Every single NFL
Drew Doughty Men Jersey Draft pick has at least one incredible story to tell about their past and Detroit Lions 2024 NFL Draft pick and cornerback, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., is no different.The Mi souri product recently shared on social media a letter his younger self, who clearly had a big impact on him when he was younger.In the letter, the younger Rakestraw told his teacher how much he meant to him and that he would reach out to him after he
Tyler Toffoli Jersey made his dream of becoming a profe sional football player true and Rakestraw kept
Anze Kopitar Women Jersey his promise.On Sunday evening, Rakestraw posted a photo of himself and his fourth grade teacher after reuniting recently.4th grade I made this commitment and if I make
Jeff Carter Women Jersey a promise. Ill keep it no matter how difficult it is. Ennis Rakestraw Jr (@EnnisRakestraw) What an amazing story and it just goes to show how teachers can have a lifelong impact on their students.Rakestraw
Dave Taylor Women Jersey was drafted in the second round (No. 61 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Lions. He'll try to compete for a starting spot this offseason but has a shot to earn himself a starting role if all goes well.
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FOXBOROUGH, Ma s. -- A battle of reserves to end the preseason was fittingly decided by a backup kicker. kicked four field goals and the finished off the preseason with a 12-9 victory Thursday over the , who had already won a much larger victory earlier in the day.A federal judge vacated the NFL's four-game suspension of , clearing
Sam Waardenburg Jersey the star quarterback for the regular season opener and beyond. Brady was among the 34 players who didn't play against the , who rested quarterback and most other starters as well."It came down to a second half for a lot of people realizing that it was their opportunity and they played hard. That's the best thing you can say about it," coach Tom Coughlin said.Boswell was waived on Aug. 16 but resigned Wednesday with veteran kicker still nursing a bruised leg from making a
Brad Kaaya Jersey tackle Aug. 22 against Jacksonville.If the want to keep a backup kicker on the roster, Boswell made a good case for himself by with field goals of 34 and 29 yards in the first half and with a 33-yarder late in the third quarter. Boswell's 41-yard kick with 8:18 left to play was the only scoring of
Dominic Proctor Jersey the fourth quarter.Kicker also provided all of the scoring for New England, which left the offense in the hands of third-stringer .The focus was still on Brady, whose whereabouts were kept top-secret by the ."I'll just talk about the game - any questions about the game
Dejan Vasiljevic Jersey ," New England coach Bill Belichick said, cutting off the first Brady-related question.There wasn't much of a game to talk about, but New England fans continued celebrating until a downpour late in the fourth quarter.Brady was well represented in the stands. During one early stoppage, The Who's "I'm Free" blared from the PA system as fans wearing "Free Brady" T-shirts cheered.One fan even suggested U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, whose ruling led to New England's collective vindication celebration, should consider higher aspirations.The "Judge Berman for President 2016" sign got the most cheers of the many shown on the giant monitors.Brady's teammates, like their coach, had little to say about
Sean Taylor Jersey the good news."Hey man, I have enough on my plate," recently signed receiver said. "I'm excited he's available, but Reggie's got to take care of what Reggie's got to take care of - to get better."Copyright 2015 by The A sociated Pre s
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The and were two of only six NFL teams to spend their first two picks in the on offensive players, but they didn't stop there. The and went on to turn in seven cards each for the offensive side of the ball, tied for most in the league. Led by those two, here is a look at seven NFL teams that helped themselves most on offense in the draft:1. Tenne see Titans Nobody made a bigger offensive splash in the NFL draft than Tenne see, which put its franchise largely in the hands of quarterback with
Kelly Olynyk Jersey the No. 2 overall pick, then spent a second-rounder (No. 40 overall) on a prolific receiving talent for Mariota to throw to -- . Mariota-to-DGB production will be a significant factor in Tenne see's offensive improvement this fall. But the ' investment on offense didn't nearly stop there. The club picked an offensive player in every round of the draft, seven of nine total picks. Guard , the third-rounder, will be counted on to solidify the line. Fullback of Alabama (fourth round) and Minnesota running back (fifth round) could invigorate the backfield, and the wrapped up with Boston College center and William & Mary receiver .2. St. Louis RamsIn taking Georgia running back at No. 10 overall and then ma sive offensive linemen and in the second and third rounds, respectively, the left no doubt about the direction their offense will go in 2015. A power rushing attack to take pre sure off newly acquired quarterback is in the works. And as long as Gurley's rehabilitated knee has no setbacks, Foles should be able to stay out of too many third-and-long situations. The added a young arm behind Foles in quarterback , who went higher than expected (Round 3), Mi souri wide receiver in the sixth round, and two more offensive linemen ( and ) for a total of seven offensive picks.3. Tampa Bay BuccaneersWhile the quickly matched Mariota with a high-profile receiver, the turned to their offensive line to support No. 1 overall pick . The
Paul Eboua Jersey Bucs had two second-round picks and used them on Penn State offensive tackle and Hobart guard . And why not? The club already has and in place as
Alonzo Mourning Jersey Winston's receiving targets, so it could afford to wait until the fifth and sixth rounds to add another receiver in Nebraska's and Utah's . Hawaii fullback was Tampa Bay's final pick in the seventh, rounding out six offensive additions, including three of the first 61 overall picks.4. Baltimore RavensHaving made a long-term investment in quarterback , it only makes sense for the to further invest in his receiving targets. UCF's will bring freakish athleticism to the perimeter of the Baltimore offense as the No. 26 overall pick. Although Perriman still has to learn the finer points of the position, a quick development on his part could make a major impact in short order. Minnesota tight end , the No. 55 overall pick (second round), will give Flacco an athletic target over the middle who can line up beside a tackle or in the slot. USC running back Buck Allen and Georgia Tech receiver gave the team two more skill-position players on offense, and tight end and lineman made it six offensive picks within six rounds for the .5. Cincinnati BengalsThere wasn't much flash in the ' choice of two offensive tackles in the first two rounds (Texas A&M's at No. 21, Oregon's at No. 53), but there is no denying the club's commitment to maintaining its offensive line. Veteran tackles and are e sentially playing for their futures with the club in 2015. of Rutgers and of Auburn add to depth at tight end, and the added a blazing fast receiver in the seventh round in . The Robin to 's Batman at West Virginia, Alford has a better chance to make an NFL roster than most seventh-rounders.6. Oakland RaidersLike the , the also took a wide receiver in the first round and added a tight end on Day 2, giving second-year quarterback two dynamic new weapons. Alabama's was the draft's most pro-
Derrick Jones Jr. Jersey ready player and should make an instant impact. Miami (Fla.) tight end has the athleticism to get behind linebackers and make a difference downfield, which could draw enough safety attention to keep Cooper in more single coverage. Although the ' decision not to add a running back to its cast of unproven rushers was curious, the club did add linemen and up front. Count receiver (seventh round) as purely a special-teams add.7. Detroit LionsDetroit should get an immediate starter in Duke guard , whom the club took with the No. 28 overall pick after a trade with the . Behind Tomlinson, general manager Martin Mayhew added , the small-but-explosive star running back from Nebraska who can make big plays through the smallest of holes. If Abdullah can be coached out of his reputation as a fumbler, quarterback will have a dangerous new weapon with which to work. Fullback went
KZ Okpala Jersey to Detroit in the fifth round, and seventh-round pick of South Carolina is a ma sive right tackle prospect who could surprise in fall camp as a run blocker.Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter .
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The New York Giants and Detroit Lions are taking part in their first of two joint practices on Monday morning and we already have our first few fights.According to , the beef started when
Luca Sbisa Jersey Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was jawing at a Giants defender after one play. On the next one, St. Brown caught a pa s with Giants cornerback Dane Belton in coverage, which led to the Lions wide receiver shoving
Brayden McNabb Men Jersey Belton in the face."Only took four plays to get a fight between the Lions O and Giants D," Bianchi wrote. "St. Brown appeared to be jawing with a Giants defender after an incompletion."Caught a ball on Dane Belton the next play and ARSB gave him the how-do-ya-do with a shove to the facebenches cleared."Thankfully, someone captured the fight on video, although as you can see, it
Brandon Pirri Jersey 's on the more tame side of the training camp fight spectrum. Check it out below.A fight broke out at the Giants/Lions joint practice SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) And here's another angle of the skirmish.Fight! defense and offense after am Amon-Ra St. brown catch Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) Not long after
Keegan Kolesar Jersey that, a Lions defensive lineman and Giants guard Greg Van Roten got into a scrap. Here's video of that.Busine s is picking up! Greg Van Roten got tangled up with a Lions DL, leading to a scrum. Daniel Jones was the first into the fray Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) As of this writing, a total of eight fights have
Brendan Leipsic Women Jersey broken out on Day 1, per .Bear in mind, these two teams have yet another joint practice on Tuesday. The Lions and Giants will be hard-pre sed to have as physical a se sion as they've had Monday, though.
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The road to succe s in the NFL begins each year with the hard work and wide-open po sibilities of training camp. As teams around the league gear up for the 2015 campaign, NFL Media reporters will be checking in from . For our next stop, Albert Breer visits the .Where is NFL Media?At Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, the only NFL training camp with a city skyline as its backdrop. The are in their fourth camp back home after a long run of summer road-tripping acro s the state line to Georgetown College in Kentucky.Observations1) The players here are sporting " Revival" T-shirts, and as head coach Marvin Lewis explained to me, it's the outgrowth of an effort he started with his staff at the end of the 2014 season. He wanted them to evaluate everything -- similar to -- and shake things up. As part of that, the doubled the size of their weight room,
Jalen Hurts Jersey added a dining area and redid the players' lounge. "We kinda restarted things," Lewis explained. "And I told the coaches after last season, 'We gotta find a different way.' Our way's not good enough. We gotta find a different way. And we gotta push all the time. I think the guys have done a good job, the players have done a nice job of responding to that. They know that. They know that here is not where we want to be. We want to end up at the top." The obvious inference that can be drawn, of course, is that it'll take a little more to get out of the first round of the playoffs, where the team's past four seasons have ended.
Reggie White Jersey Lewis continued, "Every step, the organization has done a great job in putting the guys in position to do these things. Now we've gotta capitalize on it and get it done."2) The elephant in the room (that is, the one that's sitting next to the playoff elephant) is the number of players going into contract years. Among them: receivers , and , tackles and , linebacker and defensive backs , , and . Part of this, of course, is a tribute to the job the have done in drafting and developing talent. But it's there. "You could see this as an opportunity not just to win but for those guys to play their best football po sible and get an opportunity either elsewhere or here," Whitworth told me. "Anytime you get guys, especially guys who have been here awhile, becoming free agents, there's a sense with the guys, 'Man, I can't believe this guy could po sibly not be here.' And there's a sense from those guys that have been here that, 'Hey, I wanna go prove that I'm worth keeping, and if not, that another team would really want me.' I think everybody feels that, so there is a sense in this room that everyone needs to put their best thing on tape. That's the best way to handle it." Lewis, for his part, downplayed the effect, saying the went through a similar situation two years ago. And he doesn't think it'll make a big difference in their play. "I don't think the guys are deep enough thinkers for that," Lewis said. "That would really be deep thinking for most of these guys. I'm around them enough to know. I do think it's one of the things you have to addre s, because of outside influences, whether they're
Genard Avery Jersey family, friends, agents, they talk too much about them, because there's nothing they can do. It'll all work out for all of them."3) There's always pre sure on the quarterback, but there may be more here than almost anywhere else. was a godsend coming out of the painfully slow , but at this point, his performance in Cincy's run of four straight playoff one-and-dones (in which he posted a 55.7 completion percentage, one touchdown against six picks and a 57.8 pa ser rating) has solidified the perception of him as a middle-of-the-road player. That doesn't mean the people here see it that way. He's improved his decision-making this offseason and has grown into more of a leadership role -- Whitworth actually forcefully handed him the reins at the end of last year and took a step back, to let No. 14 try to make the team his. "He continues to lead the guys away from here, he leads them within here, and those are the things you grow as a quarterback to do," Lewis said. "He's had to grow on his own. He didn't come in behind a quarterback and sit. He's been the quarterback from Day 1; Whit has helped him through the proce s, but now Whit has pa sed the ball to him and said, 'You gotta take it and run with it.' And I think he's done a great job. Now he has to go out there and play and exhibit that, and it all grows."New additions, LB: The former Ohio State All-American has looked remarkably fresh for a 31-year-old entering his 10th NFL season. Lewis' program has specialized in getting a lot from guys at an advanced age (36-year-old cornerback , who signed with the after spending the past three seasons in Cincinnati, comes to mind), and Hawk's fit in coordinator Paul Guenther's defense gives the coaches flexibility to take their time with , who and might start the
Jason Kelce Jersey season on the PUP list., TE: Because so much of the ' lineup is set, the rookie cla s will likely largely be redshirted, but Kroft is one who has impre sed and could chip in early. So long as he can stay healthy, has shown every sign he can be a -level tight end this year, but 's departure via free agency has left snaps on the table in two-tight-end sets that Kroft could well gobble up.Overheard"We haven't scored enough points or stopped the other team, and we've turned the ball over. You do those three things, you lose. You turn the ball over, you don't score enough points and you don't stop the other team, you lose. ... It's part of maturing and being a mature football team. When this time comes, you gotta make it happen. We had balls in our hands in Houston three years ago and we dropped them. You gotta make those plays. If you wanna continue to go
Terrell Owens Jersey on, you gotta make those plays. If you make one of those plays, we're up in the game. It's close in the game, , intercepts and runs it back for a touchdown. The next time, we drop it. Those kinds of things, you gotta make your way, you gotta make or break your way."-- Marvin Lewis, on the ' playoff failures.Extra points You've heard about the ' talent before. Still, I thought hearing about it from Hawk (a former champion with the ) was interesting. This was his reaction to walking in the door here in April: "The talent level is unbelievable. Every single position, a ton of depth here, ton of explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball. That was exciting coming in; I noticed that from Day 1." After the team finished last year banged up, the ' staff is working to be as conscientious as po sible in managing guys' health, even now, to try to make sure they're in the best shape po sible in January. "All the same people ask about the playoffs," Whitworth said. "You can just point to the healthier teams, and they're always the teams that make the late runs." The hype around is real. One coach told me, "It's the best I've seen him." Atkins was probably the best player on the roster before , and the injury robbed him of some explosivene s last year. Still just 27, it looks like he's all the way back.Follow Albert Breer on Twitter .
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First impre sions can stick around way too long during NFL seasons. What happened during Week 1 and much of September has very little to do with the league we see after seven weeks.Remember when there was ? They've averaged 36 points over the last four games, winning games by
Martin Frk Women Jersey an average of 19 points. Imagine if the started the season 5-0, winning by an average of 18 points (their record since Week 2). We'd call them the best team in the league; they are playing that well.Kansas City hasn't played a poor game since in the opener. Cincinnati's defense, which was No. 1 after three weeks, has been steamrolled the last three games. It's time to admit they might not be very good. For viewers, the first month of the season is often about letting go of preseason expectations. As we hit midseason, it's also about letting go of these misleading first impre sions. Here's a look at the rest of our winners and losers from :Going up' defensive frenzy: It's rare that a is fun to watch. But Indianapolis' crazed defensive performance against the for the first three quarters was something to behold. (The had 62 yards before the final frame.) The ' tackling,
Anthony Mantha Kids Jersey especially their knifing through the ' line on run plays, was contagious. is having his best season as the ' coach.: The 5-foot-8 running back is on his fifth team in his seventh season and his fourth squad in as many years. Jacksonville cut him in March rather than pay him $1.1 million. When he signed in Baltimore, he was expected to take on for No. 3 duties. And then they drafted , which made Forsett look like he was on the roster bubble.After starting the offseason fourth on the depth chart, Forsett is now fourth in the NFL in rushing yards and first in yards per carry. All hail 's ability to create a running game wherever he goes -- and give a ton of credit to Forsett. If you didn't know the name on the back of the jersey, he looks like a player.Buffalo's last-second magic: They have won three games on the final snap, including the against Minnesota. A mi sed field goal in Detroit led to a win. They won in Chicago in overtime. In short: All that bad luck fans have suffered through over the years has boomeranged in 2014. Kansas
Antti Tuomisto Women Jersey City's playoff hopes: already looks crowded with five teams at 5-2 or better. The couldn't afford to fall three lo ses behind two teams in the division, so their was ma sive. And well-earned. Since Kansas City's meltdown against the in Week 1, this squad has looked like a playoff team. They narrowly lost games in Denver and San Francisco in which they played well and have looked terrific in their wins. The schedule coming up is favorable: Six of their final 10 games are at home, with St. Louis and the coming to Arrowhead next. 's post-game pre s conferences: He's becoming appointment viewing after a lo s. It's when the caustic, . Moving downThe Legion of Boom: and are the same guys they always have been, minus a few big plays. But this is not a great secondary. is clearly not 100 percent and is a liability in coverage. With and hurt,
Thomas Vanek Jersey guys like and are struggling to step up. The entire group has given up 12 touchdowns with only two interceptions on the season.The ' closing ability: The got the ball at their 10-yard line with just over five minutes remaining Sunday, trailing 24-13. At the time, the had 241 total yards and two scoring drives in nine chances. Play that scenario 20 times, and the probably only win it once. Sunday was that one time. That's the ' season in a nutshell. The NFC South on the road: The division has won two games in 15 tries on the road! One of those shouldn't even count, because it was Carolina's division victory in Tampa. If not for the ' in Week 4, the NFC South wouldn't have a single win out of the division on the road. Note: It's Week 8 now. Chicago's consistency: fans can be forgiven for losing their collective minds. This is . One week, their deep pa sing game
Red Wings Blank Men Jersey looks back. The next week, winds up with nine yards. Chicago's offensive line was a key to the team's succe s last year, but its tackles are not playing well this time around. It's also safe to say we've seen the end of preseason articles. 's job security: He's coaching a five-win team. The ' defense is a bottom-five unit again. It's hard to imagine general manager Thomas Dimitroff moving on, but it's also hard to imagine Smith rallying out of this me s.The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps every Week 7 game, and breaks down . Find more Around The NFL content on .
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As training camp rapidly approaches, we're making predictions for which players will make the cut on the initial 53-man roster. After taking a look at the quarterbacks and running backs, we're now moving on to wide receiver.The Lions have
Mike Modano Kids Jersey at least three players locked-in at the position going into training camp in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond, and quite po sibly four depending on how you feel about Donovan Peoples-Jones.But things are still fairly wide open overall. The Lions have to figure out who will grab the final spots on the depth chart, and they also have to figure out the pecking order behind St. Brown and Williams.This is how we see things shaking out ahead of training camp.Lions roster prediction at WRWR1: Amon-Ra St. BrownSt. Brown is the best of the bunch going into 2024 following a career year that saw him break 1,500 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns and ascend into the conversation for being one of the league's best receivers.The USC product has improved his numbers each year he's been in the league, and doing so once again in 2024 could put him in position to win Offensive Player of the Year.WR2: Jameson WilliamsWith Josh Reynolds departing in free agency, the Lions need more out of Williams in 2024. So far, he looks primed to deliver after head coach Dan Campbell named the Alabama product the team's most improved player this offseason."We're two practices in (to Phase III) and if you said, 'Give me
Brian Flynn Women Jersey one player who is the most improved from that start to finish over that time?' Jamo is that guy right now. He is a man on a mi sion and I'm just going to leave it at that," .Words aren't the only reason we're high on Williams, though. He has also shined on the practice field and he's finally going to have a normal offseason and start to the regular season, two things he hasn't enjoyed in the same year during his career.WR3: Kalif RaymondOther than St. Brown and Williams, no receiver on the roster stood
Julius Honka Kids Jersey out as much as Raymond did during spring practice, which puts him in line to grab the No. 3 role going into training camp.While Raymond lacks the size teams want in an outside receiver, he has had some succe s there during his career, particularly as a deep threat. He also offers some versatility with his experience lining up in the slot.WR4: Donovan Peoples-JonesPeoples-Jones, who will likely be the stiffest competition Raymond will face for the No. 3 role, was quiet during the offseason program but his track record as a solid depth piece is enough to be confident in putting him here.The 25-year-old had a career year in 2022 with 839 yards, so he is clearly capable of making a significant impact. Peoples-Jones didn't do much over the eight games with the Lions in 2023, but he also had to learn Ben Johnson's offense
Kari Lehtonen Men Jersey on the fly. We'll see if more time to learn it will help him produce better results in 2024.WR5: Antoine GreenA 2023 seventh-round pick, Green didn't see much action in his rookie campaign. However, so far this offseason, the North Carolina product has made a strong case to make the Lions' 53-man roster. He'll have to cement that case in training camp.WR6: Kaden DavisAdmittedly, Davis is the most vulnerable of the six receivers we have listed here, but after a strong showing in mandatory minicamp, he deserves to be considered for a spot on the 53-man roster going into training camp."Again, that's a guy that's kind of shown up," Lions pa s-game coordinator Tanner Engstrand ."He's popped in
Antoine Roussel Jersey each of these practices for a play or two and it's been really good to see his development and see what he can do."More 53-man predictions: |
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When teams know they have a man advantage on the field, they can quickly change the play they're planning to call. However, it appears the Bills got a little too aggre sive in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs.Buffalo appeared to be headed for a three-and-out, facing a 4th-and-5 at their own 30 -- a dangerous proposition for
Klim Kostin Men Jersey a team that had i sues slowing down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. The punting unit came out, but opted for some trickery instead.Safety Damar Hamlin took the direct snap from the long-snapper, and the offensive line shifted to the left to try and clear a path for
Robert Bortuzzo Women Jersey Hamlin to carry the ball for five yards and the first down. However, Hamlin was stopped after just a pickup of two yards, and the Chiefs took it over on downs.The attempted a fake punt with
Nate Prosser Kids Jersey Damar Hamlin early in the 4th quarter while trailing by 3, and it failed.A momentum swing. Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) MORE: after the game that the decision to punt was not a check at the line, but rather was a play call from the sideline. Bills coach Sean McDermott explained that the call was based on the need to be aggre sive.I just felt like we were having a hard time stopping them," . "I wanted to be aggre sive.The turnover-on-downs gave Kansas City decent field position, starting at the Bills' 32. The Chiefs moved 31 yards down the field before Mecole Hardman fumbled the ball at the goal line, with the ball rolling out of bounds and giving the ball right
Nate Prosser Women Jersey back to the Bills.The decision to go for it on fourth down wasn't inherently questionable. Kansas City had not punted all game, and it had scored touchdowns on three straight drives, not including the final first-half drive where the Chiefs ran only one play before
Colton Parayko Men Jersey a kneel-down.The fake punt did not wind up costing the Bills, a fortunate development in what could have been disastrous for Buffalo's chances of making a comeback.
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The on Thursday afternoon with a familiar provider: Big Game Football Factory.Big Game, a company based in Dallas, provided footballs for the XFL and USFL in each of the last two years. Big Game founder Chris Calandro has specialized in creating hand-crafted, custom footballs for high school football, college football and profe sional leagues for 31 years. That list 11 national title teams.Big Game's relationship with the UFL began with vice president of football operations Daryl Johnston and Calandro already sharing a relationship. Each of them has a vested interest in the game as fans first who care about the game."We're both into the game and the details of the game," Calandro told FOX
Jaylen Hoard Jersey Sports, "and with this, through football, we can contribute to that."ADVERTISEMENT Big Game employs 55 employees to a semble each ball they're commi sioned to create, taking pains to make a football that is not just sturdy and resilient but that players love to throw, carry, catch and kick. Big Game is an American company making its footballs from materials in the U.S.When folks ask Big Game where they get their leather, their reply is as pithy as it is true: "Cows, born
Robert Covington Jersey and bred in the USA."The factory in Dallas operates like a luxury boutique brand, hence the $149.99 price tag for an official UFL ball, but with that comes not just the quality football but an attention to specifics that football people have come to crave and use for celebrations like commemorating Oklahoma's 34-30 win against Texas last season. (The ball .)While Big Game keeps most of its innovations private, I asked Calandro to give me one example of taking a player's desire and incorporating it into the football's Big Game makes today."Let's talk about kickers for a second," he said. "They're often disregarded. Quarterbacks get all the love and kickers tend not to get much attention. They have some very specific needs to help them perform. And so we've talked to kickers a lot about the shape of the ball and the materials that we build the footballs with." 2024 UFL rules: Dean Blandino on what fans should watch for with new league And those conversations have paid dividends for Big Game and kickers like kicker and former USFL kicker ."I'm glad you brought him up," Calandro said, "because Brandon is one of the ones that I worked with directly."Aubrey is a Dallas metro native. He was a soccer star at Plano High Senior High before playing four years
Harry Gilles III Jersey at Notre Dame and two years in Major League Soccer for Toronto FC. When he was selected by the , he'd never kicked a football in a game."And he came to the factory. We talked a lot about the materials. I showed him around. We talked in great detail about the ball, what he likes, what he doesn't like, and how we can help him."In 2022, Aubrey made 18 of 22 field goal attempts and 22 of 24 extra-point attempts en route to the USFL championship. In 2023, he followed one succe sful USFL season with another, hitting 14 of 15 field goal attempts and all 35 extra point tries to help lead the Stallions to back-to-back titles.Later that summer, he signed with the and set an record for consecutive made field goals without a mi s 19 with one made from 58 yards out. At
Zach Collins Jersey the end of his rookie season, Aubrey was named First Team All-Pro and to the 2023 Pro Bowl."And he's a great guy," Calandro said. "It's been great working with him. It's very gratifying. I kept texting him during the season just to say great job this year. It quickly became his dream, kicking in the NFL for his hometown team, and it's just as gratifying to see that dream come true."Supplying footballs for a profe sional football league is Calandro's dream."I've told Daryl before," Calandro said, "we (Big Game) are trying out too. We currently do not hold the NFL game on contract. Every contract expires, but we're trying out too. So we want to help the players perform so that, ultimately, some of that love trickles down to us."RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to
C.J. McCollum Jersey "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.
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With the
Von Miller Jersey first wave of free agency over, NFL teams are turning more attention to setting their boards in anticipation of the 2015 . With that in mind, is releasing Lance Zierlein's top-10 lists at each position -- today it is safeties. To view Zierlein's full scouting report on each prospect in NFL.com's , click on the player's name.Positions: | | | | | | | | 1. , AlabamaZierlein's bottom line: Collins is a tempo-setter who can energize a defense with his downhill, aggre sive style. He is at his best when he can attack rather than sit back in coverage and proce s. Collins' tackling, pursuit angles and speed to the sideline can help a defense shut down rushing attacks, but his inconsistencies in coverage will be tested by NFL offenses.2. , Fresno StateZierlein's bottom line: Lacks ideal size for the position, but checks off just about every other box teams will be looking for. Smith's ability to match up in space against slot receivers and his willingne s to get downhill and tackle will be coveted. Smith must learn to play under control as a tackler, but he should have a shot to come in and compete for a starting-safety or slot-corner job quickly.3. , SamfordZierlein's bottom line: Tartt has terrific size and is a physical tackler but he must show that he can handle
Matt Milano Jersey coverage responsibilities. Despite playing 2-deep and single-high coverage, Tartt's size and aggre sivene s as a tackler might be best utilized around the line of scrimmage or in a "robber" scheme. Tartt has the size, athleticism and overall talent to be an NFL starter.4. , VirginiaZierlein's bottom line: Productive three-year starter with above-average instincts and football intelligence. Was an interchangeable safety, playing both deep and in run support, but lacks the bulk, physicality and sure tackling to make a living in the box in the NFL. Harris has some coverage limitations in man, but his skills will get him drafted and should also earn him a starting spot fairly quickly.5. , Penn StateZierlein's bottom line: Amos checks all the boxes when it comes to strong football intelligence, a willingne s to digest tape and cover skills. The biggest question is whether or not he can fit with a coordinator looking for playmakers and chance-takers. He must prove that he can play with greater overlap. Amos' scheme versatility is a big plus, but I wouldn't ask him to play inside
Thurman Thomas Jersey the box very often.6. , Arizona StateZierlein's bottom line: Randall is considered undersized for the safety position and some teams have him projected as a cornerback. While he has the speed and athletic traits to transition to cornerback, his cover skills and technique need quite a bit of work to be ready for the NFL level. Randall has a nose for the ball and a strong desire to make an aggre sive tackle in space, so there could still be teams that give him a legitimate shot at safety, where he carries a higher draft grade.7. , Michigan StateZierlein's bottom line: Drummond is a bag of mismatched parts. He has the ball skills and closing burst of a starting NFL free safety, but his instincts and tackling could scare teams away from viewing him as a single-high center fielder. He's not physical enough to play around the line of scrimmage, so his draft position will ultimately rest on how teams weigh his ball skills against his instincts.8. , Northwestern State (La.)Zierlein's bottom line: Confident, ascending pre s-cover cornerback with the foot quickne s and hips to match receivers off the line of scrimmage and in tight quarters. He's a willing tackler with decent
Micah Hyde Jersey recovery burst, but his questionable long speed and lack of premium size could turn him into a solid slot corner in the league.9. , Western MichiganZierlein's bottom line: Physical, ball-hawking cornerback who is at his best in bump-and-run coverage. Celiscar allowed just 35.7 percent of pa ses his way to be completed in 2014 and posted 33 pa ses defensed and seven interceptions over the last two seasons. His ball skills are no fluke, but his lack of deep speed and fluidity could limit his draft standing and force him into a zone-based defense. It's hard to get a read on his open-field instincts, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see a team consider him at safety in the pros.10. , LouisvilleZierlein's bottom line: One-year starter at free safety, posting outrageous ball-production numbers. While of the is the NFL comparison from a
Tremaine Edmunds Jersey ball-skills standpoint, Holliman doesn't show Byrd's fire or competitivene s. A feast or famine free safety whose lack of field discipline will be more heavily exploited in the NFL, Holliman's ball skills and instincts will surely excite teams, even though his rumored lack of football character could sabotage the talent.*Follow Lance Zierlen on Twitter *
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