Latest news with #Big12ProDay
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former BYU Standout Unexpectedly Cut by Steelers During OTAs
Former BYU Standout Unexpectedly Cut by Steelers During OTAs originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Steelers cut defensive end Blake Mangelson, per an announcement. The former BYU standout joined the team as an undrafted free agent. He was originally set to join the Minnesota Vikings for rookie minicamp and was extended a tryout, but ultimately decided Pittsburgh was a better fit. Now Mangelson will be headed elsewhere. Advertisement After a four-year collegiate career with the Cougars, Mangelson had 82 tackles (12 for loss), with 2.5 sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery in 41 games. At 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, he was said to be one of the most underrated prospects of the 2025 NFL Draft. Related: AJ Dybantsa admits BYU wasn't top school, blown away by NBA ready program At Big 12 Pro Day, Mangelson ran a 5.01 40-yard dash with a 1.70 10-yard split. He also added 22 reps on the bench, a 7.56 3-cone, 4.58 short shuttle, 29.5-inch vertical jump, and a 9-foot-3-inch broad jump. Related: What Happens If BYU Makes a Final Decision on Jake Retzlaff What makes the move interesting is Mangelson reportedly signing a 3-year, $2.9 million contract with the Steelers, according to Sportrac. This opens up a roster spot for the Steelers coming out of OTAs. However, they still have defensive ends Cam Heyward, first-round pick Derrick Harmon and six other players at the position. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Caleb Lohner's traits excite Broncos coach Sean Payton
Caleb Lohner's traits excite Broncos coach Sean Payton With their final pick in the 2025 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos made an unconventional selection, picking Utah tight end Caleb Lohner, a basketball player with just four career receptions as a tight end. Speaking at rookie minicamp earlier this month, Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked what he's seen from the Lohner so far. 'It's limited," Payton said. "So this is a basketball player for most of his career. He plays a year of football, count the snaps, count the catches. I get it. Yet you see traits, you see movements. I'm not a big fan of the Big 12 Pro Day because a player like him gets six routes instead of 20 that he would get at his own Pro Day. So hopefully that's going away, but there are two or three clips where I'm like, 'Play it again. Play it again.' Then, when you watch him, and you watch him move, and even in our first two days here, [you see promise]. "People bring up Jimmy [Graham as a comparison]. Now, Jimmy was a third-round pick. I get it, but there were some similarities in that. He only played a year, 80-something snaps. I think he had 18 catches. So yes, we have to coach and develop. In other words, if it was already present when you watch him, and you guys see him, and shake his hand and stand next to him, like, 'Holy cow.' There are traits there that excite me. Then just visiting with him, and his intentionality and his excitement about it. I'm excited to watch it.' Lohner (6-7, 250 pounds) has been connected to Graham because he's a converted basketball player in Payton's offense, but the rookie isn't quite ready to make that connection himself. 'I think our size is the same, but I have a long way to go," Lohner said when asked about his similarities to Graham. "I have to keep learning and growing every day in this game.' After attending rookie minicamp earlier this month, Lohner will return for organized team activities later this week. 'It's an amazing experience, an amazing opportunity," Lohner said at rookie camp. "All I want to do here is improve every day [and] learn the game of football. I think this is the best place for it. I'm excited to take [on] each and every day the next steps.' Lohner will be a long shot to make the team's 53-man roster in 2025, but he'll get a chance. It's up to him to take advanatage of it this summer. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Overlooked CFP Standout Looks To Stick Around In Seattle After Rookie Minicamp Tryout
Overlooked CFP Standout Looks To Stick Around In Seattle After Rookie Minicamp Tryout When the Seahawks announced their updated roster for the start of this weekend's Rookie Minicamp, fans and reporters alike noticed one exciting name who'd been invited to tryout that the team hadn't announced yet. Arizona State DB Shamari Simmons was the team's Defensive MVP in each of the last two seasons as he recorded 153 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 12 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries in 26 games per Pro Football Focus. He underwhelmed at the Big 12 Pro Day, where his Speed, Agility and Quickness (40-yd dash, 3-cone and pro-agility) times all ranked in the bottom 10% of DBs, which makes for a hard sell when combined with his smaller frame at 5'11', 197 lbs. forcing teams to invest draft picks in more prototypical athletic profiles. Fortunately, Simmons' has never won athleticism or obvious traits- he's had to grind to the top everywhere he's gone. He started his college career redshirting at Hutchinson CC before contributing as they went to the NJCAA-national championship the next year, then transferred to Austin Peay and became an All-Conference player at the FCS level in 2022. He transferred to ASU for 2023 and led Arizona State to shock the College Football world in 2024. After being picked to finish last in the Big XII in preseason and going just 2-2 to begin conference play, the Sun Devils won the conference and earned their first College Football Playoff berth, narrowly losing to Texas in a double-overtime thriller. Simmons was suspended for the first half but made his biggest impact shortly after, forcing Longhorns RB Quintrevion Wisner to fumble before tackling QB Quinn Ewers for a safety in the 3rd Quarter to spark an ASU comeback. Workhorse RB Cam Skattebo was the team's only player drafted as the New York Giants selected him in the 4th Round with the 105th Overall Pick. However, Simmons has the Mike Jackson-esque tenacity that has stuck around in Seattle's DB Room longer than expected before. He's elite in run support, showing viciousness on tape and an elite 91.7 RDEF grade on PFF. His weakness is his spotty coverage skills. He has trouble anticipating and reacting in coverage while lacking the speed and length to recover. This limits him to a strict position playing close to the line of scrimmage as a nickel CB, but profiles well as a backup to speedster Devon Witherspoon while retaining his toughness or to hyper-athlete Nick Emmanwori to secure a level of stability without the high-end coverage upside. If he can make it through the non-padded rookie camp, he'll have a shot to show his best abilities once the pads come on in late July at training camp.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
3 Seahawks undrafted free agents to watch at rookie minicamp
3 Seahawks undrafted free agents to watch at rookie minicamp The Seattle Seahawks' 2025 NFL draft class reported to the Virginia Mason Athletic Centre for rookie minicamp on Thursday. In addition to the 11 draft picks, various undrafted free agents also reported for the first time. Seattle's rookies will get their first taste of NFL practice from May 2-4. We've identified three of the Seahawks' undrafted free agents 12s should be excited to monitor this weekend. Connor O'Toole, DE, Utah The Seahawks reportedly gave former Utah defensive end Connor O'Toole $264,000 in total guarantees, one of the biggest deals in undrafted free agency this year. A wide receiver turned defensive end, O'Toole missed time with injury in 2023 and 2024. He was athletic at the Big 12 Pro Day, running the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds. Jared Ivey, DL, Ole Miss Former Ole Miss defensive linemen Jared Ivey was among the biggest-name undrafted free agents. Ivey went undrafted partially because he tested poorly athletically, but he was All-SEC this past season. He's a versatile chess-piece who's capable of playing multiple positions. Zy Alexander, CB, LSU LSU cornerback Zy Alexander possesses terrific size at 6-foot, 187 pounds, utilizing length to disrupt the catch point. The Tigers cover-man is a physical press-man cornerback. Alexander is a willing run defender and also uses disciplined eyes in zone coverage.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Seahawks gave massive guarantee to this undrafted free agent
Seahawks gave massive guarantee to this undrafted free agent The Seattle Seahawks made a slew of undrafted free agent signings following the 2025 NFL draft. Though the team has yet to confirm those moves, one of the higher-profile ones is Ole Miss defensive linemen Jared Ivey. There is reportedly another defensive linemen GM John Schneider pursued aggressively. Former Utah Utes defensive end Connor O'Toole is allegedly among the Seahawks' UDFA signings. O'Toole reportedly received a sizable $234,000 base guarantee from the Seahawks with a $30,000 signing bonus, according to ESPN's Brady Henderson. That deal would be among the biggest Seattle handed out in this year's undrafted class. O'Toole strung together four quality seasons at Utah. The Albuquerque, New Mexico native recorded 22 tackles and 2.5 sacks in eight appearances this past campaign, having been limited by injury in back-to-back seasons. In 2023, O'Toole accumulated 31 tackles and 4.5 sacks in eight games. O'Toole's journey to the NFL is an interesting one. He actually arrived in Utah as a wide receiver and transitioned to the defensive line in 2022. O'Toole was a standout performer at this year's Big 12 Pro Day, having run the 40-yard dash in 4.66 seconds. The athletic defender also leaped a 37.5 inch vertical and 10-foot-1 broad jump, and ran the shuttle in 4.3 seconds, and three-cone in 7.06 seconds. The Seahawks are betting on that athleticism.
