Category: College Football

Michael Hall Jr. drafted by the Cleveland Browns

Michael Hall Jr. drafted by the Cleveland Browns #GoBucks

With the No. 54 selection in the 2024 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns selected Michael Hall Jr., a defensive tackle from Ohio State.

Cleveland has been on a great run of drafting former Buckeyes. It drafted Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler last season and signed Ronnie Hickman as an undrafted free agent. That streak continued with the addition of Hall in the second round this year.

Hall was the second former Ohio State standout off the board. Marvin Harrison Jr. was selected in the first round at No. 4 to the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. With Day 2 featuring both the second and the third rounds, there will likely be more Buckeyes off the board.

Hall is the seventh interior defensive lineman taken, which was about where most draft experts had him slotted. No one doubts Hall’s athleticism, but his lack of ideal size likely kept him out of the first-round discussion.

James Franklin miraculously navigated across Maryland to see both Olu Fashano and Chop Robinson get drafted in person

This is the most impressive thing Penn State has done on draft night since Christian Hackenberg went in the second round

For those who haven’t visited the Washington D.C. area since eighth grade, it may be tough to fully comprehend how impossible it is to drive the Capital Beltway.

The bridges are too narrow, the roads are too limited and the every possible exit spits you out at either a tourist trap or government office. It’s a mess before you even consider that the District’s population increases 79 percent every work day due to commuters or the fact a motorcade may shut down the roads at any point.

Which makes what Penn State coach James Franklin did on Thursday absolutely astounding. He somehow navigated the beltway in barely an hour to be at respective draft parties for Olu Fashanu and Chop Robinson in time to see each Penn State player get drafted in person.

Fashanu, who went No. 11 overall to the New York Jets, lives in Waldorf Maryland. Robinson, the No. 21 pick of the Miami Dolphins, is from Gaithersburg. The two towns are 57 miles apart and separated by one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the country.

Franklin making it to both parties in less time than it takes to watch the first half of a Nittany Lions game might just be the biggest accomplishment of his career.

Regardless of the fact Franklin was doing this well after rush hour, the area is known locally for handing out speeding tickets to anyone who even thinks about going a mile over the limit. It simply doesn’t make sense how he did this.

Did Franklin take I-495 through Northern Virginia? Did he opt to pay the tolls and stay in Maryland for the whole drive? Does Penn State have a helicopter he was able to use for the night?

These are the only questions that matter and, for the good of everyone who has to drive the beltway, we deserve an answer.

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Washington QB Dermaricus Davis enters transfer portal for second time

One of Washington’s two four-star quarterbacks in the 2024 class has entered the transfer portal.

The Washington Huskies are down to just two scholarship quarterbacks after former four-star recruit Dermaricus Davis decided to enter the transfer portal for the second time this offseason on Friday morning.

After originally entering in January following Kalen DeBoer’s departure, the true freshman withdrew his name and gave coach Jedd Fisch’s staff a shot during spring practice.

However, through Washington’s 11 spring practices, Davis appears to have fallen behind his classmate Demond Williams, who has taken a fair amount of snaps with the first team and looks to be the successor to 2024’s probable starter, Mississippi State transfer Will Rogers.

That’s not to say that Davis doesn’t have the same upside as Williams, he appears to need some more time to develop and has chosen to look elsewhere to do so. The true freshman was not present for Washington’s latest workout on Wednesday, seemingly putting the writing on the wall for his future.

Now, as Fisch and the rest of Washington’s coaching staff continues to scour the transfer portal for some assistance along the offensive line, it might need to bring in a third quarterback as well.

The Atlanta Falcons made an A+ pick with Michael Penix Jr.

Some might call it a reach, but the Atlanta Falcons’ selection of Michael Penix Jr. is a home run.

Some might call it a reach, but the Atlanta Falcons did the right thing by selecting Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Even though the organization signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180-million fully guaranteed deal in the offseason, there are serious questions about the 35-year-old’s future after he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in October.

Penix, who after suffering multiple season-ending injuries early in his career, stayed healthy for the entirety of his Washington career and got a clean bill of health at the NFL combine in late February.

Even if he has to sit behind Cousins for any period of time, Atlanta can provide Penix with one of the best supporting casts in the NFL. The Falcons have invested heavily in offensive weapons, using the No. 4 pick on tight end Kyle Pitts in 2021, and then utilizing the No. 8 overall picks in back-to-back years on wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson.

Behind one of the better offensive lines in the NFL, anchored by another Washington product in right tackle Kaleb McGary, the Falcons may have found their franchise quarterback in Penix. The only question is, when will he see the field?

Marvin Harrison Jr. drafted No. 4 by the Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr. drafted by the Arizona Cardinals #GoBucks

Welcome to the 2024 NFL draft, and for Ohio State football fans Day 1 already looks to be over. The lone projected first-round Buckeye went off the board with the fourth pick to the Arizona Cardinals.

Ohio State fans were always confident [autotag]Marvin Harrison Jr.[/autotag] would be the top receiver off the board, but rumors were swirling that Malik Nabers could be a surprise pick.

Harrison received some negative publicity during the pre-draft process due to him electing to sit out workouts. However, just like his Hall of Fame father, Harrison was selected on the first day of the NFL draft.

The Arizona Cardinals look to be a team to watch for Ohio State fans moving forward. This is two years in a row that they selected a Buckeye with their top pick. They selected offensive tackle Paris Johnson last year.

Harrison joins a prestigious group of former Ohio State star receivers in the NFL and he maybe the best of the entire group. We wish Harrison good luck!

Former Clemson QB transfers to Appalachian State; showdown with Tigers looming?

Clemson Football: The Tigers may be facing a former quarterback who donned Clemson Orange when they host Appalachian State on Sept. 7 this season.

Is a showdown between the Tigers and a former Clemson quarterback looming?

Billy Wiles, who spent two seasons in Dabo Swinney’s program after joining Clemson as a walk-on out of Stone Bridge (Va.) High School in 2021, transferred to Southern Miss after the 2022 season.

Wiles was the starting quarterback through the Golden Eagles’ first 10 games a season ago. After a seven-game losing streak that saw Wiles become part of a quarterback controversy, Wiles did not start either of USM’s final two games against Mississippi State and Troy.

He finished the season 162-of-301 with 11 touchdowns to seven interceptions. Southern Miss finished 3-9.

Now, Wiles is on the move again. After entering the transfer portal on April 12, Wiles took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday to announce that he would be staying in the Sun Belt Conference and joining Appalachian State.

The Mountaineers travel to Death Valley in Week 2 (September 7) to face Clemson. Wiles last took the field at Memorial Stadium in 2021 when he made 11 snaps under center against UConn — his only appearance in a Clemson uniform.

Adam Mohammed was Scottie Graham’s best kept secret

Running back Adam Mohammed has been one of the most impressive early enrollees from Washington’s 2024 class, and coach Scottie Graham didn’t want anyone else to find out about him.

“Shh, don’t tell anybody.”

That was the first thing running backs coach Scottie Graham had to say after watching true freshman Adam Mohammed play in high school.

The 6-foot, 205-pound running back has been one of the biggest standouts among the early enrollees from coach Jedd Fisch’s 2024 class thanks to his impressive physical stature, speed, and ability as a pass catcher.

“Baby,” Graham said after Wednesday’s practice. “205 [pounds]. When he gets to 220, it’s going to be lunch money. You know what that means? Remember back in high school? ‘Give me your lunch money.’ ‘No!’ ‘Yes, give me your lunch money.’”

The coaching staff has high hopes for the 17-year-old from Apollo High School in Glendale, Arizona, who only needed one game to sell Graham on his abilities.

“I went to a game where he threw for 200 yards, ran for 100 yards, picked off a pass for 60 yards, and I was like, ‘I want him,'” Graham said. “He’s not going to be a liability, he works so hard and he’s so passionate about what he does.”

Coming out of high school, Mohammed held only 8 offers when he signed with Arizona, before opting out of his national letter of intent to follow Fisch’s coaching staff to Seattle. Graham said that offers from California and Boston College came in before his and that he held out as long as he could before offering the nation’s No. 132 ranked running back a scholarship.

“I was trying to hide out as much as I could and wait as long as I could to offer him,” he said. “People read into that and the minute you offer somebody other teams are going to swoop in and say ‘Ok, I’m gonna offer him now.’ But I always had a great relationship with him and he knew that, so I offered him late.”

Fisch has no reservations about playing freshmen and it appears Mohammed, who has taken some snaps with the first team during spring practice, could be next in line to assume a significant role during his first year on campus.

“It takes a lot to play in our system, you’ve got to catch, you’ve got to block, you’ve got to do a lot of different stuff, you can’t just drop step,” Graham said. “There are so many different steps it takes to play in our offense, you’ve got to play receiver sometimes. Adam can catch the ball like a receiver, he’s lengthy, it’s incredible.”

Behind Jonah Coleman and Cameron Davis, Graham is looking for someone to step up as the third option at the position and Mohammed has done everything in his power to claim that spot so far during spring camp.

Nate Wiggins is one of this NFL analyst’s 5 favorite Day 1 NFL draft prospects

Nate Wiggins is a 2024 NFL draft favorite for this NFL analyst.

As anticipation builds for the kickoff of the 2024 NFL draft, former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins is the focus of attention. 

With a skill set that hints at greatness, Wiggins finds himself at the center of speculation regarding his potential in the professional league. While many experts predict him as a strong contender for a first-round pick, the draft’s unpredictable nature leaves room for uncertainty. History reminds us that even the most promising prospects can experience unexpected twists and turns on draft day. Yet, amidst the speculation and uncertainty, Wiggins remains focused and determined. 

His journey to the NFL has been marked by hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Regardless of where he lands in the draft, Wiggins is ready to seize the opportunity and prove himself on the grand stage of professional football. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick recently named Wiggins one of his 5 favorite Day 1 prospects for the draft. 

Long, tall, rangy and competitive with blazing speed and the ability to match any type of receiver. That sums up Wiggins. I’m not worried in the least about his weight — he measured 6-foot-1 and 173 pounds at the combine — as he will get bigger and stronger, and he is already a pure alpha competitor who will not back down against any WR nor shy away from contact as a run defender.

Wiggins can press, he can play off-coverage, he can play zone or he can lock you down in man coverage. He has excellent instincts, and he is really tough to deal with at the catch point thanks to his physicality. I think he is going to be productive the moment he steps on an NFL field for the first time this fall. Over the past two seasons, he has 17 pass breakups and three interceptions.

A lot of what you’ll see about Wiggins revolves around his potential. It could greatly benefit his game if he can put on some weight. As long as it doesn’t take away from his speed, which is something NFL coaches will work with him on. 

During Wiggins career with the Tigers, he was credited by the coaching staff with 50 tackles (3.0 for loss), 24 pass breakups, three interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked field goal in 1,377 career snaps over 34 games (18 starts) from 2021-23. There’s a wide range of outcomes for Wiggins, but whoever lands him is likely getting a future star.

Sights and sounds from Washington’s eleventh spring practice

The Washington Huskies saw some explosive plays and impressive defense at Wednesday’s spring practice.

The Washington Huskies moved Wednesday’s spring practice to Dempsey Indoor Center to get out of the rain, which seemed to greatly benefit the passing game. Quarterback Will Rogers had another impressive day, making multiple high-difficulty throws to wide receivers Jeremiah Hunter and Giles Jackson.

Quarterback Demond Williams had two 20+ yard touchdowns on the day, linking up with redshirt freshman receiver Rashid Williams for both of the scores. The first connection came for a 26-yard touchdown during a team period, where the freshman made an impressive throw on the run, while the second came from 22 yards out in a 7-on-7 period.

Although the offense had some impressive plays, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Throughout the practice, there were multiple dropped snaps during drills and team periods as the coaching staff continues to figure out its plan along the offensive line.

The secondary also made its fair share of big plays throughout practice, with Arizona transfer Ephesians Prysock showing off his elite length and recovery skills for a pass breakup against the speedy Audric Harris, before blowing up a screen play and recording a tackle for a loss on the next play.

Safeties Tristan Dunn and Peyton Waters accounted for the only two turnovers on the day, with the former stepping in front of wide receiver Keith Reynolds for an interception and the latter laying a perfect hit on fellow freshman Harris to force a fumble on the last play of the day.

Spring Practice Notebook

  • Running backs coach Scottie Graham discussed freshman Adam Mohammed after practice, who has been one of the most impressive early enrollees. “Baby,” Graham said of the running back who turns 18 on Friday. “205 [pounds]. When he gets to 220, it’s going to be lunch money. You know what that means? Remember back in high school? ‘Give me your lunch money.’ ‘No!’ ‘Yes, give me your lunch money.'”
  • Mohammed took some reps with the first team on Friday, where Rogers got to work with Hunter and sophomore Denzel Boston together for the first time.
  • During one on one drills, freshman receiver Jason Robinson Jr. made an impressive, fingertip grab to pull in a touchdown.
  • Bad news along the offensive line continued when Washington’s top transfer portal target, SMU tackle Marcus Bryant, committed to Missouri during the workout.
  • Redshirt freshman Kahlee Tafai also suffered an injury toward the end of practice, but was seen walking under his own power at the end of the day.

Nate Wiggins selected in the first round of this final 2024 NFL draft mock draft

Nate Wiggins in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft? It’s a strong possibility.

Former Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins has all the tools to be a star cornerback in the NFL and awaits the opportunity as the 2024 NFL draft starts on Thursday.

Wiggins is one of those players where there are no guarantees heading into the draft that he will be a first round pick. He definitely has a strong chance, but we’ve seen first round caliber players before fall further than expected in the draft.

In USA TODAY Sports final mock draft before the real one, Wiggins ends up as a first rounder.

Beyond Budda Baker, the Cardinals’ defense is desperate for difference-makers. It’s not easy to find a 6-1 cornerback with excellent long speed (4.28-second 40-yard dash) and the fluidity that Wiggins regularly exhibits, so he should be a strong consideration for Arizona’s second Day 1 selection.

Wiggins would be an awesome fit for the Cardinals, who also have serious needs in their secondary. During Wiggins career with the Tigers, he was credited by the coaching staff with 50 tackles (3.0 for loss), 24 pass breakups, three interceptions (including two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked field goal in 1,377 career snaps over 34 games (18 starts) from 2021-23.

There are few players in this draft that posses the athletic capability of Wiggins, who has an awesome combination of speed and size. He is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft.