Month: July 2023

Top three defensive tackles in the Big Ten for 2023

Ohio State football may have the two most talented defensive tackles in the Big Ten #GoBucks #B1G

The Big Ten is incredibly deep at the defensive end position with a few unique pass rushers set to turn the college football world on its head, but the interior is a different story.

It was hard to narrow the defensive end list to three, but for the defensive tackle list, it was hard to find three even worthy of mention. We saw two Ohio State players be ranked in the top two spots at end and it appears that the interior rankings will have the same outlook, but much like at end these rankings are based more on projections than confirmed production.

Top three defensive ends in the Big Ten for 2023

Ohio State has two dominant defensive ends for 2023. #GoBucks #B1G

The Big Ten has some straight-up nasty defensive ends ready to break out in 2023 and it was hard to narrow down this talented group to just three guys, but while I was doing my rankings I did notice that the top four studs are from two schools.

The gap between the top four and the rest is rather large but that’s not an insult all three players on the below list are potential first-round picks or All-Americans. The top of the list features two Buckeyes, which should be surprising to no one, but let’s dive into the bets defensive ends in the Big Ten.

Top three centers in the Big Ten for 2023

The Big Ten has some stud centers going into 2023 #B1G #GoBucks

We had a really easy time picking guards, because of the abundance of talent at the position in the Big Ten, but pickings are a bit slimmer at offensive tackle and now we see center is a bit slim as well. It is also not a good sign that we have yet another offensive line position group that does not include an Ohio State Buckeye.

I hope someone for Ohio State steps up because it is not the best omen that Michigan has had a representative in every position group and Ohio State has only shown up within the guard list. Now let’s dive into the centers.

 

OKC Thunder guarantees Jeremiah Robinson-Earl’s 2023-24 salary

The Thunder guaranteed Jeremiah Robinson-Earl’s salary as he enters his third season.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder made a pair of roster moves late on the first day of free agency. The first was trading for Victor Oladipo and draft compensation from the Miami Heat. The second involved guaranteeing a 2023-24 salary.

The Thunder guaranteed forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl’s $1.9 million salary for the 2023-24 season at 11 p.m. CT on Friday, June 30. OKC had until then to release him without eating his salary.

The decision comes a day after the Thunder declined guard Lindy Waters III’s $1.9 million team option on June 29.

Although his salary is now guaranteed, that doesn’t necessarily mean his roster spot is safe. Robinson-Earl enters his third season fighting for a roster and rotation spot. In 43 games last season, he averaged 6.8 points on 44.4% shooting and 4.2 rebounds. He also shot 33.3% from 3 on 2.6 attempts.

The Thunder drafted Robinson-Earl in the second round (32nd) of the 2021 NBA draft.

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Walker Bryson, a class of 2026 recruit, is offered by Rutgers football

Walker Bryson is offered by Rutgers football on Friday.

Rutgers football sent out another offer this week to an underclassman, this time targeting Walker Bryson.

A member of the class of 2026, Bryson is a defensive back at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School (Rabun Gap, GA). In addition to Rutgers, he holds offers from North Carolina, Minnesota and East Carolina. He checks in at 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds.

He is also a standout sprinter, running the 100 meters and 200 meters in high school for his track team.

Last season as a running back, he had 31 carries for 270 yards and two touchdowns while adding nine catches for 140 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. As a defensive back, he had 23 total tackles with an interception and four passes defended.

Bryson tweeted about the offer from Rutgers on Friday, tagging head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Joe Hrasymiak[/autotag]:

 

He is wildly athletic, as seen in his clip he was playing wide receiver in a spring camp setting:

 

In the 2024 recruiting class, Rutgers has a commitment from Georgia standout athlete Antonio White.

A 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver from Parkview High School (Lilburn, GA), White committed to Rutgers in late June. The three-star recruit held offers from Auburn, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, North Carolina and Texas A&M among others.

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Panthers QB Bryce Young sporting new hairstyle (and maybe new muscles)

It appears as though Panthers QB Bryce Young added a bit of muscle since the last time we saw him.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young didn’t make any promises about what he’d look like on the other side of his summer break. All he said at the end of mandatory minicamp—at least in regards to possibly adding weight—is that he’d listen to the team’s strength and conditioning staff.

“For me, I trust the strength and conditioning staff here,” he told reporters back on June 14. “We have an amazing strength staff that I’ve had the pleasure to work with and will continue to work with throughout the offseason. They do a great job here with not just me, but everybody on the team. So, they’re sending out plans, they’re sending out workouts and they have a plan for me just like they have a plan for everyone. I’m gonna follow their direction.”

Well, it looks like he’s following their direction . . .

Those stills were captured from a since deleted video from Ultimate Recruiting Profile, which was posted on Thursday. But while the clip may be gone, the impression has already been made.

By comparison, here are some side-by-side shots with images from Young’s pro day back on March 23:

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

The Panthers will reconvene for training camp in less than a month. So, by the time he arrives in Spartanburg on July 22, we could see if Bryce packed on a little more brawn to his brains.

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