said of Saleh. 'He also heard from us how we've evolved and how we see players and how he sees players. Then we kind of came together in a consensus in terms of the plan and the types of players and skill sets and fits we want moving forward.' 49ers eyeing special teams role for 2025 NFL Draft pick Bergen 'Bergen (5-foot-9 1/2, 184 pounds) was an All-Big Sky selection at kick returner, punt returner and wide receiver. He is tied for the NCAA FCS record with eight career punt-return touchdowns. He posted a career average of 16.7 yards per punt return. And with the new NFL kickoff rules, Bergen could have more of a chance to make an impact with the 49ers this season. This year, the offense will start at the 35-yard line after touchbacks on kickoffs. Advertisement The NFL estimates that 60 to 70 percent of kickoffs this season will be returned.' Baldy breaks down potential impact of key 49ers draft picks 'He showed off a clip of Collins easily handling a triple-team block, underscoring his ability to consistently cause disruption in the trenches.' More from
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Patriots UDFA running back goes viral for old steer wrestling clips
Patriots UDFA running back goes viral for old steer wrestling clips New England Patriots undrafted rookie running back Lan Larison got more attention than just for his mustache on Monday. An old game video featuring the former UC Davis standout's steer wrestling clips resurfaced on social media. It came up during an ESPN 2 broadcast of the Aggies' football game against Montana. Steer wrestling is when a cowboy on horseback races alongside a steer, jumps from the horse and attempts to wrestle the steer to the ground as quickly as possible. "In high school, he was the No. 1 steer wrestler in the entire United States. Here's some footage. You want to talk about an athlete," said the ESPN 2 commentator. Larison was one of the best players in FCS football with three First-Team All-Big Sky nods and a Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year award in 2023. Last season, he had 284 carries for 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with 62 receptions for 847 yards and six touchdowns. After going undrafted in the 2025 NFL draft, he agreed to sign with the Patriots. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New York Giants draft Cameron Skattebo: 5 things to know about the running back
New York Giants draft Cameron Skattebo: 5 things to know about the running back The New York Giants selected Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo with the third pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft (105th overall) on Saturday afternoon in Green Bay. Let's get this part out of the way before we continue. His name is pronounced SKAT-UH-BOO. Here are five things to know about the latest addition to Big Blue: He's a 'jack of all trades' Skattebo is a player who can do many things. He began his college career at Sacramento State. In 2022 he was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big Sky. Skattebo ranked eighth in the FCS with 1,373 rushing yards (196 carries, 7.0 yards per carry, and seven touchdowns), playing in all 13 games with 12 starts. He also caught 31 passes for 371 yards (a 12.0, average) with three receiving touchdowns. He runs with 'downhill violence' You have to see it to believe it. Skattebo is a throwback to the days of Larry Csonka, Norm Bulaich, and Sam 'the Bam' Cunningham. He's physical. If there's no room to run, he'll simply make some. A true battering ram that will help the Giants establish the run early and in short-yardage situations. He's built like a fullback but runs like a halfback Skattebo is a pile-pusher when he needs to be but can also run by people, whatever the occasion calls for. He checks in at 5-foot-9 and change and 220 pounds. If you're looking for a new fan favorite, this could be your guy. He aced the predraft process Skattebo participated at the NFL Combine in February and had a very strong showing. He did not do the 40-yard dash but did many of the other drills. He had the second-highest production score (93) among running backs at the combine and also ranked second overall in his position group. Skattebo did run the 40 at his pro day, clocking in at 4.53 and 4.57 seconds. His speed isn't scaring anyone but ask anyone who's ever had to tackle him if that matters. Pro comparisons Lance Zierlein compares Skattebo to Pittsburgh's Jaylen Warren. Former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger compares him to the Lions' David Montgomery, citing his ability to break tackles and maintain "contact balance."
