Latest news with #JadeveonClowney
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The best South Carolina high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are the top 25
Jadeveon Clowney announces his college football commitment to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks along side his mother Josenna Clowney and father David Clowney during a press conference at South Pointe High School on February 14, 2011 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. When one thinks of South Carolina's high school sports landscape, one of the country's richest football scenes instantly comes to mind. The state is known for producing elite talents like Jadeveon Clowney and AJ Green as well as legends like Heisman winner George Rogers. Advertisement And off the gridiron, names like A'ja Wilson, Natasha Anderson, and Caroline Conti also add to the state's incredible high school history. With that, the schools have become equally intertwined with the legendary athletes, which continues on the present-day fields, courts, in the pools and beyond. Which South Carolina high schools are currently the best for athletes? According to one study, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25… 25. Thomas Heyward Academy (Ridgeland) Total number of sports: 7 24. Francis High Wardlaw Academy (Johnston) Total number of sports: 6 23. Saint Joseph's Catholic School (Greenville) Total number of sports: 14 22. Florence Christian School (Florence) Total number of sports: 9 21. The King's Academy (Florence) Total number of sports: 13 20. Heathwood Hall Episcopal School (Columbia) Total number of sports: 20 19. Greenwood High School (Greenwood) Total number of sports: 18 18. Pinewood Preparatory School (Summerville) Total number of sports: 19 17. Hilton Head Christian Academy (Bluffton) Total number of sports: 17 16. John Paul II Catholic School (Ridgeland) Total number of sports: 18 15. Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mount Pleasant) Total number of sports: 21 14. Aynor High School (Aynor) Total number of sports: 14 13. Wilson Hall (Sumter) Total number of sports: 15 12. Northwestern High School (Rock Hill) Total number of sports: 20 11. Irmo High School (Columbia) Total number of sports: 22 DW Daniel High Coach Thomas Izaguirre holds up the championship trophy with the team after the 2023 Class AAA boys soccer State championship game at Irmo High School in Columbia, S.C. Saturday, May 13, 2023. D.W. Daniel beat Beaufort High 3-0. 10. South Pointe High School (Rock Hill) Total number of sports: 19 9. Cardinal Newman School (Columbia) Total number of sports: 16 8. Ben Lippen School (Columbia) Total number of sports: 20 7. Southside Christian School (Simpsonville) Total number of sports: 18 6. Porter-Gaud School (Charleston) Total number of sports: 22 5. Trinity Collegiate School (Darlington) Total number of sports: 16 4. Camden Military Academy (Camden) Total number of sports: 13 3. Bishop England High School (Charleston) Total number of sports: 23 2. Hammond School (Columbia) Total number of sports: 19 1. Christ Church Episcopal School (Greenville) Total number of sports: 37 Data via Niche survey statistics This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: The 25 best high schools for athletes in South Carolina
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Panthers with most to prove: Bryce Young and 7 other players facing pivotal seasons
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As far as offseasons go, this one was calm by Carolina Panthers standards. The head coach, general manager and quarterback are all back, which has been a rarity around Bank of America Stadium during David Tepper's seven-year tenure as owner. Head coach Dave Canales made several staff changes, mostly on the defensive side after the Panthers allowed more points in 2024 than any NFL team over a 17-game schedule. Advertisement The Panthers cut a few veteran players, most notably edge rusher and 2014 No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney, running back Miles Sanders and tight end Jordan Matthews. But relatively speaking, there was a sense of normalcy as Tepper exhibited trust in Canales, general manager Dan Morgan and executive vice president of football operations Brandt Tilis, all of whom were hired in January 2024. Bryce Young, for one, was appreciative. 'It's nice having this first year of having that comfortability and familiarity with the system, with the coaching staff. Just a little bit of stability definitely has gone a long way for me and I think everyone on the team,' Young said recently. 'It's not so much about finding it and trying to figure it out and trying to learn. It's more just about growing and executing and being the best version of ourselves. Having that approach and mindset, it's huge — especially in comparison.' But with no playoff appearances since buying the team from the late Jerry Richardson in 2018, Tepper's patience will extend only so far. The Panthers, who improved from two wins to five in Canales' first season, must make another leap forward. Certain players and position groups need to step up to help the Panthers end their playoff drought. The Athletic looks at eight with the most to prove in 2025. Even after Young bounced back strong from a Week 3 benching, Canales was hesitant to anoint him as the every-week starter. Canales has said that was more about respecting Andy Dalton and his status as a veteran leader. But Canales was all in on Young by the end of the season. Now the challenge for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator is to shape his system to best take advantage of Young's talents, much as Canales did with Baker Mayfield in 2023. Advertisement As for Young, the No. 1 pick from two years ago can't come out flat like the early part of last season, when he often looked defeated during games. Compare that to the version of Young from late in the year, when he was sidestepping pass rushers in Philadelphia, making pinpoint throws — on and off schedule — and playing with a swagger and confidence not seen since Alabama (see his look-away TD pass to Tommy Tremble). Young took a next step last year. Another big one awaits: proving he's a top-tier quarterback capable of leading the Panthers to regular playoff appearances and worthy of the type of contract Brock Purdy just received. Bryce Young SHEESH 📺: #CARvsPHI on FOX📱: — NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024 Had Legette, last year's first-round pick, shown more in his first NFL season, there's a chance Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker would be in Charlotte for OTAs this month as the Panthers' pick at No. 8. But Legette struggled with drops and inconsistency in 2024 and did not look like a No. 1 receiver. Thus, the decision to take Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan, who caught passes from Young one day during the offseason at a California training facility. The Panthers claim picking McMillan was not an indictment of Legette, but that's certainly how it looks. Perhaps McMillan's arrival takes some pressure off Legette, who battled wrist and foot injuries (the latter of which required offseason surgery) during an up-and-down rookie year. Receivers coach Rob Moore called Legette one of the toughest players he's been around and commended him for not making excuses. 'But I think when we got toward the end of it a little bit, he was kind of gutting through it,' Moore said. 'He's a tough player that's tough-minded and it was good to see him have the resiliency to push through some of those things, which is hard for a lot of rookies. Developing that tough skin for some players takes a number of years.' Advertisement Here's how quickly things can turn in the NFL, especially for players at premium positions. Last winter, it wasn't a slam dunk the Panthers would pick up Horn's fifth-year option, given that he'd missed 29 of 51 games over his first three seasons due to injury. The Panthers eventually exercised the option on Horn, whose improved offseason regimen resulted in Horn playing well over a career-high 15 games in 2024 and convinced the Panthers to sign him to a huge extension in March. Horn's four-year, $100 million deal briefly made him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, a title he held for a week until the Houston Texans signed Derek Stingley to a three-year extension worth an average of $30 million a year. With that money comes more responsibility for Horn, who needs to start stacking Pro Bowl appearances (he made his first last season) while remaining a shutdown corner. Ekwonu is sitting in the same spot as Horn last year — a one-time first-round pick at an important position looking for a life-changing contract. The Panthers negotiated with their left tackle on an extension before picking up his fifth-year option, which is worth a guaranteed $17.6 million in 2026. Ekwonu, who went to high school in Charlotte and played at NC State, said he wants to be in Carolina for the 'glory days.' And the Panthers would like to hang on to Ekwonu, but at the right place. While Horn's issues were staying on the field, Ekwonu's have been related to performance — specifically, struggling to keep speed rushers off Young. Ekwonu's pass protection was much better last year while working with offensive line coach Joe Gilbert. The tackle known as 'Ickey' needs to continue on that upward trajectory to be rewarded in a similar fashion as Horn. 'Seeing Jaycee's contract, I was excited for him. We play different positions. You never really know what way it's going to shake versus another,' Ekwonu said. 'But definitely excited to have Jaycee locked in with us. I'm hoping to be locked in just as much as he is by the next couple years.' The Panthers thought they were in good shape with free-agent defensive tackle Milton Williams before the New England Patriots swooped in and signed the former Eagles interior player to a massive four-year, $104 million contract. Morgan and Tilis then pivoted to a couple of other players up front, with their biggest cash outlay going to Wharton, the former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle. Wharton didn't get Williams money. But his three-year, $45 million contract — with $30.25 million guaranteed — was substantial for a player who never had more than two sacks over his first four seasons before breaking out with 6.5 last year. It helped that Wharton played alongside Chris Jones, who occupied plenty of blockers. But the Panthers have their own Pro Bowl defensive lineman in Derrick Brown, who was impressed with Wharton's work ethic during the offseason program. 'He works damn hard. Ever since he's been here, we work out together,' Brown said. 'It's been one of those things where we get to spend that time here and actually get to start building that relationship that translates to the field.' Corbett and Mays, who will compete for the starting spot at center, aren't on this list because they have to prove they are deserving of their contracts. Quite the contrary: Both re-upped with the Panthers on one-year deals for about $3 million. (Mays was a restricted free agent.) Instead, both will be playing for future contracts while hoping to stay healthy and shore up the interior of an offensive line that was one of the team's strengths in 2024. The health piece of this is especially true for Corbett, who's dealt with serious injuries each of the past three seasons. With the four other spots up front secure, the position battle at center will be worth watching this summer. Advertisement The fourth-round pick from Texas had carved out a fairly prominent place in the passing game before landing on his neck while being tackled following a catch against the Chiefs in Week 12. Sanders was inactive the following week and was ineffective while playing with a sprained neck down the stretch. Before the injury, Sanders five games with at least three receptions, including a six-catch effort at Washington. The Panthers re-signed veteran Tremble and added another tight end in the draft this year by selecting Notre Dame's Mitchell Evans in the fifth round. But Sanders is more of a receiving threat than Evans and can be a weapon for Young when healthy. (Top photos of Bryce Young and Jaycee Horn: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Jadeveon Clowney fails to make it to the Top 25 College Football Player list
(Image via Getty: Jadeveon Clowney) On May 20, Bruce Feldman, a College Football Beat Writer at The Athletic , released the Top 25 College Football Player list. Immediately, Jonathan Williams, Multimedia Sports Journalist at Sports Illustrated, shared that it did not have a name! Jadeveon Clowney . Someone whose stats are far better than the ones listed in the Top 25. For instance, it had New Orleans Saints DE Chase Young, who accumulated 99 tackles, 30.5 sacks, and 43 tackles for loss in his college football career. Jadeveon Clowney, former linebacker at the Houston Texans, scored 129 tackles, 24 sacks, and 48 tackles for loss. Jadeveon Clowney was dropped from the Top 25 College Football Players list after parting ways with the Carolina Panthers Getting snubbed from a list where you were one of the best more than a decade ago - hurts differently. To rub salt in the wound, this loss comes right after the Carolina Panthers released the 32-year-old outside linebacker, Jadeveon Clowney. A quote can be of service here, and it's straight from the source: Jadeveon Clowney wrote on his X back in March 2022 - Never allow someone the power to create a narrative about your character; stay true to yourself. ✊🏾😤😤 Fans were asked what happened to Jadeveon Clowney over the years On May 19, 2025, MLFootball shared a video of Jadeveon Clowney's outstanding play on X with a caption - WHAT HAPPENED TO JADEVEON CLOWNEY…? Clowney is still only 32 years old — was the #1 overall pick and was considered a generational talent . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Fans rushed in their responses. 'injuries killed his career real talk' 'His career was made off of one play in a nonsense bowl game.' 'injuries and inconsistency.' 'Work ethic, motor to name a couple reasons…' 'Lacks the desire or drive to be the best. Elite physical gifts wasted to a degree. Solid player only but with hall of fame gifts' 'He wasn't ever bad, just not generational' 'I mean, it was one of the greatest plays I've ever seen in college football.' 'Undersized, low compete level' 'He had one hellavua play in college. That is what got him clout.' 'Never lived up to the hype because of injuries ..' 'Bust as a first pick' 'Injuries. Luck plays a part in longevity' 'He is lazy and rich' 'Even in college his work ethic was always questioned but his talent over road that in college some thought he was taking it light so he wouldn't hurt himself but no that was the real Him' Also Read: 'Some people are untouchable': Michael Vick talks about Brett Favre on Netflix documentary UNTOLD: The Fall of Favre | NFL News - Times of India Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
USA Today
17-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Recent Ravens acquisition could indicate that the ship has sailed on a Clowney reunion
Recent Ravens acquisition could indicate that the ship has sailed on a Clowney reunion The Ravens' recent edge rusher addition might end the Jadeveon Clowney reunion theories. And, just like that, rumors and theories about the Baltimore Ravens reacquiring Jadeveon Clowney have suddenly gone silent. It made sense at the time, the Carolina Panthers determined they'd move on after only a single season, and one of the game's top mercenaries was a free agent again. It was hard not to recall his success while on Baltimore's roster. It was the best he had looked since 2017, his fourth season with the Houston Texans. Lo and behold. He even equaled his career high sack total. He was snubbed for a Pro Bowl nomination, but he certainly deserves it. So, naturally, the Flock would think about swooping in again, right? The announcement never came. No one went off the rails. After all, Clowney signings could be announced towards training camp or the preseason. This time, however, the silence seems more telling than usual, and now, following a recent acquisition announcement, it feels like it may be time to retire the theory. The Jadeveon Clowney discussions have all but died after the Ravens announced their recent signing. The Ravens and every other NFL franchise are filling out their 90-man training camp rosters ahead of OTAs. Baltimore announced the signing of another edge rusher, a rookie free agent, Kaimon Rucker. This one didn't get a ton of hype. That's possibly the result of being dwarfed by the news of Derrick Henry's extension and the NFL's official schedule release that came later in the evening. No disrespect is intended, but Rucker, though talented, isn't in Clowney's class yet, so many in the 'bring Jadeveon back' camp continued to wait to hear the news that it had happened. But, again, things have been silent and seemingly stagnant, and it feels like that is how it will stay. You never know. As previously mentioned, he's often offered employment later rather than sooner. The Ravens didn't acquire him until August 18, 2023. So let's make long stories shorter. 'Clowney watch' hasn't officially ended, but those in favor can't rule out the idea that this ship has sailed.
New York Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Do Ravens need Jadeveon Clowney? It depends on how they view their young edge rushers
The Baltimore Ravens have done well signing productive veterans late in the offseason, so it was hardly surprising that the sudden availability of one of their past success stories prompted talk that they're ready to make another move. After drafting two edge rushers, the Carolina Panthers released veteran outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney last week. The Ravens were immediately cited as a potential suitor, and it's easy to see why. Advertisement Clowney had one of the best seasons of his career with the Ravens in 2023, registering 9 1/2 sacks while playing a disruptive brand of football and flourishing in a winning environment. Baltimore is always looking to augment its pass rush, and it's been able to in the recent past by signing veterans such as Clowney, Kyle Van Noy, Justin Houston and Pernell McPhee on modest deals. Clowney's availability, however, comes at a time when the Ravens are deeper at outside linebacker. Van Noy and 2021 first-round pick Odafe Oweh combined for 22 1/2 sacks last year. Tavius Robinson, a 2023 fourth-round selection who had 3 1/2 sacks, 12 quarterback hits and played 43 percent of the defensive snaps last season, is viewed by the organization as an ascending player. A third-round pick last year, Adisa Isaac is healthy again after injuries marred his rookie season. The Ravens still haven't given up on David Ojabo, a 2022 second-round pick who has struggled to overcome injuries and make an impact. They also used another second-rounder last month on Mike Green, who was widely considered one of the top pass rushers in the draft but fell because he was twice accused of sexual assault. Clowney is a proven NFL commodity, which is more than you can say about Isaac, Ojabo and Green. Clowney is a three-time Pro Bowler and has 58 career sacks. For a Ravens team desperately trying to get over the hump in the playoffs, there's certainly something to be said for knowing what you are going to get from a proven veteran rather than hoping for a breakout from a young player. Ultimately, though, general manager Eric DeCosta's decision on whether to pursue Clowney will come down to the Ravens' evaluation of the young edge rushers on the roster. Does the team believe one or two are primed for breakout years? Is there concern that adding Clowney, or even another ex-Raven free agent like Za'Darius Smith or Matthew Judon, would take snaps away from some combination of Green, Isaac and Ojabo, and to a lesser extent Robinson, who can move inside? Are the Ravens determined to get more out of the draft capital they've used on the position? Advertisement If the answer to any of those questions is yes, then it's easy to see why the Ravens would have reservations about pursuing Clowney. As it is, even without Clowney, there probably is not room for more than five edge rushers on the regular-season roster. There's certainly not room to dress more than five on game days. That would mean unless there's an injury, it could be Isaac and Ojabo competing for one spot. If Clowney is added to the mix, that would make the roster situation even tighter. Keeping six outside linebackers would leave the Ravens light in other areas. And even if you've already written off Ojabo, who has four sacks in three NFL seasons, Clowney's presence would surely impact the snaps allotted to Green, Isaac and maybe even Robinson. They'd essentially be competing for fourth and fifth edge rusher snaps. Would the team's decision-makers view that as a good problem to have or a legitimate issue in trying to develop young pass rushers? The Ravens are a draft-and-develop team, and they typically lean toward rewarding their own with opportunities before going outside for help. In other words, how they approach Clowney's availability will tell us more about their evaluations of their own young edge rushers than it will about their feelings about Clowney. 1. NFL schedules will be released Wednesday and, as usual, the prevailing question for the Ravens will be just how often the league has them in prime time. How about as often as possible? Quarterback Lamar Jackson remains one of the faces of the league, and the Ravens are again expected to be good. Throw in a schedule that includes games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams, along with the always compelling divisional matchups with the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers, and figure on Baltimore playing the full allotment of 2025 prime-time games. 2. Would the Ravens have drafted a kicker if Justin Tucker wasn't the subject of serious sexual misconduct allegations and an NFL investigation that could result in a suspension? Probably not. Would the Ravens have released Tucker before the NFL concluded its investigation if he were still at the top of his game and not coming off the worst year of his career? Again, probably not. Regardless of how the team termed the release — and avoiding a grievance probably factored into their approach — this wasn't exclusively a 'football decision.' Advertisement But you also can't dismiss the football elements, like Tucker's poor 2024, his high salary and concern about how the off-the-field issues and increased scrutiny would impact his performance. I don't get the sense that the Ravens learned anything new about the league's investigation to prompt last week's release. It seemed more a result of the Ravens considering all of the factors, starting with the allegations, and coming to the conclusion that having Tucker and his potential successor, sixth-round pick Tyler Loop, in the building at the same time and headed for a summer kicking competition wasn't a good situation for the organization. 3. The Ravens have 86 players on their roster, which leaves room for four more additions. A few of those were expected to come with the signing of tryout guys at Baltimore's rookie minicamp. But nearly a week since the conclusion of the minicamp, there's been no movement on that front. And one of the minicamp participants who was billed as a potential roster addition, Nebraska nose tackle Nash Hutmacher, has since signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wyoming kicker John Hoyland remains in the mix for a roster spot. The Louisiana-Lafayette football program also said on its X account that cornerback Keyon Martin, who was at Baltimore's minicamp, signed with the team. Yet, there has been no word from the Ravens about roster additions since they announced their undrafted free agent class on May 4. 4. In his media availability following the conclusion of the draft, DeCosta didn't sugarcoat the need for an interior run stuffer to replace the retired Michael Pierce. However, the list of interior defensive linemen available in free agency is neither long nor impressive. Some of the more notable names are John Jenkins, Linval Joseph, Raekwon Davis and Montravius Adams. If the Ravens are just looking to get a rotational nose tackle who will only play a handful of snaps per game, there's enough available where they should be fine. If they want a higher-impact guy and starting-caliber player, a trade may have to be the solution unless a quality vet gets let go in the coming weeks. 5. The Ravens don't traditionally announce coaching departures, but I've confirmed that former assistant special teams coach Sam Koch is no longer on John Harbaugh's staff. Koch, who punted 16 seasons for the Ravens and then went into coaching following his retirement in 2022, had been working primarily with young punter Jordan Stout. However, the Ravens brought in another former player, Anthony Levine Sr., in an assistant special teams coach role. Senior special teams coach Randy Brown works primarily with the kickers and punters. Koch was extremely close with Tucker, but Koch's departure was finalized earlier this offseason, long before Tucker was released. Advertisement 6. Former Ravens outside linebacker Tyus Bowser last week withdrew his $4.5 million grievance against the team that stemmed from the diagnosis and treatment of the knee injury he sustained in 2023. Bowser spent that season on the non-football injury list and was not paid by Baltimore. With him withdrawing the grievance, the Ravens got an immediate $1.8 million salary-cap credit. 7. As of the end of last week, the NFL Players Association Public Salary Cap Report had the Ravens with just under $11 million of cap room. That number, though, will grow in the weeks ahead. The Ravens designated both Tucker and safety Marcus Williams as post-June 1 releases. That means they'll get the cap savings from those cuts — $4.2 million for Tucker and $2.1 million for Williams — after June 1. It's not exactly a windfall, but every bit counts, and the Ravens needed more cap breathing room heading into the season. 8. Baltimore's organized team activities start the week of May 26. The sessions are voluntary, and the Ravens are not a 100 percent OTA attendance team. Select vets annually stay away from the building until the mid-June mandatory minicamp. Harbaugh would prefer everybody to be on hand, although there are situations where team officials concede that it's more beneficial to have young players get the reps. This year's attendance bears watching. The Ravens have many key players entering the final year of their deals. Running back Derrick Henry, center Tyler Linderbaum, tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, Oweh, Van Noy and safety Ar'Darius Washington are part of that group. They also have some players (Van Noy, Rashod Bateman) who have outperformed their current contracts. Every player has their reason for attending or not attending voluntary workouts, but this is the time of year when contract dissatisfaction rises to the forefront. 9. DeCosta confirmed that the Ravens had trade-back options when they were on the clock at No. 27 on Day 1 of the draft. It's since been revealed that the Philadelphia Eagles, who were trying to move up to land Alabama inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell, were one of those options. As long as Georgia safety Malaki Starks was available, though, the Ravens weren't interested in moving back unless they were overwhelmed by an offer. .@StarksMalaki was made for this 😤 — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 4, 2025 They knew if they traded back to No. 32, there was a decent chance Starks would be gone. They also knew that picking behind the Chiefs would almost certainly eliminate offensive tackle Josh Simmons, whom the Ravens had high grades on, as an option. It was well documented that the Chiefs wanted a tackle. The Ravens liked South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori, too, and he might have been in a trade-back scenario, but they liked Starks more. 10. Running back Keaton Mitchell took to his X account last week to post the number 22.4, which presumably refers to his GPS miles per hour readings during his workouts. It is also the latest indication that Mitchell is returning to his pre-knee injury form. Mitchell was clocked at 22.6 miles per hour in college. Advertisement Harbaugh mentioned earlier this offseason that he expects Mitchell to be on a 'whole other level' as he's now another offseason removed from the career-altering knee injury he sustained late in the 2023 season. Mitchell has kind of become the forgotten man on this Ravens offense. If he's anywhere close to pre-injury form, he adds another dimension to an already potent offense. He should help the team's return game, too.
