Latest news with #All-BigTen
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Nine Former Cowboys Nominated for Legendary Honor
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. Respect the star. That's the rule. Everyone learns it from the time they walk through the door to the time they travel through the exit. Ask Terrell Owens. He has drawn the adoration and disdain of the Dallas Cowboys faithful. He was once knocked off the star by George Teague after some questionable decision-making. He was forgiven and returned years later to serve America's Team proudly, as he wore that same star for three seasons. There's an old saying, 'Once a Raider, always a Raider.' There has never been a Dallas parallel, but the rules work similarly. Fans, media members, coaches, and players all take a gander from time to time to see what former Cowboys are doing. They'll be pleased to see that nine former players are one step closer to the NCAA's version of immortality. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys. Dez Bryant, Dallas Former Dallas Cowboys Nominated for Induction Into the College Football Hall of Fame Jot the names down if you haven't already. Wide receivers Dez Bryant and Randall Cobb were mentioned alongside some of the best football players to ever put in work at the NCAA level. They join seven other Cowboys who have recently been informed of another honor. Per the National Football Foundation, former quarterback and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, quarterback Ryan Leaf, offensive lineman Flozell Adams, cornerback Terence Newman, defensive lineman Greg Ellis, and linebackers Ken Norton Jr. and Kevin Hardy have been nominated to potentially join the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class. All are deserving, but it's likely that not all won't be named as finalists. While each resume speaks for itself, depending on who you are listening to or talking to, the most deserving members of the bunch may vary. Moore was a two-time Quarterback of the Year and two-time First-Team All-American. Leaf was a First-team All-American and Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year who won the Sammy Baugh Trophy. Adams, another First-team All-American (1997), won Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and First-team All-Big Ten honors in 1997. Terence Newman is a member of the Kansas State Wildcats Hall of Fame. He also earned the Jim Thorpe Award, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, and a Unanimous All-American nod in 2002. Greg Ellis was a Consensus All-American in 1997, a Third-Team All-American in 1996, and a three-time First-Team All-ACC from 1995–97. Norton, who sadly is the linebackers coach for the hated Washington Commanders now, won an AP National Championship as a coach and First-team All-American honors and a First-team All-Pac-10 nod during his final season in 1987. That brings us to Kevin Hardy. He twice earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors (1994-95). He was also a Dick Butkus Award winner and Consensus All-American in 1995. Dez Bryant and Randall Cobb both played one of the glamour positions, wide receiver. The former is a member of the 88 club along with Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, and CeeDee Lamb. Bryant cleaned up in 2008 by earning a Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year nod. He was also named First-Team All-Big 12 and a Consensus All-American. Cobb played one season in Dallas, but that was nine years after he won 2010 First-Team All-American honors and the second of two First-Team All-SEC nods. As mentioned earlier, arguments can be made for adding each of these extraordinary talents to the list of college football's immortals. Voting ends on Monday, July 1. The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be announced in January 2026.
USA Today
16 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans only have one unsigned 2025 draft pick after beginning of OTAs
Texans only have one unsigned 2025 draft pick after beginning of OTAs One player remains unsigned for the Houston Texans entering Week 2 of organized team activities. With wide receiver Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel locked up on four-year rookie contracts, all eyes turn to second-round pick Aireontae Ersery as the last rookie to agree to terms ahead of the 2025 season. Conversations have been continuing between the two sides and a deal is expected to be completed soon, though nothing is set in stone entering Tuesday's practice. The Texans believe Ersery can be the long-term replacement for five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil. Houston loved his tape coming out of Minnesota so much, it was reported that it tried to trade up with the New England Patriots at No. 38 to acquire him. The All-Big Ten offensive lineman landed at No. 48 after Houston traded two picks with the Las Vegas Raiders on Day 2. Following Higgins' four-year, fully guaranteed deal at $11.7 million, most second-round picks remain unsigned, trying to work out the details of a contract. Higgins, Houston's first pick in the 2025 draft, became the first Day 2 player in league history to receive a fully guaranteed contract. Only Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Higgins remain signed entering June among the second-round selections. It'll get done eventually between the Rams and Ferguson, but it might take someone drafted ahead of Ferguson to sign a non-fully guaranteed contract to get the ball rolling. Until then, we'll likely wait a little while longer.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ohio State softball slugger enters the transfer portal
Ohio State softball slugger enters the transfer portal I guess until you are known as a softball power, these sorts of things happen. The OSU softball team had a major turnaround this season under new head coach Kirin Kumar, finishing in a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten with an offense that led the country in several major categories. It was enough for the Buckeyes to head to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed in the Knoxville Region, where they got knocked out by host Tennessee in the championship round. The offense was led by All-American and unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten performer, Jasmyn Burns. The catcher belted 25 home runs, knocked in 75 RBIs, and batted .455 over the course of the season. She wasn't the only slugger in the lineup who had a career year, but there's no doubt that she was the most feared in the lineup. Sadly, Burns won't be back on the banks of the Olentangy next season after announcing that she will be entering the transfer portal. It'll won't be easy to replace Burns' bat in the OSU lineup, and this is clearly a big loss for a program searching for its first NCAA Super Regional appearance since 2009, but it is a sign of the times, and until Ohio State can start to win on the biggest of stages, it is a bit exepected. Now we'll see if Coach Kumar and the program can continue the momentum it clearly gained this past season as it looks to build something in Columbus.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Breaking down 49ers EDGE group after Bryce Huff trade with Eagles
Breaking down 49ers EDGE group after Bryce Huff trade with Eagles On Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter shocked the NFL world when he reported that the San Francisco 49ers were finalizing a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for edge rusher Bryce Huff. Huff, 27, played collegiately at Memphis from 2016-19, earning All-AAC honors in both of his final two seasons with the Tigers before the New York Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent after the 2020 NFL draft. In four seasons with New York, Huff appeared in 54 games and recorded 65 tackles (17 for a loss), 43 quarterback hits, 17.5 sacks, three passes defensed and a forced fumble. Last year, he inked a three-year, $51.1 million deal with the Eagles, and while he missed time with a wrist injury, he finished his first season with the club with 13 tackles (three for a loss), four quarterback hits, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Now, he'll join a 49ers front that should wreak havoc for opposing quarterbacks. Let's take a look at the rest of the group. Nick Bosa Bosa has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league since San Francisco took him in the first round (No. 2 overall) out of Ohio State in the 2019 NFL draft. In fact, he has the fourth-most sacks (62.5) since he entered the league, only behind Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson (75), Cleveland's Myles Garrett (82) and Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt. In 2025, he'll be the team's top pass rusher as long as he remains healthy. Mykel Williams The 20-year-old from Georgia was the 49ers' top selection (No. 11 overall) in this year's draft after recording 67 tackles and 14 sacks in 40 career games with the Bulldogs over three years. He has the athleticism to be great, but he might need some time to develop and grow before he's truly successful. He'll probably start opposite Bosa in the team's season opener. Yetur Gross-Matos Gross-Matos was a second-round selection (No. 38 overall) of the Carolina Panthers in the 2020 NFL draft, and he signed a two-year contract with the 49ers last offseason. In 2024, he appeared in a career-low 11 games and finished with just 19 tackles (six for a loss), seven quarterback hits and four sacks. San Francisco was hoping for more. The former Nittany Lion has a chance to play a rotational role in 2025, but the addition of Huff may make him expendable, especially if San Francisco can save $4.82 million by releasing him after June 1 (per Over the Cap). Robert Beal Jr. The 26-year-old spent four years at Georgia, including one with Williams before the 49ers took him in the fifth round (No. 173 overall) in the 2023 NFL draft. He only played in four games as a rookie and then played 13.9% of the team's defensive snaps in 14 games last year, recording 11 tackles. Beal's deal is inexpensive, and he does provide some special-teams value, which should keep him around for another year. Sam Okuayinonu The Liberian Native went undrafted in 2022 following a collegiate career at Maryland that saw him earn All-Big Ten honors in his final season. After a brief stint with the Tennessee Titans in his rookie year, he signed with the 49ers for 2024. Last year, he appeared in 16 games, recording 35 tackles (six for a loss), seven quarterback hits, three sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defensed. After playing 42.2% of San Francisco's defensive snaps last year, he could play a rotational role as well in 2025. Jonathan Garvin Garvin played three years at Miami (2017-19) before the Green Bay Packers selected him in the seventh round (no. 242 overall) of the 2020 NFL draft. He spent three years in Green Bay, appearing in 38 games and recording 32 tackles (one for a loss), seven quarterback hits, two passes defensed and 1.5 sacks. He also played with UFL's Birmingham Stallions in 2024 before moving on and off San Francisco's practice squad multiple times last year. The 25-year-old will likely be fighting for a roster spot this offseason after not playing in an NFL game the last two years. Tarron Jackson Jackson, 26, was a sixth-round pick (No. 191 overall) of the Eagles in the 2021 NFL draft following a college career at Coastal Carolina that included an All-American final season. After three years in Philadelphia, he had a short tenure with the Carolina Panthers, another back with the Eagles before landing with the 49ers to end the year. However, he never played in a game for San Francisco. Jackson will have a lot of work to do if he wants to work his way onto the roster in 2025.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Eagles OTAs: 5 under-the-radar players to watch on defense
Eagles OTAs: 5 under-the-radar players to watch on defense We're focusing on five under-the-radar defensive players to watch during the Philadelphia Eagles' three remaining OTA sessions and the mandatory minicamp. The Eagles went indoors on Wednesday to hold Day 2 of OTAs in the practice bubble with constant rain going on up and down the Metro Atlantic and the East Coast. The second of six workouts saw Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley, and plenty of big names in attendance, while DeVonta Smith, Bryce Huff, and others were absent for personal reasons. Philadelphia has four sessions remaining and will return to the field on Friday, and then they'll be off until Monday and Tuesday, before wrapping up OTAs on Thursday. With a June 10 mandatory minicamp looming before the summer break, we're examining five under-the-radar players to watch on defense. 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. 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. DB Lewis Cine Cine was selected by Minnesota 32nd overall in the 2022 draft and joined the Bills' practice squad after being released by the Vikings last summer. He broke his leg during his rookie season and was limited to playing 10 defensive snaps in 10 games over his two years in Minnesota. The 24-year-old from Haiti is listed at 6-foot-2 and 199 pounds and is a low-risk signing after a decorated college career at Georgia. Cine earned defensive MVP honors in Georgia's 33-18 win over Alabama in the national championship game in the 2021 season. DB Andre Sam Sam spent the season on Philadelphia's practice squad. Sam (5-11, 191 pounds) jumped from FCS after starting his career in 2017 at McNeese State, where he was selected First Team All-Southland Conference twice. Sam transferred to Marshall for the 2022 season before spending last year at LSU. Overall, he played 58 games in college, registering 144 tackles, ten pass defenses, and nine interceptions.
