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Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: Liverpool lose top teen prospect to Newcastle
Newcastle's Youth Ambition Strikes Again with Isaac Moran Capture In a transfer that's caught many by surprise, Newcastle United are set to land 16-year-old midfielder Isaac Moran, prising the highly-rated youngster away from Liverpool's academy setup. As reported by The Daily Mail, 'Newcastle are poised to pull off a coup by signing former Liverpool prospect Isaac Moran.' Advertisement Moran, who impressed for Liverpool's Under-18s last season despite being only 15, has been tipped for stardom for some time. His standout performances and maturity on the pitch were complemented by the honour of captaining England at youth level, further underlining his credentials. However, the youngster has now opted against signing a scholar's contract at Liverpool, reportedly turning down the offer to pursue a new challenge in the North East. The Daily Mail confirmed: 'The 16-year-old turned down the offer of a scholar's contract at Liverpool's academy and left the club.' Bold Decision from Moran Signals Ambition For Liverpool, losing such a bright prospect is undoubtedly a blow, particularly when their long-standing tradition of developing academy stars has been so fruitful in recent years. Moran's departure will sting for those at Kirkby, where he had already begun to leave a significant mark. Advertisement Yet from Moran's perspective, this could be a well-calculated step. The Daily Mail highlighted, 'The teenage midfielder made his breakthrough with the Under-18s last season and has skippered England at youth level.' His move suggests a hunger for opportunity, and perhaps a belief that the Newcastle pathway under Eddie Howe and the club's rejuvenated academy setup offers a clearer or quicker route to senior football. Newcastle's Long-Term Strategy Continues to Evolve Newcastle have made it no secret that their recruitment model under the new ownership is focused on developing elite young talent alongside marquee first-team signings. This transfer fits the mould perfectly. Advertisement With players like Lewis Miley already making an impression in the senior setup, Moran will be well aware that first-team chances are not just possible at Newcastle—they're expected for top prospects. It's also a clear statement of intent from the Magpies, continuing to poach some of the best talents from rival academies. Liverpool's Academy Faces Renewed Competition Liverpool's academy has long been a beacon of talent development, producing the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones and more recently Jayden Danns among other. But this move illustrates a shifting landscape, where top young players now have multiple attractive options and are willing to back themselves elsewhere. Photo: IMAGO Advertisement While Liverpool will surely be disappointed to lose Moran, they will no doubt have contingency plans. For Newcastle, this feels like a big win—not just for now, but for what it signals about their future strategy. Our View – Anfield Index Analysis For Liverpool fans, this one stings—not because Moran was already a household name, but because it reflects a growing trend: young talents believing their best path to the top might lie away from Merseyside. Moran, at just 16, had already shown real promise and maturity beyond his years. To turn down a scholarship from a club like Liverpool—one renowned for giving youngsters a chance—suggests Newcastle made a very compelling pitch. That could be down to game time, development pathways, or even financial terms, but the core concern is perception. Has the path to Liverpool's first team started to look more congested? Advertisement With players like Bajčetić, Nyoni and McConnell already fighting for minutes, Moran may have felt the odds were stacked. Still, it raises valid questions about whether Liverpool are doing enough to convince their brightest stars to stay. Perhaps this is an isolated case, or perhaps it's a nudge to reassess how the club communicates its vision to the next generation. For now, fans will wish Moran the best—but quietly hope this isn't a move they come to regret in a few years' time if the youngster explodes in black and white.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2026 draft scouting first look: Alabama defensive lineman L.T. Overton
LT Overton is a player who is a little more familiar from an NFL draft perspective than most collegians. That's because Overton was often projected to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, which resulted in a more scouting-centric eye towards his play for the Crimson Tide during the last college season. Overton is an interesting prospect. At this point in his career, which began at Texas A&M before moving to Alabama in 2024, he appears to be more of a talent in search of a position than an easily defined prospect. Some of that owes to his size. Advertisement At a listed 6-foot-5 and 283 pounds, which each seemingly legit, Overton is a little too tall and light to be a full-time interior player, but too big and tight-hipped to play as a full-time DE in most schemes--Alabama's included. As a result, the Crimson Tide deployed him all over the place. Their game against Georgia last September is a great example. In just the first half of the game, Overton lined up at 8 different spots on the line, from a shaded nose to playing over the flexed TE in the slot. As was the case in several other games I watched (Tennessee, LSU, South Carolina), Overton was at his best playing the 4i/5T role and attacking the guard. His best attribute is his length. Overton has long arms even for a 6-5 guy; his wingspan could wind up being the longest in the draft class. He's got power in the shoulders and hands that can really set up inside moves--swats, pulls, rips and swims. Overton is also good at using a long first step to win leverage against taller blockers, which serves him well when playing outside the offensive tackle. Overton has some twitch for his size, but he's never going to win with quickness. His tight hips really show when he has to change direction, and it also leads to issues in corraling tackles in space. Some Alabama fans have been very harsh on Overton's inability to finish what he starts, and that criticism isn't without some merit. That needs to be his biggest point of emphasis during the 2025 college season. Advertisement Out in space, Overton is athletic enough and aware enough to be effective in short drops. He can destroy the blocking and/or timing in a tunnel screen or quick slant--ask LSU. While not sudden, Overton does have decent speed once he's moving, though the body control to gather or change direction is still not an asset. He fights hard and can be violently unpleasant to block with his length and strength. Overton's usage in the Alabama defense will be important to watch this coming season in regards to his 2026 NFL Draft potential. Does he continue to be a more supplementary versatile piece, or will the Crimson Tide ensconce him at one primary position and ask him to thrive in a more defined role? As such, Overton is a player with a very wide potential draft range entering the college season. This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: L.T. Overton: 2026 NFL Draft scouting first look at the Alabama DL
