Latest news with #Gadsden
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Who is most important to the Chargers' success in 2025? Counting down 20 through 11
Welcome to my rankings of the 20 players most important to the Los Angeles Chargers' success in 2025. This will be Part 1 of the rankings, counting down players 20 to 11. Part 2 will come out later this week, counting down the top 10. A key distinction before we jump in: These are not necessarily the 20 best players on the Chargers roster. Instead, these are the 20 players who I think will have the biggest impact on how the Chargers perform in Year 2 under coach Jim Harbaugh. It is an exercise more geared toward finding the pressure points of the roster. Where do the Chargers need to see improvement? Who are they relying on? Where can they least afford injuries or performance regression? The Chargers drafted Gadsden into the fifth round out of Syracuse, and I expect him to enter his rookie training camp third on the depth chart behind Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin. Dissly had a career receiving season in 2024. The Chargers signed Conklin in free agency. Even with two veterans above him, Gadsden sneaks into our list because of the skills he will theoretically provide the passing offense. Last season, the Chargers did not have a tight end who could consistently stress defenses vertically, particularly down the seams. Gadsden has a chance to fill that role and add an explosive element to the passing game, including in contested-catch situations. And that is a different, potentially more impactful element than what Dissly and Conklin provide as receivers. Advertisement Does Bozeman start? If he does, at what position? Those are two big questions as the Chargers prepare for the start of organized team activities next week. Bozeman started at center last year and led the Chargers in offensive snaps. He re-signed in the offseason. This season, the Chargers have created more contingencies across the offensive line, including at center. They have already begun experimenting with Zion Johnson at center. Johnson was the Chargers' starting left guard last season. The Chargers also signed Andre James in free agency. James has 60 career starts at center. If Johnson wins the center job, Bozeman could start at left guard. But the Chargers also have contingencies. Trey Pipkins III and Jamaree Salyer are options at left guard. They drafted Branson Taylor in the sixth round and he was working at left guard in rookie minicamp. In the end, though, I think Bozeman will initially start at either center or left guard — whichever spot Johnson does not claim. The interior pass protection last season was a big weakness for the Chargers. It must improve in 2025. They could have two of the same starters on the interior in Bozeman and Johnson. Will the addition of Mekhi Becton at right guard be enough to elevate Bozeman and Johnson? Colson's rookie season was stunted by injuries. He missed time in OTAs with an undisclosed injury. He had an appendectomy in July that forced him to sit out the first two weeks of training camp. He was not participating in full team drills until mid-August. Then he landed on injured reserve in November with an ankle injury and missed four games. The Chargers drafted Colson in the third round last year. He played for Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter on the Michigan national-title team in 2023. He was positioned to carve out a sizable role with the Chargers in 2024 before the slew of injuries. Colson has another chance to build that role. The best version of this year's Chargers defense would feature Colson and Daiyan Henley emerging as a dominant linebacker duo. Henley was at that level in 2024. Can Colson match the jump Henley made from Year 1 to Year 2? The depth behind Colson: Troy Dye, Denzel Perryman, Del'Shawn Phillips. Dye had some fine moments on defense last year. Perryman played well in the first half of the year before he missed most of the final stretch with a groin injury. Colson cementing himself would be quite impactful for Minter's Chargers defense. In offensive coordinator Greg Roman's first season, the Chargers never found consistency in the running game. They finished 24th in rushing success rate, according to TruMedia. Some of that was related to injuries. General manager Joe Hortiz pieced together the team's running back room with two low-budget signings, former Baltimore Ravens J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Edwards played in 11 regular-season games. Dobbins played in 13, but he landed on IR with a knee injury for a crucial stretch in December. The Chargers went looking for reliability and durability at running back this offseason to avoid a similar situation in 2025. That's what Harris will hypothetically provide. He has not missed a game in his NFL career. He has finished with at least 284 touches in all four of his seasons. Harris continuing to be this type of workhorse will go a long way toward the Chargers building the running game they have envisioned. Harris will also give first-round pick Omarion Hampton time to adjust to the NFL game, if Hampton needs it. Advertisement The Chargers received solid rookie seasons from their two fifth-round corners, Hart and Tarheeb Still. Those two could be the starting duo on the outside in 2025. Hart, with his size and speed, has a chance to be an upper-echelon outside corner. He showed flashes of that in 2024. Hart looked far more polished as a coverage player in Minter's defense as compared to his film at Notre Dame in 2023. He played with impressive physicality, particularly when driving down on routes in zone looks and delivering hits. The one issue: Hart missed time with injuries. He had two concussions. He also dealt with an ankle injury. And he was knocked out of the playoff loss in Houston with a shoulder injury. Hart staying on the field and manning one of the two outside spots will be crucial for the Chargers. They built in some depth behind Hart and Still on the corner depth chart by signing veterans Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste. But similar to the situation at inside linebacker, the best version of the Chargers defense would include Hart and Still making continued strides in their second NFL seasons. The Chargers traded for Molden at the end of August last year, sending a seventh-round pick to the Tennessee Titans. He turned into an incredibly valuable piece on the back end, and the Chargers rewarded him with a three-year extension in February. Molden found a home as a full-time safety in Minter's defense. The duo of Molden and Alohi Gilman at safety allowed Minter to move Derwin James Jr. closer to the line of scrimmage in certain packages. James had a resurgent season as a result. Gilman and Molden will be important pieces this season because of what they mean for James. But given how Molden played in 2024, he could leapfrog Gilman on the depth chart and be the second safety next to James in base packages. Molden is a highly intelligent and instinctive player, and he could have even more to offer the Chargers now that he will spend a full offseason with the team. He had to learn on the fly last season after joining the Chargers after training camp. The Chargers went into this offseason with the goal of finding receiver additions who could open up the middle of the field for star slot receiver Ladd McConkey. More specifically, they needed an outside receiver who could attack defenses outside the numbers and win down the field in jump ball situations. They lacked that skill set last year. McConkey was the only receiver who could consistently beat man coverage. Defenses started to game plan against McConkey in the second half of the year, leading to double- and even triple-teams. McConkey was still highly productive, but it was clear he needed some help. Enter Harris, the Chargers' second-round pick who fits the mold of what the passing game needs on the outside. I am less interested in Harris' production as a rookie and more interested in what kind of impact he can have on McConkey. Harris should force defenses to divide their attention among multiple receiving options instead of just homing in on McConkey. Tart re-signed with the Chargers on a one-year deal. Getting Tart back in the fold was very important after Poona Ford walked in free agency and signed with the Los Angeles Rams. Ford was the Chargers' best interior defensive lineman last season. The Chargers also lost Morgan Fox in free agency. They will need to replace the pass-rushing production that Ford and Fox provided in 2023. Who fills that gap? The Chargers have built out their depth in this position group. They signed Da'Shawn Hand and Naquan Jones in free agency. They drafted Jamaree Caldwell in the third round. They are also hoping for a jump from 2024 fourth-round pick Justin Eboigbe. But among this group, I think the Chargers are relying most heavily on Tart, who was very disruptive in more of rotational role in 2024. Will Tart be equally as disruptive when his playing time increases significantly? And if that does not happen, who in this group of interior defensive linemen can be a consistent threat as a pass rusher? The Harris signing felt like an attempt to raise the Chargers' floor in the running game. The Hampton pick in the first round felt like an attempt to raise the ceiling. If Hampton is the same type of player he was in college at North Carolina, the Chargers rushing attack could be immensely improved. He is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He pairs that explosiveness with a bruising physicality, especially when finishing runs at the second level. Hampton could change the identity of the Chargers offense. Advertisement Tuipulotu is going to have a massive opportunity in 2025. The Chargers cut longtime edge rusher Joey Bosa in March, and he signed with the Buffalo Bills. For the first time since he was drafted in the second round in 2023, Tuipulotu has a clear path to starting playing time. Is he ready to take on that role? I thought Tuipulotu was more consistent as a pass rusher as a rookie compared to last year, even though he nearly doubled his sack total from 2023 to 2024. The Chargers are banking on Tuipulotu taking advantage of this opportunity. They have veteran Bud Dupree as a third edge rusher, and they drafted Kyle Kennard out of South Carolina in the fourth round. The edge-rushing group was the strength of Minter's defense in 2024. If that is going to remain the case in 2025, Tuipulotu will have to make a jump. (Top photos of Tuli Tuipulotu and Omarion Hampton: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images and Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Meet the Alabama football commit leading Crimson Tide recruiting for Class of 2026
GADSDEN, Ala. − Zyan Gibson knows exactly who he wants Alabama football's next Class of 2026 commitment to be. Right now, the Gadsden cornerback's sights are set firmly on Alexander City five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan, who has his commitment date set for July 2. His six scheduled official visits include the Crimson Tide, which gets the last swing June 19-22. Advertisement Gibson, the No. 50 player nationally and No. 4 player in Alabama in the 247 Sports Composite who committed to Alabama in December, said he's getting closer and closer with Morgan, a receiver who could fit right into the Crimson Tide offense. But the pitch itself isn't elaborate. 'I just really sweettalk him,' Gibson told The Tuscaloosa News. 'Like, 'Come on. What (are you) waiting on?'' Talking has never been Gibson's style. At Gadsden City High School, Gibson is the 'silent leader,' football coach Ali Smith said, the one who jumps to the front of the warm-up line, who is where he's supposed to be, who does what everyone else is supposed to do. Advertisement 'I think that he is working to be one of the best players in the state, if not in the country,' Smith said. That is not Gibson's only job. It's also to help the Crimson Tide secure other 2026 players aiming to be 'one of the best players in the state, if not the country.' It's a role Gibson didn't expect, but one he takes incredibly seriously. 'I want to build a culture at Bama,' Gibson said. 'I'm just going for the best guys.' At the beginning of May, Gibson is one of five Class of 2026 commits, joined by Muscle Shoals four-star edge Kamhariyan Johnson and three recruits from Georgia: five-star cornerback Jorden Edmonds, four-star edge Jamarion Matthews and four-star offensive lineman Chris Booker. Advertisement Gibson was not the first member of the class, one that had four separate commitments and de-commitments before the Gadsden cornerback picked Alabama on Dec. 24. Gibson was, however, the only member for 59 days, a stretch that felt like an eternity and ended with Booker's commitment Feb. 20. But it also was a stretch when the Crimson Tide continued to push a message that sold Zyan and the Gibson family. To Michael Gibson, Zyan's father and a former Ole Miss defensive lineman, Alabama's recruiting approach isn't a pitch but a genuine approach to the program at large, one built around 'old school' relationships in a world of Name, Image and Likeness and money, one that is 'family oriented," from the top of head coach Kalen DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan, to associate director of recruiting operations Ashleigh Kimble, who Michael calls the 'team mom.' 'It's just one big happy family down there. … I think everybody is bought in with coach DeBoer and the plan,' Michael Gibson said. 'That's why you didn't see nobody hit the portal. And that's really big. Really big on family, man. There's nothing but love in the building when you go in there.' Advertisement Gibson, his father said, has 'a good instinct' on how to pitch the Crimson Tide after countless visits and hours building relationships with defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist and the rest of the staff that 'treats us like family.' Michael Gibson never expected Zyan to be the face of this class of recruits, though. His son is 'very laid-back, low-key (and) does not do a lot of talking at all.' But in a different way, it all makes sense. 'When he's amongst his peers, he kind of opens up more,' Michael Gibson said. Zyan Gibson is recruiting to find teammates he can be comfortable with, who he can build a relationship with, who he will try and win with in Tuscaloosa. Advertisement It's who Gibson was, and who Smith expects Gibson will be in his final season at Gadsden City, a 'humble kid who works his tail off.' 'He is so in tune to who he is with these guys and wanting to be the best here, that he is just one of the guys,' Smith said. 'But he works hard. And I think his dedication to his training and hard work, that separates him. You could say, 'Oh I can see why he's one of those guys.'' This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football 2026 recruiting strategy's surprise leader: Zyan Gibson
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
35 students receive GED or high school diplomas at Gadsden State ceremony
GADSDEN — Thirty-five students earned their GED or high school diplomas during Gadsden State Community College's 2025 Adult Education Graduation Ceremony, held May 1 at Beck Gymnasium on the Wallace Drive Campus. 'Congratulations, graduates,' said Hollie Patterson, director of Adult Education Services. 'You have made the first step in your journey. We want to watch you fly. Enjoy, celebrate and plan your next steps.' Candida Pedro Aguirre, one of the graduates, was awarded a scholarship worth more than $2,100 to Gadsden State. A married mother of three, Aguirre dropped out of high school but pursued her diploma to set an example for her children. A native Spanish speaker who translates for her Guatemalan parents, she plans to become a professional translator. All graduates are eligible for one free class at Gadsden State. Fifteen students earned their GED, which required passing tests in language arts, math, science and social studies. Most utilized the college's free GED preparation courses offered in Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne and Etowah counties. GED recipients included Alex Carson, Clayton Chapman, Mary Cote, Brandon Evans, James Floyd, Lonna Holloway, Jade Holloway, Magen Johnson, Miguel Martinez, Ava Miller, Logan Rosado, Stuart Stanley, Anthony Wallace, Christine Wyatt and Ranie Zvodar. Twenty additional graduates earned high school diplomas through the Non-traditional High School Diploma Option, a program offered in partnership with the Alabama Community College System and the Alabama State Department of Education. The HSDO allows adults who previously earned partial high school credit or were unable to pass graduation exams to complete their diplomas. Those receiving high school diplomas were Daisy Watts, Luna Wallen, Santanner Walker, Triston Taylor, Derrick Taylor, Chelsie Loveless Storey, Jessica Roberts, Ryan Pierce, Candida Pedro Aguirre, Lucas Ledbetter, LaTiffani Knight, Billy Manning Hunt, Kristy Hicks, Bessie Hatcher, Ava Fronek, Rodreka Croft, Micki Chambless, Magen Carroll, Byron Tasheem and Christina Aguilar. Graduates James Floyd, Luna Wallen and Magen Carroll delivered remarks during the ceremony. Dr. Alan Cosby served as the keynote speaker, and Dr. Tera Simmons, executive vice president of Gadsden State, awarded diplomas. 'This is the beginning of a new day for you and your families,' Simmons said. 'You have overcome obstacles and difficulties to come to this defining moment — your graduation. Continue to move forward. Continue to dream. I'm confident that with your hard work, you will achieve your goals.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Alabama board overseeing local libraries further defines term ‘sexually explicit'
Gadsden Public Library Director Craig Scott speaks to the APLS Board during the Thursday, May 8, 2025 meeting. (Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector) The Alabama Public Library Service board Thursday adopted a definition of the term 'sexually explicit' after advocates and local library officials throughout the state said that the term — the center of controversies over book content around the state — was vague and hard to comply with. The new definition is taken from the state's criminal code defining adult bookstores and adult movie houses. It includes material containing sexual intercourse between people of the same gender or opposite gender, sexual excitement and nudity. 'I think that is an easy thing for us to figure out,' said APLS Chair John Wahl, who introduced the motion on Thursday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The move follows the board's move in May of last year requiring libraries to restrict library materials from the minors or risk forfeiting state funding. To qualify for state aid, libraries must adopt policies for selecting library materials that prohibit minors from having materials that are sexually explicit or inappropriate for children, specify the physical location of books and materials deemed sexually explicit or inappropriate materials for children, and obtain advance approval for materials that are marketed or promoted to children. Libraries must also establish policies that 'approve written guidelines that ensure library sections designated for minors under the age of 18 remain free of material containing obscenity, sexually explicit, or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth,' Wahls' motion comes amid continued unrest at the state board that oversees local library funding. In March, members of the APLS voted to suspend funding to the Fairhope Public Library after several patrons complained that books that allegedly violated the APLS administrative code have yet to be moved to the adult section. In that same meeting, because of another motion from Minton, APLS terminated Nancy Pack, the former director who led the agency since 2012. The Fairhope Library has yet to have its funding restored. Supporters have started a fundraiser to help offset some of the funding that could be lost by the library. Wahl said he had 'cordial communication' with Fairhope Public Library Director Robert Gourlay and chair of the Fairhope Public Library, Randal Wright. 'They are still in their review process,' he said. 'The APLS board is waiting until they finish their review process.' Both Gourlay and Wright attended the meeting to address the APLS board during the public comment period. 'We have gotten a lot of reconsideration forms submitted since the beginning of 2023, and we have about 20,000 plus cardholders in Fairhope. Six or seven individuals are responsible for those requests for reconsideration,' Gourlay said. He said staff have taken the requests seriously and have moved six books from the juvenile and teen section to the adult section. Wright said that the Fairhope Public Library is not attempting to defy the updated APLS administrative code and recommended that the state agency establish a procedure for libraries to follow who may not be complying and give libraries an opportunity to respond before threatening funding. 'I have witnessed the standards of the majority of the citizens of Fairhope who have spoken out in support of our library,' Wright said. 'And I believe we are adhering to the APLS guidelines while also listening to the community standards of Fairhope.' Fights over book content began erupting in 2023 when a parent complained that the Autauga-Prattville Public Library had a book with inclusive pronouns. The issue went all the way up to Gov. Kay Ivey, who pushed the board to adopt administrative code changes. Critics said the campaign was about removing books with LGBTQ characters. The fight continued at Thursday's meeting. 'Let me be blunt,' said Craig Scott, director of the Gadsden Public Library. 'Libraries are not political playgrounds. They are not here to serve an agenda. They are here to serve people, all people. And yes, sometimes providing materials that have been challenged, discomfort, or even provoke thought.' Wahl said he found Scott's comments offensive. 'I personally, went to the state Legislature, and found guaranteed funding, so that local libraries would not have to risk losing federal grants,' Wahl said. 'There was not a single thank you there. To say that this board does not stand up for local libraries, and does not fight for them, is offensive.' Board member Amy Minton, who moved to revoke Fairhope's funding last month, put forward a draft of a motion for the APLS Board to consider at the next meeting that invoked Alabama's 'What is a Woman Act' and the executive order from President Donald Trump that affirmed only two genders. 'In alignment with these clear positions of both state and federal government, it is the opinion of the APLS Board that any library material that encourages, promotes or contains positive portrayals of transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two genders shall be deemed inappropriate for children and youth under APLS Code,' Minton's proposed motion states. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Miami Herald
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
‘Nerve-wrecking': How retired NFL players view their sons' draft process
There's one emotions that you wouldn't necessarily quite expect from retired NFL players with sons in draft. Nerves. You would think that because they have been here before, they'd be cool. Calm. Collected. That, however, is far from the case. 'It's been nerve-wrecking a little bit,' Jason Taylor recently revealed on the NFL Network. The Pro Football Hall of Famer's son, Mason, is a highly-touted tight end out of Louisiana State University. 'It's obviously more nervous for me now as a spectator than a participant.' With the NFL Draft running April 24-26, much attention will be paid to the players. They, after all, will be the ones whose lives are forever changed when their respective names are announced. But for the fathers, especially those who've played at the next level, there's a whole lot of nerves – but also an excitement about their sons' ability to establish his own legacy. 'We wouldn't be human if we didn't have this nervousness as a parent,' said Oronde Gadsden, a former Miami Dolphins receiver whose son, Oronde II, is also projected to be one of the top tight ends in the 2025 draft. 'You always want to see your child do their best.' The NFL Draft comes roughly nine months after that of the NBA, where the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James faced heavy criticism for the team's selection of his son Bronny. Specifically, the word 'nepotism' got thrown around a lot in relation to Bronny and the Lakers. Taylor and Gadsden, however, scoff at the notion that their sons' success has anything to do with nepotism. 'Mason did all of this stuff on his own shield,' Taylor said. 'He worked his butt off. His body of work speaks for itself. If someone wants to tell me that he did all of this because of who his dad is, that's an ignorant, B.S. excuse to not be informed and do your homework.' Added Gadsden: 'As a dad, our job is to give our kids a better opportunity than we had and I think that's all we're doing. No other parent would fall short of doing that.' It's not nepotism, Gadsden continued, just because his son wants to follow in his dad's footsteps and play professionally. The same goes for sons of electricians who want to join the family business. 'We're just in a genre that brings more light to us than other dads,' Gadsden said. That's not to say their kids didn't benefit from their father's careers. Both Mason and Oronde II admitted to that during the NFL Combine. 'It impacted me has a player just you know being able to meet different people and being able to be in different experiences,' said Oronde II, who graduated from American Heritage. 'Just kind of having that insight, that inside scoop, that many people aren't fortunate to have, it's a blessing,' added Mason, a St. Thomas Aquinas grad. It's just that the 'nepotism' title totally obfuscates the work that each individual put in, something that Taylor specifically didn't like considering that Mason 'had to go through the grind to get a scholarship' because 'there was a lot of schools other there that wouldn't give him a chance.' 'You poke the bear and you get bit,' Taylor said before sharing a specific message to the media members who would deem Mason's draft stock the result of nepotism. 'I would tell 'em all to kiss my (butt).' Despite the preparation that both sons have put in, the nerves haven't stopped the nerves. As professional athletes, they are used to a certain type of control over their destinies. That, of course, is far from the case as they prepare to watch their sons get drafted. 'We can't control it,' Gadsden said of the draft. 'So I think that's what give us the nerves. If it was us, we wouldn't have no problem about it.' Added Gadsden: 'If you ask Oronde, he cool as a cucumber. But us, we're used to controlling our own destiny.' Maybe that's why both fathers will be headed on a one-way trip to water works park this week. They understand the preparation. They understand the process. And they understand the sacrifices that not only them but their sons had to make to get there. So when their son's name is finally called, everything – the nerves, the excitement, the passion – will be released with one good cry. 'I can't put into words the feeling you get,' Taylor said of his seeing his children be successful. 'But will I cry? Probably. If I don't, great. I don't want to hear any s*** if I do.' Gadsden too admitted that he would likely join Taylor in a good ole cry before he shared some very critical piece of advice to his son. 'I'm going to shed a tear,' Gadsden said, calling himself 'human.' 'But the journey has just begun again. It's a new chapter. Being there before, we know that the easy part is getting there; the hard part is staying there.'
