Latest news with #rookieseason
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty receives high praise from former All-Pro running back
Ashton Jeanty is entering his rookie season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025 after being selected with the No.6 overall pick in April's draft. Jeanty is expected to play a pivotal role in Chip Kelly's offense and be a major upgrade at running back for Las Vegas. With already high expectations placed on his shoulders, former All-Pro running back and current NFL Network analyst Maurice Jones-Drew decided to hype up Jeanty even more. While at Raiders training camp practice on Sunday, Jones-Drew told Levi Edwards of that Jeanty is the best running back prospect he has ever scouted. "Ashton Jeanty is the best prospect I've scouted since I've been scouting," Jones-Drew told "I've scouted Saquon Barkley and other guys. A lot of it is his skill set but also what he did and where he was. And that translates over. There is similarities in our game, I think he's a much better receiver than I was when I first got into the NFL. ... His vision, his contact balance, his ability to catch, his blocking – he is the full package." "The Raiders have always been good when they had a strong running game," Jones-Drew added. "And I think Pete Carroll has always been successful when he had a strong running game. Ashton has that ability to be that every down guy to carry the ball and take the punishment that comes with being a running back in this day and age." Jeanty posted one of the most dominant colliegate football seasons for a running back in 2024, as he rushed for 2,601 and 29 touchdowns on an astonishing seven yards per carry for Boise State. If Jeanty's game can translate to the NFL, the 21-year-old could be one of the most productive running backs in the league right out of the gate. The 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist should receive a bulk of the carries in Las Vegas' offense and be the workhorse back the team has been looking for over the last few years. MORE:Is Raiders' Jackson Powers-Johnson in danger of losing starting spot?
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Exclusive interview with Connecticut Sun rookie Saniya Rivers
Connecticut Sun rookie Saniya Rivers discusses her first season in the WNBA and the impact her late-mother had on her life on and off the court. Exclusive interview with Connecticut Sun rookie Saniya Rivers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What To Expect From Jackson Blake In Year 2?
Fresh off of becoming a $45 million man, it's clear that Jackson Blake isn't a rookie anymore. No, Blake, just a couple days away from his 22nd birthday, is looking more and more like he's going to be a relied upon piece of the Carolina Hurricanes for years to come. So what can we expect from the kid after a 17 goal, 34 point inaugural season? In year one, Blake really did have one of the most unpredictable runs we've seen in a while. Fresh off of a standout sophomore season at the University of North Dakota that saw him as a Hobey Baker finalist, Blake had a memorable training camp and preseason that just left the staff too impressed to leave him off the roster. "It was just his play," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour had said at the time. "It was obvious that he belonged. He made mistakes like everyone else, but I just felt like with what he showed, we wanted to see more. That's why the decision is what it is." Every game he played, Blake just got better. He's not the most explosive skater, nor does his talent really jump off the page, but he's just such a smart player and one who works so hard too. He's the kind of player who more often than not, finds himself in the right spots and doing all the right things that really tilts the ice in his team's favor. And I will say, his poise with the puck on his stick and then the ability to win pucks back where well above the expected levels for a rookie. He also demonstrated an ability to play with high-end talent on both the Canes' top line (Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov) and on the team's top power play. Brind'Amour always commented on how consistently Blake was amongst the best players on the ice and for a team that's been as consistently good as Carolina has been, that says a lot. Blake led all Hurricanes forwards in Corsi For (61.23%), expected goals for (60.52%) and actual goals for (58.46%) in the regular season. Even if he wasn't always on the scoresheet, he was always around it. Blake isn't the biggest guy, but he was never afraid to go into the corners or battle in front of the net. He was always willing to give that extra effort and that's what the Canes like about him. So what more can Blake bring in year two? The 21 year old was almost always a driver on his line, but he had a penchant to pass off a bit too much. Blake was at times a bit too timid of a shooter, with just 6.44 shots on goal and 12.16 individual chances per 60, both in the bottom half amongst Canes forwards. However, when he did shoot, it was primarily between the circles and closer to the net, so he knows and goes to the spots on the ice where he needs to to score. If he just starts to trust a little more in himself, I think it will go a long way. That and another year growing into his body will be huge for Blake. The 5-foot-11 winger is in the lower portion of the league in terms of size, but he plays bigger than he is and adding more muscle to his frame will just allow him to do just that much more on the ice. The Hurricanes obviously see Blake as a huge part of the team moving forward and if he can continue to build on his promising start, their bet is going to pay off immensely. Recent Stories • 'I'm Very Excited About The Team In Carolina': Nikolaj Ehlers On Signing In Carolina• Hurricanes Target Positional Depth In Opening Days of Free Agency• Where Have Last Year's Carolina Hurricanes Ended Up?• Carolina Takes Big Swing On Talented New York Blueliner• Who Will Quarterback PP2 For Carolina Next Season?• 'The Last Two Years, It Wasn't Easy For Me Mentally': Dmitry Orlov Voices Potential Displeasures With Carolina After Signing In San Jose• Carolina Hurricanes Release 2025-26 Schedule Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colin Cowherd Has Warning For Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams
Colin Cowherd Has Warning For Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams originally appeared on The Spun. A year ago, Colin Cowherd was confident that Caleb Williams would be a "generational" quarterback in the NFL. Right now though, he's not so sure. Williams finished his rookie season with 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. If we're being brutally honest, he did a great job handling a poor offensive line and dysfunctional coaching staff. That being said, Williams can't use the coaching staff as an excuse if he struggles this fall. The Bears went out and hired Ben Johnson as their head coach. He's widely regarded as one of the best offensive minds in football. The front office also added experienced offensive linemen such as Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Although it's only training camp, there have been some reports about Williams struggling in the red zone. There have also been a few comments about his footwork needing improvement. On Friday's episode of "The Herd," Cowherd made it clear that he's not happy about these red flags. In fact, Cowherd believes Williams has to be great by around Week 4 or he'll start to question his ceiling in the NFL. "Caleb Williams was sold as a generational talent. We were all hoping it would be this generation," Cowherd said. "How long do you want us to wait?" Cowherd then compared the current landscape of NFL quarterbacks to TV shows. "Quarterbacks in 2025 are like streaming shows. If you're not getting me by the second episode early, I'm out. You used to give Eli Manning three years - those days are over. Caleb Williams has to be good by late September/early October." Williams has lofty goals for himself this season. He already told reporters that he'd like to become the first 4,000-yard passer in Bears history. The former No. 1 pick also wants to complete at least 70% of his passes. "I told him I would love for him this season to complete 70% of his balls," Johnson said. "So, you would like to think that over the course of practice that we're completing 70% or more, or that's hard to just magically arise in a game. It's a lofty goal, but it's one we're going to strive for. Because of that, we're going to use that as a benchmark and kind of work from there." The Bears will begin their 2025 season on Sept. 8 against the Minnesota Cowherd Has Warning For Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams first appeared on The Spun on Jul 25, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Marcelo Mayer placed on Injured List with wrist injury; Red Sox recall David Hamilton
Marcelo Mayer's rookie season with the Boston Red Sox has been put on pause. The infielder was placed on the 10-day Injured List Friday with a right wrist sprain, the team announced. Mayer suffered the injury in Wednesday night's extra-innings win over the Phillies in Philadelphia, which forced him to exit the game in the fifth inning. He was sporting a light brace in the clubhouse after the win, but was then photographed with a splint on the wrist on Thursday. A disappointed Mayer spoke with reporters Friday in the Red Sox clubhouse, and said he and the team's medical staff will meet again to determine the severity of the injury. Over the first 44 games of his MLB career, Mayer slashed .228/.272/.402 with four home runs, eight doubles, a triple, 10 RBI, and 20 runs scored. He was called up in late May when Alex Bregman went down with an injury, and started 29 games at third base. He had since shifted to second base upon Bregman's return. Ceddanne Rafaella will handle duties at second base Friday night when the Red Sox open a three-game series against the L.A. Dodgers at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had gone 27-17 since Mayer joined the big league club. The Red Sox recalled the speedy David Hamilton from Triple-A to take Mayer's spot on the roster. Hamilton saw action in 62 games for Boston before he was sent down, where he hit .179 (going 22-for-123) with three doubles and three home runs. On the base paths, he was successful on 15 of his 18 stolen base attempts.
