Latest news with #rookiecamp
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luguentz Dort nails it from behind the arc
Giants Rookie Camp Highlights | Abdul Carter, Jaxson Dart, Can Skattebo | 5/9/25 The New York Giants began rookie minicamp on Friday, with Michael Strahan in the house and some prized rookies on the field. Get your first looks at Abdul Carter in action, new QB Jaxson Dart showing of his arm, and drills with RB Cam Skattebo. 3:33 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aaron Glenn Grades Jets After Rookie Camp
FLORHAM PARK -- When Aaron Glenn took over as head coach of the New York Jets in January, he built a reputation in the media as a hard-nosed individual who would not tolerate any weakness from his staff or players. The start of voluntary workouts and rookie minicamp has shown a new side of Glenn. Advertisement Instead of the hard-nosed expectations that have come from the former defensive mastermind, Glenn has shown his teaching side - pushing young players to be better and develop faster than people ever thought they could. With rookie camp coming to an end Saturday morning, the Jets and Glenn has made one thing clear to the incoming rookie class. They have already taken their first step in the larger football world. "Seven draft picks, 15 undrafted free agents, I think we had about 12 tryout guys, so, man, we had guys from like major division one programs, some guys from 1-AA, we had some guys from HBCUs, and I told those guys, it really doesn't matter where you're from... once you get in the building, you have a shot," Glenn said. "Once you get in the building you have a shot, so I thought it was important for them to understand that." Advertisement There will be hundreds of players released over the next few months. Many of those players will be the same undrafted free agents and tryout candidates that the Jets invited over this weekend. New York has taken a positive step in this direction under Glenn. The rookies have gotten their first taste of professional football. And it means teaching and developing that young talent in a way that the Jets hope will change their fortunes forever. Related: Jets 1st-Round Pick Starstruck At $32 Million Rookie Contract Related: Jets Rookies Detail Hidden Test with Aaron Glenn
New York Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Jets rookie camp observations: Aaron Glenn's style, Justin Fields' leadership, signs of buy-in
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Glenn stood on the practice field with his arms crossed, observing. On a windy Saturday afternoon during rookie camp, Glenn was often on the move, bouncing from position group to position group. He was taking notes, most of them mental. 'It felt good being on the grass,' he said afterward. Advertisement Glenn was resisting the urge to get into the mix. That's what his muscle memory was telling him to do — you're a coach, so coach. He's not quiet, at least not usually, but Glenn is still finding his way as a first-time head coach, easing his new players, especially these rookies, into how things will look when practices get serious. The sessions were serious for some players — the ones trying to make the roster, the undrafted players fighting to stick around beyond the summer — but in the bigger picture, these were glorified workouts. There were no pads, no tackling. So there was no use in Glenn bellowing orders and yelling for perfection. So Glenn watched, he learned. At one point, he put his hands on his knees. It seemed like, perhaps, he wanted to get into it on a defensive back drill. 'I was probably tired,' he said with a laugh. When Glenn was a position coach for five years with the Saints, he had a small group of players to get his hands on. When he became the defensive coordinator for the Lions, he had a whole unit of 20-plus players, plus defensive position coaches, that looked to him for guidance. As Glenn explained this, he held his hands out to emphasize the number of people he had to wrap his arms around as a coach rising through the ranks. Now he's a head coach — this is when he stretched his arms out as far as they could go. 'Now my focus is on the whole team,' Glenn said. 'It's outstanding. To get a chance to go to every position and give my opinions on how they should do things and how they can help those guys be successful, that's the fun thing about coaching. That's the fun thing about my development as a coach, to be able to go to those quarterbacks and talk to those guys, and the running backs, the D-Line, the linebackers. That was the change of being able to move around the field — being able to coach every position.' Advertisement During Friday's indoor practice (moved inside because of rain) Glenn spent most of his time observing offensive players, a sign that — as he's said over and over again — he will be much more than a defensive coach. In this stage of the offseason, he's mostly trying to be a leader. When he spoke to the rookies here for camp — a group that includes seven draft picks, 15 undrafted free-agent signings, some young veterans and a handful of tryout players — his message was simple: It doesn't matter where you're from, or what you did in college, you're here now. 'They've done a great job to get into the building,' Glenn said, 'and once you get in the building, you have a shot.' Glenn intimated that, as an observer, there were three things he was looking for over the course of rookie camp: How they learn, how coachable they are, and whether they can play special teams. 'I think a lot of those guys answered those questions,' Glenn said. As for the overall vision, Jets players will start to see what kind of on-field coach Glenn is going to be once they move into the more competitive phases of the offseason program. The first two phases don't involve much on-field competition or on-field work outside of individual drills against air. Once OTAs begin later this month, they'll start to hear Glenn more — and understand his expectations going forward. This beginning stage, he said, was more about getting to know everyone in the building, getting in shape, building strength and establishing a culture. The rookies were really the first ones that got a taste of how things are going to look with Glenn at the helm. Before each practice, he went around the practice field, shook each player's hand and explained what he expected of them. An example: He told defensive end Tyler Baron about how he wants him to develop consistency in his details — in his hand placement, eye discipline and all that leads up to making 'actual contact,' Baron said. Advertisement 'I respect him a lot and I like the culture that he's building here,' said first-round tackle Armand Membou. 'He's not going to demean you but he's going to demand the best out of you.' Second-round tight end Mason Taylor felt like Glenn has shown a 'really good balance' of being both demanding and being a 'players coach'. Fourth-round receiver Arian Smith said Glenn reminds him of Georgia coach Kirby Smart in the way that he's 'a genuine person, he's going to tell you straight up what he wants from you and he's going to coach you hard — that's what I want, I want to be coached hard,' Smith said. 'I want to be demanded, I want them to pull out nothing but the best and push me to be the best that I can be.' Safety Malachi Moore found Glenn to be different from Nick Saban, his coach at Alabama. 'Coach Saban is more of a yeller. Right now, Coach Glenn has just been kind of observing, encouraging us to keep working and pushing forward. He has that side to him for sure — I'm pretty sure I'll see that down the road.' Here are 10 quick observations from Jets rookie camp — what we saw and what it might mean heading into the next phase of the offseason. 1. Good attendance. This portion of the offseason is voluntary, as are the entirety of OTAs before mandatory minicamp in June. Impressively, Glenn said that there was about 90 percent attendance in the first phase of offseason workouts and that they're at around 94 percent participation for Phase Two. 'Outstanding,' Glenn said. 'Those guys have done a hell of a job of understanding what we're trying to create … I give those guys a lot of credit … (for) just buying into what we're selling. When you get a new regime that's what you want: to get the trust of your players. These guys know exactly what we want to do.' 2. Justin Fields' leadership. One of those participants is particularly important: new starting quarterback Justin Fields, signed to a two-year, $40 million deal this offseason to take over for Aaron Rodgers. When the Jets drafted Taylor, Fields was one of the first to reach out and welcome him. Fields has participated in the team's workouts, attended a couple Knicks game and is quickly endearing himself to his teammates. On a young team with only four players older than 30, the Jets need someone to emerge as a leader; Fields is starting to show he can fill that role. Advertisement Glenn noted Fields' quiet confidence, calling it 'unshakable' — and thinks that extends to his leadership style too. 'Even though he's not the most vocal person, he's active with his body language,' Glenn said. 'He's active with his one-on-one conversations. If he has to stand in front of the guys and say something, he will. He won't talk just to talk, because sometimes when you do that players around you can get deadhead. But he says things when it needs to be said. He's a really good athlete, he works his butt off in the weight room. He's another guy that's doing everything he can to improve. And whatever advantage he can get from coaching, strength and conditioning, being on the field, he's going to take that advantage and run with it. I'm happy with where he's at.' 3. Membou looks the part. The first-rounder was hyped for his athleticism and movement skills and that flashed, even in this setting. He gets to his spots quickly, plays with strength and finishes his blocks. It's hard to truly evaluate offensive linemen with such limited contact in these practices, but the early returns are promising. 'I could easily (call him a) dancing bear but everyone says that,' Glenn said. 'He's an agile, gifted big man with measurables that everybody wants when it comes to offensive linemen and he's only going to get better. He wants to work, he wants to be good, he wants to compete, he has all those traits we look for when it comes to an O-lineman. He's nasty.' 4. Taylor is going to quickly become a top target for Fields. The LSU product was getting more attention for his jersey number on Day 1 (No. 46) than for how he looked on the field. Well, he switched to No. 85 by Saturday — the same number as Jets legend Wesley Walker — so that nonsense can be put to rest. In the portions of practice open to media, there were some reps of 11-on-11 drills early but not enough to extrapolate very much since they mostly ran a conservative offense of running plays and short passes. Still, Taylor didn't drop anything thrown his way and even had a catch-and-run on Friday from undrafted quarterback Brady Cook that would have gone for a big gain in a game. It will be interesting to see Taylor against experienced, NFL-sized defenders in the coming weeks and during training camp. 'Mason is exactly who we thought he was,' Glenn said. 'He has dynamic movements. He can really catch the ball. He does a good job catching the ball away from his body. He's quick to bring it in and go north and south.' Advertisement 5. Arian Smith knows what people are saying. The Jets caught some flak for drafting Smith when they did in the fourth round, a perceived reach because of what he struggled with at Georgia: drops, as in 10 of them in 2024. He doesn't shy away from discussing it. Smith admitted that focus was an issue at times for him last year. 'It's not technique — there's no special technique to catching the ball, you just gotta catch it,' Smith said. 'It's me being worried about other things other than catching the ball.' One thing is undeniable when it comes to Smith: speed. He timed at a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at the combine but said he actually ran a 4.28 at one point in college. It was easy to see that the past few days. On Friday during team drills, he caught a ball on a slant and quickly burst upfield for a big gain. He's working to expand his repertoire and prove that he's more than just a go-route receiver. 'Arian has some juice doesn't he?' Glenn said. 'He can run and he's bouncy and he's a really good athlete. I thought the first day he went out and he was focused on seeing through the ball and making sure he can bring it in.' Smith, who said he idolized DeSean Jackson, said that 'I can be so much better than just speed.' 6. Tyler Baron is an intriguing pass rusher. The fifth-round rookie out of Miami did a nice job going against veteran offensive tackle Obinna Eze, who has been on NFL rosters for a couple years now. Baron won his matchups, showed some twitchiness and physically looks the part. The Jets are lacking for depth at defensive end, so there will be a chance for Baron to push for a situational pass-rushing role right away. 7. A familiar face trying out. Giovanni Williams might already know a little something about what it takes to be successful in a Jets uniform — he's the brother of Quincy and Quinnen Williams, after all. The linebacker from Miles College was at rookie camp as one of the Jets' tryout players, pushing to get added to the 90-man group. Advertisement He called it 'bittersweet' wearing the same uniform his brothers have been wearing the last few years — bitter because he's trying to forge his own path, sweet because he can lean on Quincy (also a linebacker) for advice on how to succeed in this defense. 'I just think it's outstanding that he has a Jet jersey on,' Glenn said. 'It's a beautiful story.' 8. A UDFA standing out. Running back Donovan Edwards was the highest-rated player in the Jets' UDFA class after a productive career at Michigan — and he flashed in Friday and Saturday's practices too, showing some burst in the running game and making some plays as a pass-catcher. His path to the roster will be in the passing game and if he can contribute on special teams.
New York Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Commanders rookie camp brings ties to Washington's past and future together
ASHBURN, Va. — The surrealness of his new football life finally kicked in for Trey Amos. 'It really just happened today, just now,' the Washington Commanders' second-round pick said after Day 2 of the team's rookie camp. Amos, part of a five-player draft class, knew his professional start would occur with last season's NFC runner-up. Weather concerns pushed Friday's session indoors, meaning the press cornerbacks' initial work on an outdoor practice field began Saturday. Advertisement Though already schooled to stay in the moment, the Ole Miss standout and former Alabama transfer let the setting sink in. 'Man, I'm really here.' The individual stakes ranged for the draft picks, undrafted free agents signed at least for the summer and tryout players hoping to catch the staff's attention during the three-day outing. The pinch-me sentiment is universal. First-round offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.'s stated 'dream come true' sentiment is understandable — and would exist no matter which of the 32 teams had selected the third-team All-American from the University of Oregon. The same is true for Amos and fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane, who arrived ready to 'dominate my role' while knowing his receiver/returner abilities and blazing speed will have him used in many ways. Emotions for Gabe Taylor, the younger brother of the late Sean Taylor, were linked to this specific parcel of planet Earth and the team's burgundy and gold gear. 'I had to take a moment, take a deep breath,' said Taylor, engulfed by local reporters and a bushel of cameras. He was 6 years old when Sean, a rising NFL star safety, was shot and killed by intruders at his Miami-area home at the age of 24. Gabe, a four-year contributing safety at Rice, followed in his brother's positional footsteps. Now, the rookie-tryout hopeful would begin his professional football journey where Sean's hard-hitting legacy remains central to Washington's fans — the organization retired his No. 21 jersey in 2021 — and Gabe's DNA. 'I looked at the helmet – it's been the Washington Redskins, the Commanders all my life,' Taylor said. 'I could have went somewhere else, but I chose here for a reason.' Coincidentally, the 39-player rookie camp roster included 21 tryout players. Along with Taylor, veteran NFL quarterback Nathan Peterman, 2020 second-round defensive tackle Ross Blacklock and UCLA running back/returner Keegan Jones were among those executing drill work for the Commanders staff. Advertisement 'Gabe and the other guys are here on a tryout. What a cool and golden opportunity,' coach Dan Quinn said. 'I love seeing players like him and others really going for it. It's been very worthwhile for him and the other guys to say, 'OK, I'm seeing what (the Commanders) are, what they stand for.' … Now, we start creating a list of who's next, how do you utilize the guys? So, all those guys are off to a good start.' Taylor's chances of making an NFL roster are long — 5-foot-8 safeties aren't standard, though this one had 10 career interceptions — but not everyone receives this tryout opportunity, certainly not one with this level of connection. 'Hopefully,' Taylor said, 'I get to put (the helmet and uniform) on again.' UDFA safety Gabe Taylor, brother of the late Sean Taylor, on being with Washington for rookie camp. — Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 10, 2025 Here are eight additional thoughts and observations from Saturday's open practice. 1. Quinn confirmed an ESPN report that a back issue popped up for teams during Amos' pre-draft evaluations. Considered a potential first-round pick, the first-team All-SEC selection slipped to Washington at No. 61. 'Each team has their own medical report and how it goes,' Quinn said. 'And so, from our club, it was something that we were comfortable with.' Amos started all 13 of the Rebels' games last season and joined his fellow rookie on the field for camp. He said the back 'feels good. I'm out practicing, still competing.' The 6-foot-1 corner with 4.43 speed (and an impressive grill) will contend for a starting outside job opposite Marshon Lattimore. Dan Quinn confirms Trey Amos' back came up during the pre-draft eval, but "it's something we were comfortable with." — Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 10, 2025 2. Even among other NFL players, offensive tackles stand out for their frame and size. The 6-foot-5, 311-pound Conerly meets that measure, but his impressive physical traits, including a desired 34.5-inch arm length, turned him into a first-round selection. Padless rookie camp practices without complete 11-on-11 work won't allow Washington's possible starting right tackle to test his full skills. Still, the speed at which Conerly threw hands and punches at practice dummies and shuffled his feet in front of line coach Bobby Johnson offered a glimpse of his athletic upside. First round OT Josh Conerly Jr. (72) throwing hands at the practice dummy. Speed shows. — Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 10, 2025 Quickness also applies to learning the playbook and absorbing Washington's internal vibes. Veterans recently began working out at the facility, and tight end Zach Ertz watched Saturday's practice from the sideline, but most cleared out ahead of the rookies' arrival. Conerly met some of his new teammates during a pre-draft visit and after traveling from his native Seattle to Northern Virginia the day after Washington selected him 28th. Advertisement Brandon Coleman, last season's starting left tackle and possible starting right tackle and guard competition this year, gave Conerly a rundown of expectations for his first work on Washington's practice field. 'For the ones I've been around, it's always been great vibes and very welcoming,' Conerly said. 3. The 2025 NFL schedule will be announced Wednesday, with some marquee games announced earlier. That includes the international slate. Rumors swirled recently that Washington's first since 2016 would occur in Madrid against the host Miami Dolphins. Quinn boned up on his Spanish in anticipation of any related queries. 'Sin comentarios,' the coach said. That translation? 'No comment,' Quinn joked. 'I don't know what to tell you on that one,' he said with a laugh. 'We'll see on Wednesday, I guess, what happens.' 4. Quinn doesn't expect Week 1 or even training camp-level work from the participants. He considers these three days 'onboarding.' 'These are the standards. These are the things that are important to us. These are the ways that we go about (our work),' Quinn said. 'It doesn't just take place over one weekend. It takes place all the way up through here and into training camp. This is an excellent team to come be a part of, knowing that there are people here that are gonna help them be their very best.' 5. Lane's 4.34 40-yard speed made the Virginia Tech receiver a coveted target for teams in the middle rounds. College highlights showed a player often receiving the ball out of the slot and near the line of scrimmage. That tracked with Lane's usage in a few seven-on-seven drills, as did the burst upfield with the ball in his hands. Finding ways to get Lane the ball beyond traditional route running feels like an early goal. That includes returning punts and kicks, which might be how he will contribute primarily as a rookie, along with gunner reps on special teams. Advertisement 6. Sixth-round hybrid linebacker Kain Medrano ran the fastest 40-yard dash among linebackers at the combine. As another immediate special-teams contributor, Medrano's speed and quickness potential showed in Saturday's work. Whether he sees much action on defense will be determined by whether coaches think that speed and coverage element is a must-add for a group that ranked near the bottom of the league in several categories last season. 7. Then there is seventh-round running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who introduced himself as 'Bill' to reporters. He looked bigger than his listed 5 feet 11, 208 pounds. At the same time, the shiftiness showed in drills as expected, without any hints of rust after eligibility issues caused him to miss the final 11 games of his career at Arizona. Shifty seventh-round RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt under the watch of RB coach Anthony Lynn. — Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 10, 2025 Washington retained its Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols rotation while keeping Chris Rodriguez and practice-squad player Michael Wiley. Croskey-Merritt offers a needed change-of-pace aspect to fit the bill for a room lacking a big-play element last season. 8. Two UDFA signings, cornerback Fentrell Cypress and offensive lineman Tim McKay (torn labrum), did not participate. McKay's injury, suffered at NC State's pro day, will likely keep the three-year college starter and guard prospect sidelined into training camp, possibly leading to a physically unable to perform designation.
Associated Press
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Shilo Sanders makes a big first impression with the Buccaneers
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Shilo Sanders walked into his first news conference with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and immediately shook hands with each reporter. Coach Prime's son knows how to make a first impression on and off the field. Like his dad, Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, Shilo displayed his engaging personality and commanded the interview room. He asked for beach recommendations and revealed that he plans to be the 'snack guy' for the team's safety group. 'Man, look at where we're at,' Sanders said with a big smile. 'Look at the whole coaching staff. It's a really supportive coaching staff. Everybody wants to see everybody do good. Everybody on the team, we all want to see each other win. It's a great environment to thrive in.' Sanders, who signed with the Buccaneers after being passed up in the draft, impressed coach Todd Bowles on the first day of rookie camp with his intelligence. 'Like the rest of the safeties, he's very intelligent, he's very loud,' Bowles said. 'You can hear him (on the field), making calls and everything, so he has a good grasp of things Day 1. There was about three or four of them that did. He was one of them, but you have to make plays in pads. That's what it comes down to — knowing what to do and then doing it consistently and constantly getting better every day.' The 25-year-old Sanders even helped younger teammates with some of the defensive calls. 'He's very smart,' rookie cornerback Jacob Parrish said. 'He helped me a lot with the adjustments. I'm excited to work with him.' While younger brother, Shedeur Sanders, drew most of the attention during the draft after slipping to Cleveland Browns in the fifth round, Shilo didn't get a call until hiring agent Drew Rosenhaus. 'They gave me a chance before anyone so I'm forever grateful to the Buccaneers and I'm just gonna do everything in my power to help this team win,' Sanders said. 'That's all I want.' Shilo played in the shadow of his quarterback brother while they were coached by their father at Jackson State and Colorado. He wasn't expected to be a top-5 pick like Shedeur but ended up in a favorable spot with the four-time defending NFC South champion Buccaneers, a team that needs help in the secondary. 'My take on being disappointed in lows is that it's not a real low because you can't change the past,' Sanders said. 'I just trust God, and I always end up doing something great, so I just know it's going to happen, and whatever is happening currently is to learn or grow from.' Sanders missed three weeks last season at Colorado because of a broken forearm. He finished third on the Buffaloes with 67 total tackles, recovered two fumbles, including one he returned for a touchdown at Texas Tech. He had four forced fumbles, one recovery and a pick-6 his junior season. The Buccaneers need more playmakers in the secondary. 'It's just an 'it' thing. You either got it or you don't,' Sanders said. 'Throughout my whole career, I've always been a guy who gets the ball out any way, shape or form. Forced fumbles, picks, I'm gonna get the ball. That's the whole point of playing defense. We wanna get the offense the ball.' As for his baby brother in Cleveland, Shilo said about Shedeur: 'He's been missing me. He's been calling me like 6 a.m. He wants some brotherly love. His big brother isn't next him in practice but we talk a lot.' ___ AP NFL:
