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Mike Preston: To NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., Ravens can fill their needs with just five picks | COMMENTARY

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has never hidden his affection for his hometown Ravens, and sometimes he can go overboard in showing favor.But deep down inside, there is always that nugget of truth that sums up his evaluation of the team heading into the NFL draft, which begins April 27 in Kansas City.“They should have beaten, could have beaten, Cincinnati easily with a beat-up, banged-up Tyler Huntley and no Lamar Jackson,” Kiper said of the Ravens’ quarterback situation in a 24-17 loss in the AFC wild-card round. “Physically, I thought they had them beaten had they not had the freakish play [Huntley’s goal-line fumble returned 98 yards for a touchdown] which resulted in the 14-point swing.”When it comes to the draft, the positions the Ravens need to target are obvious to the Calvert Hall graduate, who has been covering the annual event for ESPN since 1984.“The bottom line is they need one or two corners, they need one or two receivers...

GATORS PODCAST: Anthony Richardson, spring football, Final Four (Ep. 159)

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

Former Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson drew a crowd at the Pro Day, where he showcased his arm strength and athleticism for all 32 NFL teams. While Richardson’s draft position is one of the draft’s storylines, the Gators move forward during spring practices. Coach Billy Napier’s Year 2 fortunes rest on a robust run game and improved play up front, where a key O-line injury looms large. During the latest Swamp Things, Mark and Edgar break down Pro Day, share their thoughts on spring practice and discuss college basketball’s biggest weekend.Final Four weekend (1:08)Gator Pro Day: Anthony Richardson (3:54)Where’s Richardson going? (12:46)Richardson: Risk vs. reward (20:15)O’Cyrus Torrence & Gervon Dexter Sr. (25:40)Other standouts (30:00)Men’s basketball recruits (32:20)Women’s basketball recruits (39:08)Spring football: Look at QBs (43:52)Jeremy Foley’s Corner (52:50) ()

Maryland football’s deepest NFL draft class in years is ‘the foundation group’ for coach Mike Locksley

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

The numbers — 63 representatives from 31 NFL teams, 14 Maryland players working out, seven of whom had been to the NFL scouting combine — spoke loudly.Maryland football’s on-campus pro day Wednesday offered Terps such as cornerback Jakorian Bennett and offensive tackle Jaelyn Duncan a chance to amplify their resumes with a month to go before the NFL draft. It also gave the program a stage to showcase its progress in developing pro prospects under coach Mike Locksley.“Last year, we had like two guys at the combine, but this year, we had a good handful,” Bennett said after zipping fluidly through drills with scouts from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans. “You have to look at the development side. Everybody gets caught up with the facilities and all that stuff. And we have good facilities, but the coaches do a good job of developing players and helping guys develop in life.”Locksley, who’s going into his fifth year as Maryland...

Giants, John Mara envision ‘long-term’ role for Sterling Shepard: sources

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

Ownership’s hope is that it will be ‘Once a Giant, Always a Giant’ for Sterling Shepard even after he’s done playing.Sources told the Daily News this week that co-owner John Mara in particular envisions a “long-term” role for Shepard, 30, in the organization.Mara is said to value Shepard’s “energy” and “presence.” To paraphrase one source, Mara and the Giants feel like the building wouldn’t be the same without him.Shepard already is active in the community with the Giants. He unofficially helped coach wide receivers at practices after tearing his ACL in Week 3 of last season, and he hyped the team and crowd on game days from the pre-game locker room to the MetLife Stadium sideline.Shepard is already running on turf as he returns for an eighth NFL season with the team that drafted him in the 2016 second round (40th overall) out of Oklahoma.The club re-signed Shepard to a one-year, $1.3 million contract with no gu...

Chicago Bears Q&A: Could they have kept David Montgomery? Plus trading up — and down — options in the NFL draft.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

Trading the No. 1 pick? Check. First wave of NFL free agency? Check. Next up for the Chicago Bears is a whole lot of roster and draft evaluations — and Brad Biggs fields plenty of those questions in his weekly mailbag.How much pressure and accountability will be placed on coach Matt Eberflus given the significant investments in the defense and the fact he’s considered a defensive guru? How does his HITS principle apply so it’s not just fodder? — @rgbears69Head coaches will tell you they face pressure every season, whether they’re entering Year 2 or Year 12. That is the nature of the beast, and coaches without as much tenure probably face heightened pressure in their efforts to build a program and a winner. I am not going to dismiss the offseason moves they’ve made to this point in adding linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, along with defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker. Edmunds was a significant signing, getting a $72 million, four-year c...

Former UF QB Anthony Richardson impresses at Gators’ Pro Day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

Florida staged its Pro Day Thursday as representatives from all 32 NFL teams descended upon the Condron Indoor Practice Facility.Many came to see quarterback Anthony Richardson, even though few teams will have a shot at a player many project as a top-5 pick.Richardson did not disappoint. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound QB ended his throwing session with a 70-yard completion to former teammate Justin Shorter before jogging to midfield to perform a cartwheel and trademark backflip — the kind of acrobatics he realizes his future employer will frown upon.“I didn’t stick the last one at the [scouting] combine,” Richardson said. “I just said OK, I may have to just stick a backflip so that was it for the last one.”Richardson otherwise made all the right moves during a record-setting performance March 4 in Indianapolis. Given his showing, he opted to only throw Thursday.Some of Richardson’s teammates did only positions drills, too, while others also ran.4 o...

Giants’ John Mara blasts ‘abusive’ Thursday Night Football flex effort, defends fans

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

PHOENIX – Giants co-owner John Mara said Tuesday afternoon that he is “adamantly opposed” to an “abusive” Thursday Night Football flexing effort that was narrowly voted down by owners at the Arizona Biltmore.“At some point, can we please give some consideration to the people who are coming to the games?” an incredulous Mara said. “People make plans to go to these games weeks and months in advance. And 15 days ahead of time to say, ‘Sorry, folks, that game you were planning on taking your kids to Sunday at one o’clock, it’s now gonna be Thursday night.’“What are we thinking about?” he asked rhetorically.The measure would have allowed the NFL to flex any Sunday game from Weeks 14-17 to the previous Thursday night with 15 days notice.Mara said it “fortunately” didn’t get enough votes Tuesday. But he said the vote was “close,” the league will “probably revisit it in Ma...

Pat Leonard: Washington Commanders sale will be great for league but might be very bad for Giants

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

The imminent sale of the Washington Commanders is great news for the NFL and the fans of D.C., Maryland and Virginia.Forcing Daniel Snyder out, even if his pockets are stuffed with $6 billion-plus as he leaves, should help one of the league’s once proud franchises improve its workplace, build a new stadium and field a better team.It won’t be good for everyone, though.It may be very bad news for the Giants.John Mara’s team is 10-25-1 in the NFC East from 2017-2022: 7-4-1 against Washington and 3-21 against the Cowboys and Eagles.If pro sports has taught us anything about these billion-dollar changeovers, new owners always arrive with their checkbooks out looking to make a huge splash.Star Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson wants out of nearby Baltimore, while Washington needs a QB and a reason to put fans back in the Commanders’ many empty seats.What an exciting proposition for Washington, the NFL and the division. What a horrifying hypothetical for Big Blue....

Ten things we learned about the Ravens and NFL at annual owners meetings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

The annual NFL owners meetings feature the who’s who of pro football, from team and league officials to the media that covers them. It’s the place to see and be seen, gather intel and simply reconnect in a relatively schmoozy environment, with the swanky Arizona Biltmore hotel and its expansive lawns and pools and banquet halls having served as the backdrop this year.Even Odell Beckham Jr. made an appearance. A current player showing up is well outside the norm, but the flashy free agent wide receiver has a house nearby and popped in to reportedly meet with multiple teams about his services, including the Ravens.But the real scene was Monday morning, at 7:48 a.m. local time, when star quarterback Lamar Jackson dropped his bombshell tweet about his trade request. It happened just as Ravens coach John Harbaugh was making his way over to sit down at a roundtable that initially had about 10 reporters already waiting for him but suddenly swelled with a throng of media as word...

Column: Kevin Warren’s directive to the Chicago Bears as the new team president — think bigger. Then think even bigger.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:52 GMT

Kevin Warren was 11 when he first did the math, navigating a new and uncomfortable normal after being struck by a car while riding his bike from his home to Marcos De Niza High School in Tempe, Ariz.That serious accident in June 1975 left Warren in traction and later in a body cast. It also left him, at a young age, deeply contemplating the fragility of life and vowing not to waste any of what he had ahead. That’s when he first did the math.Sixty-minutes every hour. Twenty-four hours every day.Warren’s “1440″ concept was born.“I adopted that as my guide: 1,440 minutes in a day,” Warren said this week, sitting in the shade of an outdoor patio at the NFL owners meetings. “I just knew. You cannot afford to waste time. And that’s still one of the big things in my life. People will value jewelry. People will value money and cars and clothing. Or planes or art. All that is wonderful. But I have found that over time one thing people undervalu...