Latest news with #Mickens
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chargers sign seven of nine draft picks among other moves
The Chargers signed seven of their nine draft picks Friday, the team announced. Oregon defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell (third rounder), South Carolina edge rusher Kyle Kennard (fourth), Auburn wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (fifth), Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsden II (fifth), Pittsburgh offensive lineman Branson Taylor (sixth), Clemson safety R.J. Mickens (sixth) and Florida cornerback Trikweze Bridges (seventh) now are under contract. Advertisement Caldwell, the 86th overall pick, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition for Oregon in 2024 after starting all 14 games for the Ducks. He set a career high in 2024 with 29 tackles and added three pass breakups and a forced fumble. Kennard, the 125th overall selection, ended his college career at South Carolina by winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy that recognizes college football's top defensive player. He earned named Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year honors after making 11.5 sacks. Lambert-Smith, the 158th overall choice, earned second-team All-SEC honors last season with 50 catches for 981 yards and eight touchdowns. His 19.6-yard receiving average last season was the best in the country among players with at least 45 catches. Gadsden, the 165th overall pick, ended his Syracuse career as the program's all-time record-holder for receptions (141) and receiving yards (1,970) by a tight end. He earned third-team All-America honors and first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference after setting the school's single-season receptions record by a tight end with 73 catches for 934 yards and seven touchdowns. Advertisement Taylor, the 199th overall choice, appeared in 45 games and made 21 starts over his five seasons at Pitt. Taylor started the first six games of 2024 at left tackle. Mickens, the 214th overall selection, started 30 of the 60 games he played over a five-year career at Clemson, becoming the 10th player in program history to participate in 60 career contests for the Tigers. He was voted by his teammates as a team captain in 2024 and ranked third on the team with a career-high 85 tackles. Bridges the 256th overall choice, played 2024 at Florida after a four-year career at Oregon. Bridges led the Gators with a career-high 70 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, a tackle for loss and a pair of forced fumbles last season. The Chargers also announced they waived outside linebacker Chris Collins. In addition, the Chargers signed 18 undrafted free agents, Illinois defensive lineman TeRah Edwards, Virginia Tech defensive lineman Josh Fuga, Kansas wide receiver Luke Grimm, Western Kentucky outside linebacker Kylan Guidry, Virginia Tech safety Jaylen Jones, Texas State guard Nash Jones, Maryland center Josh Kaltenberger, Iowa State tight end Stevo Klotz, Bowling Green State cornerback Jordan Oladokun, Iowa State cornerback Myles Purchase, Baylor outside linebacker Garmon Randolph, Oregon cornerback Nikko Reed, Rutgers cornerback Eric Rogers, South Carolina running back Raheim Sanders, Purdue tackle Corey Stewart, Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, Syracuse tackle Savion Washington and Syracuse linebacker Marlowe Wax will compete for roster spots.
NBC Sports
09-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Chargers sign seven of nine draft picks among other moves
The Chargers signed seven of their nine draft picks Friday, the team announced. Oregon defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell (third rounder), South Carolina edge rusher Kyle Kennard (fourth), Auburn wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (fifth), Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsden II (fifth), Pittsburgh offensive lineman Branson Taylor (sixth), Clemson safety R.J. Mickens (sixth) and Florida cornerback Trikweze Bridges (seventh) now are under contract. Caldwell, the 86th overall pick, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition for Oregon in 2024 after starting all 14 games for the Ducks. He set a career high in 2024 with 29 tackles and added three pass breakups and a forced fumble. Kennard, the 125th overall selection, ended his college career at South Carolina by winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy that recognizes college football's top defensive player. He earned named Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year honors after making 11.5 sacks. Lambert-Smith, the 158th overall choice, earned second-team All-SEC honors last season with 50 catches for 981 yards and eight touchdowns. His 19.6-yard receiving average last season was the best in the country among players with at least 45 catches. Gadsden, the 165th overall pick, ended his Syracuse career as the program's all-time record-holder for receptions (141) and receiving yards (1,970) by a tight end. He earned third-team All-America honors and first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference after setting the school's single-season receptions record by a tight end with 73 catches for 934 yards and seven touchdowns. Taylor, the 199th overall choice, appeared in 45 games and made 21 starts over his five seasons at Pitt. Taylor started the first six games of 2024 at left tackle. Mickens, the 214th overall selection, started 30 of the 60 games he played over a five-year career at Clemson, becoming the 10th player in program history to participate in 60 career contests for the Tigers. He was voted by his teammates as a team captain in 2024 and ranked third on the team with a career-high 85 tackles. Bridges the 256th overall choice, played 2024 at Florida after a four-year career at Oregon. Bridges led the Gators with a career-high 70 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, a tackle for loss and a pair of forced fumbles last season. The Chargers also announced they waived outside linebacker Chris Collins. In addition, the Chargers signed 18 undrafted free agents, Illinois defensive lineman TeRah Edwards, Virginia Tech defensive lineman Josh Fuga, Kansas wide receiver Luke Grimm, Western Kentucky outside linebacker Kylan Guidry, Virginia Tech safety Jaylen Jones, Texas State guard Nash Jones, Maryland center Josh Kaltenberger, Iowa State tight end Stevo Klotz, Bowling Green State cornerback Jordan Oladokun, Iowa State cornerback Myles Purchase, Baylor outside linebacker Garmon Randolph, Oregon cornerback Nikko Reed, Rutgers cornerback Eric Rogers, South Carolina running back Raheim Sanders, Purdue tackle Corey Stewart, Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, Syracuse tackle Savion Washington and Syracuse linebacker Marlowe Wax will compete for roster spots.
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where every Clemson player landed so far after the 2025 NFL Draft
Where every Clemson player landed so far after the 2025 NFL Draft The 2025 NFL Draft has wrapped up, and several Clemson Tigers now know where their professional journeys will begin. While this year didn't feature a first-round pick for Clemson like in some previous drafts, the Tigers once again showed the program's ability to develop players who are ready for the next level. From early selections to late-round picks and likely undrafted free agent signings, the Tigers are continuing a proud tradition of sending talent into the NFL. Clemson has built its reputation on producing players who not only get drafted but also make an impact once they arrive. This year's group brings a mix of versatility, leadership, and toughness — traits that NFL teams value highly. Whether they heard their names called early or had to wait until later rounds, these players are getting a chance to chase their dreams and represent Clemson at the next level. For a program that prides itself on development and preparing athletes for life after college, this next step is a major accomplishment. Now it's up to these former Tigers to carve out their roles and make a name for themselves in the NFL. Here is where every Tiger has landed after the 2025 NFL Draft so far. Barrett Carter Position: Linebacker NFL Draft Pick: No. 4th round, 119th overall Team: Cincinnati Bengals There were no questions about who the first Tiger off the board would be. The Bengals love their Clemson players, and they select Carter at great value. He needs time to develop, but his ceiling is one of the highest of any Day 3 selection. R.J. Mickens Position: Safety NFL Draft Pick: 6th round, 214th overall Team: Los Angeles Chargers I love this landing spot for Mickens, who, like Carter, has potential if he develops in the right situation. The Chargers secondary does need serious help and while I don't think Mickens is an immediate impact player, learning from Derwin James could do wonders for him. Phil Mafah Position: Running Back NFL Draft Pick: Phil Mafah: 7th round, 239th overall pick Team: Dallas Cowboys Every single Clemson player who found a home in the NFL landed in a great situation, especially Mafah. The Cowboys need help on the ground, even if Rico Dowdle showed some promise late in the season. Mafah has a clear path to playing time here, but clear doesn't mean easy. Jake Briningstool Position: Tight End NFL Draft Pick: UDFA Team: Kansas City Chiefs Before the draft, I discussed how Briningstool is more of a slot wide receiver than a tight end. You know who's the same? Travis Kelce. This is a match made in heaven.
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NFL draft: Why the Chargers selected R.J. Mickens with the 214th pick
2025 NFL draft: Why the Chargers selected R.J. Mickens with the 214th pick The Chargers have added some competition for Tony Jefferson's roster spot. While Jefferson became a fan favorite after coming out of retirement and playing a role for the Chargers in 2024, his spot as the fourth safety behind Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, and Elijah Molden was never secure. The hold on that spot has loosened further, as Los Angeles selected safety RJ Mickens with the No. 214 pick in the draft on Saturday. Mickens played punt coverage all five seasons at Clemson and ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, so his skills as a special teamer will give him an inside track at making the initial 53-man roster. A productive player on the ball at Clemson thanks to his background as a high school wide receiver, Mickens has also played all over the formation for the Tigers, primarily at free safety or in the nickel. Defensively, he'll likely back up Elijah Molden, who plays a similar role for the Chargers. The son of 11-year NFL veteran Ray Mickens, the newest Charger is an intelligent understander of angles to the football and consistently flashes as a strong tackler. He doesn't consistently play to his testing numbers, which suggests that there may be some room for him to grow into a defensive contributor. With Gilman set to hit free agency after the season, Mickens could grab a role on defense as early as 2026.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Only Google can run Chrome, company's browser chief tells judge
Google is the only company that can offer the level of features and functionality that its popular Chrome web browser has today, given its 'interdependencies' on other parts of the Alphabet Inc. unit, the head of Chrome testified. 'Chrome today represents 17 years of collaboration between the Chrome people' and the rest of Google, Parisa Tabriz, the browser's general manager, said Friday as part of the Justice Department's antitrust case in Washington federal court. 'Trying to disentangle that is unprecedented.' Some of the product's features, such as its safe browsing mode or a system that notifies users if their password has been compromised, rely on shared Google infrastructure not solely within Chrome's purview, she said. 'I don't think it could be recreated,' she added. Tabriz testified for several hours before Judge Amit Mehta, who is overseeing a three-week hearing on what changes Google must make to its business practices after he found last year that the company illegally monopolized the search market. The Justice Department has asked that Google be forced to sell its Chrome browser and share some of the data it collects to create its search results. It has also asked Mehta to ban Google from paying for search engine defaults. That proposed ban would apply to Google's AI products, including Gemini, which the government says were aided by the company's illegal monopoly in search. Google's Chrome is the company's proprietary browser, the most popular one in the world used by an estimated 66% of people globally as of March, according to Statcounter. The browser is based on the open-source Chromium Project. Chromium was created by Google, but it accepts technical contributions from other companies and has support from Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft Corp. and the Linux Foundation, among others. Earlier Friday, James Mickens, a computer science expert for the Justice Department, said Google could easily transfer ownership of Chrome to another company without breaking its functionality. 'The divestiture of Chrome is feasible from a technical perspective,' said Mickens, a computer science professor at Harvard University. 'It would be feasible to transfer ownership and not break too much.' Mickens previously served as an expert for Fortnite-maker Epic Games Inc. in its antitrust case against Google over the Android ecosystem. Even without Chrome, Google would still have incentives to keep contributing technology to Chromium, the open-source project that underlies its browser and that of several rivals, Mickens said. Google's Android smartphone operating system also makes use of some aspects of Chromium to ensure that web pages load properly on phones, he said. 'Google has a motivation to make sure the source code is well-maintained,' Mickens said of Chromium. But Tabriz cast doubt on that idea. Google has contributed more than 90% of the code for Chromium since 2015, she said. 'Google invests hundreds of millions of dollars into Chromium,' she said, estimating that 1,000 engineers within her division have contributed to the project. Other companies 'are not contributing now in any meaningful way.' Google has been working to add artificial intelligence to the Chrome browser, Tabriz said. Users can now add extensions for OpenAI's ChatGPT and Perplexity AI to Chrome or change the browser settings to make it easier to search using any AI models. But she acknowledged that Gemini is currently set as the default AI assistant to use within Chrome. 'Most browsers are experimenting with AI and launching features,' she said, noting that Microsoft has integrated its AI Copilot into its search engine Bing and browser Edge. In internal documents, Google said it intends to develop Chrome into an 'agentic browser,' which incorporates AI agents to automate tasks and perform actions such as filling out forms, conducting research or shopping. 'We envision a future of multiple agents, where Chrome integrates deeply with Gemini as a primary agent and one we'll prioritize and enable users to engage with multiple 3P agents on the web in both consumer and enterprise settings,' Tabriz wrote in a 2024 email. Nylen writes for Bloomberg Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
