Saints made a hefty investment in rookie free agent Dallin Holker

The Saints made a hefty investment in rookie free agent Dallin Holker. The former Colorado State tight end has mile-high potential:

Don’t say the New Orleans Saints aren’t willing to spend big to get the players they covet. The Saints guaranteed $235,000 of their contract with rookie Dallin Holker, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, making the former Colorado State tight end their highest-paid undrafted free agent this year. The deal includes a $10,000 signing bonus. He’s essentially guaranteed a spot on the practice squad, but the expectation should be for him to make the 53-man roster outright.

So why is he such an appealing prospect? The raw numbers aside (Holker caught 64 passes for 766 yards last season, scoring 6 touchdown receptions), he’s dangerous with the football in his hands. Pro Football Focus charting found that Holker drew an average depth of target at 8.9 yards, while gaining 5.9 yards after the catch per reception. He forced 15 missed tackles and picked up 38 first downs.

Holker’s times in agility drills at the NFL Scouting Combine were also impressive, with the second-best numbers in the short shuttle (4.21 seconds) and three cone drill (6.83). There aren’t many players this light on their feet at 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds.

But back to on-field performance. Here’s how each of the Saints’ non-Taysom Hill tight ends stacked up in those same per-target and per-catch stats:

  • Juwan Johnson: 8.0 ADOT, 4.0 YAC/R (58 targets)
  • Foster Moreau: 4.7 ADOT, 4.8 YAC/R (25 targets)
  • Jimmy Graham: 8.3 ADOT, 0.7 YAC/R (7 targets)

The jump to the NFL from Colorado State is significant, but he has the physical gifts to succeed. Holker is an early favorite to take Graham’s place as the team’s third tight end. He’ll need to earn bigger opportunities over the summer, but the Saints could use more production out of the position.

Johnson was late to the party last year with Derek Carr under center and didn’t make a consistent impact until the last four games, catching 19 of his 37 passes and gaining 216 of his 368 yards while scoring 3 of his 4 touchdowns and converting 15 of his 23 yards. Moreau was miscast as a blocking tight end and averaged his fewest routes run per game (10.7) since his rookie year.

It’s worth noting both Moreau and Johnson dealt with injuries during the season, but they didn’t make the most of their opportunities, either. If Klint Kubiak has a better vision for the players, great, but they still need to execute when their numbers are called. They can’t afford to slip up with Holker waiting to get his chance.

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WATCH: Travis Clayton’s home in England erupts when Bills draft him

WATCH: Travis Clayton’s home in England erupts when #Bills draft him:

Travis Clayton came to the Buffalo Bills all the way from across the pond.

The former rugby player and boxer was taken by the Bills’ with the team’s seventh-round selection at the 2024 NFL draft. Clearly a raw prospect, Clayton hopes to turn into an offensive lineman.

Time will tell if Clayton can pull it off. But he certainly has believers. When he was drafted, his friends and family were having a party back in England to wait and see if that would happen.

It did and their group erupted watching the NFL draft on television.

Check out the scenes in the clip below:

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Broncos gave little consideration to making throwbacks their primary uniform

“We didn’t entertain those [throwbacks] as a primary closet item really hardly at all,” Broncos president Damani Leech said.

When the Denver Broncos unveiled new primary uniforms last week, they were met with mixed reviews from fans and pundits.

The team’s throwback uniform, however, received overwhelmingly positive support. After the full uniform set was unveiled, team president Damani Leech met the media to discuss the team’s new look.

“Of course, the fan base, a majority of them wanted to keep the same logo — these are uniforms [with the] logo and color that we won three Super Bowls in, so there was a lot of support for that,” Leech said on April 22. “But also, I think pretty closely right behind that was the amount of support for throwback uniforms. The old ‘D’ [logo] and the old colors.

“I think we did a really great job working with Nike on creating something that was really authentic and true to that 1977 ‘Orange Crush’ era, but really with a modern chassis. You will notice that right now it looks really good. You see a lot of photos of our players [in them] and they look good. We’re really excited about how they’re going to look on the field during the season.”

Many fans have suggested the Broncos should make the throwback look their permanent uniform, and Leech acknowledged that sentiment, but he lobbied to keep the throwback as a special occasion uniform.

“I’m not surprised the fans really love the throwbacks,” Leech said. “You hear that sentiment of, ‘We wish we had the throwbacks permanently.’ I love the throwbacks as well, but I also love the modern take on our brand, uniform and colors. I think we have a good mix.

“We’ll be able to wear those throwbacks up to three times [per season], including with our alternate jersey. We can wear that group of uniforms up to three times during the season. So I think fans will be excited when we roll those out. When the schedule comes out, we’ll start working on our uniform schedule and it’ll be really exciting to see it.”

Leech went on to say that the team did not seriously consider making the throwback look the club’s primary uniform.

“That was one of the early sort of design pillars that we had,” he said. “We wanted a modern, fresh new uniform. We wanted to keep the same colors. We wanted to keep the same logo. The feedback from fans, the majority wanted to keep the same logo and colors. So we didn’t entertain those [throwbacks] as a primary closet item really hardly at all.”

NFL teams have to wait at least five years before making major changes to their uniforms. So if there’s still overwhelming support a switch to throwbacks in 2029, the team might revisit the matter.

“We certainly didn’t come into this with the idea that these would be our uniforms forever,” Leech said. “We didn’t put a date on it, either. So we love them right now. I think we’re going to love them for a while. We’ll see.”

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USA TODAY High School Sports Awards unveils latest Baseball Player of the Year watchlist

Play ball! The opening list of Baseball Player of the Year candidates has landed.

High school baseball has been woven into the storied fabric of America’s pastime for decades, with the stars of today creating the origin stories of collegiate and MLB dreams tomorrow. And that classic baseball storyline still holds true today, where the talent at the high school level has seemingly increased from the West to the East, the North and the South.

This spring has been no exception, with individual performances on the baseball diamond creating plenty of conversations and recognition — of which one standout player will eventually receive a grand tip of the cap on August 25, when the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards showcases top athletes from across the U.S.

The HSSA is the country’s largest high school athletic recognition program, with 20 regional programs and a national awards program that honors athletic achievement. Part of that spotlight shines on the talented high school girls lacrosse athletes, which includes this impressive group who have landed on the 2024 watchlist for the HSSA Baseball Player of the Year (so far).

Okemos’ Caleb Bonemer swings at a Mason pitch during the seventh inning on Friday, April 5, 2024, at Mason High School.

Daniel Arambula — SR, 3B | Yucaipa High School | Yucaipa, California

Cade Arrambide — SR, C | Tomball High School | Tomball, Texas

Charlie Bates — SR, SS | Palo Alto High School | Palo Alto, California

Alec Blair — JR, OF | De La Salle High School | Concord, California

Caleb Bonemer — SR, SS | Okemos High School | Okemos, Michigan

Mason Brassfield — SR, LHP | Bakersfield Christian High School | Bakersfield, California

Bryden Bull — JR, OF | Las Vegas High School | Las Vegas, Nevada

Slade Caldwell — SR, OF | Valley View High School | Jonesboro, Arkansas

Cam Caminiti — SR, LHP | Saguaro High School | Scottsdale, Arizona

Levi Clark — SR, C | Walton High School | Marietta, Georgia

Bryce Clavon — SR, SS | Kell High School | Marietta, Georgia

Derek Curiel — SR, OF | Orange Lutheran High School | West Covina, California

JD Dix — SR, SS | Whitefish Bay High School | Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

Casan Evans — SR, RHP | St. Pius X High School | Houston, Texas

Theodore Gillen — SR, SS | Westlake High School | Austin, Texas

Cannon Goldin — JR, OF | Buford High School | Buford, Georgia

Trey Gregory-Alford — SR, RHP | Coronado High School | Colorado Springs, Colorado

Konnor Griffin — SR, UTL/RHP | Jackson Preparatory School | Jackson, Mississippi

Jack Haferkamp — SR, OF | Santa Fe Christian Schools | Carlsbad, California

Owen Hall — SR, RHP | Edmond North High School | Edmond, Oklahoma

Josh Hammond — JR, RHP | Westchester Country Day High School | High Point, North Carolina

Seth Hernandez — JR, RHP | Corona High School | Corona, California

Ethan Holliday — JR, SS | Stillwater High School | Stillwater, Oklahoma

Teagan Kuhns — SR, RHP | Chambersburg Area Senior High School | Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Kaiden Lopez — SR, OF | Oviedo High School | Oviedo, Florida

Burke Mabeus — SR, C | Bishop Gorman High School | Las Vegas, Nevada

Chase Mobley — SR, RHP | Durant High School | Plant City, Florida

PJ Morlando — SR, OF/1B | Summerville High School | Summerville, South Carolina

Michael Mullinax — SR, OF | North Cobb Christian School | Kennesaw, Georgia

Xavier Neyens — JR, 3B | Mount Vernon High School | Mount Vernon, Washington

Dante Nori — SR, OF | Northville High School | Northville, Michigan

Sebastian Norman — JR, 3B | Glendale High School | Springfield, Missouri

Joey Oakie — SR, RHP | Ankeny Centennial High School | Ankeny, Iowa

Owen Paino — SR, SS | Roy C. Ketcham High School | Wappingers Falls, New York

Erik Parker — SR, SS | North Gwinnett High School | Suwanee, Georgia

Braylon Payne — SR, OF | Lawerence E. Elkins High School | Missouri City, Texas

Marcos Paz — JR, RHP | Hebron High School | Carrollton, Texas

Ty Peeples — JR, OF | Franklin County High School | Carnesville, Georgia

Fabio Peralta — SR, OF | Miami Christian School | Miami, Florida

Bryce Rainer — SR, SS | Harvard-Westlake High School | Los Angeles, California

Drew Rogers — SR, C | Hamilton High School | Chandler, Arizona

William Schmidt — SR, RHP | Catholic High School | Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Anson Seibert — SR, RHP | Blue Valley Southwest High School | Overland Park, Kansas

Trey Snyder — SR, SS | Liberty North High School | Liberty, Missouri

Levi Sterling — SR, RHP | Notre Dame High School | Sherman Oaks, California

Tate Strickland — SR, RHP | Harrison High School | Kennesaw, Georgia

Zach Swanson — SR, RHP | Toutle Lake High School | Toutle Lake, Washington

Landon Victorian — SR, RHP | Barbe High School | Lake Charles, Louisiana

Carson Wiggins — SR, RHP | Roland High School | Roland, Oklahoma

Quentin Young — JR, 3B | Oaks Christian High School | Westlake Village, California

From the HSSA

Nominees for both the regional and national programs are posted as they are selected. Regional nominees represent the best in their respective areas, while national nominees are  recognized as the top high school athletes nationwide.

Sign up for email updates for your region or nationally to keep up with nominee selections, the awards programs and special announcements.

Follow our main Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Threads pages for more.

How Commanders GM Adam Peters did not outsmart himself

Adam Peters made all the correct calls in his first draft with Washington.

Adam Peters had determined for some time that Jayden Daniels would be the Commanders’ selection with the second overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft.

Can you imagine if Washington had determined to go ahead and accept a trade with the Raiders, who desperately wanted Daniels? What one month ago seemed doable and practical and would have reaped long-term benefits in providing the Commanders multiple good draft choices last Thursday night would have been an utter disaster!

Which draft analyst had predicted that six of the first 12 selections would be quarterbacks? Nobody saw Michael Penix and Bo Nix being selected in the top 12 choices, nobody.

Thus, had the Commanders made a deal with the Raiders, who wanted Daniels, the Commanders would have been left at No. 13 with no first-round quarterback remaining.

Who could have imagined that the Falcons, after signing Kirk Cousins to a more than $100 million contract, would use a pick as high as eighth on another quarterback? No one saw that coming, either.

When the Falcons shocked everyone in selecting Penix, the Vikings also in need of a quarterback, traded with the Jets to ensure they would receive Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the tenth selection.

The Broncos selected at No. 12 and then took Oregon’s Bo Nix because if they wanted a top quarterback, Nix was the only one remaining, though he had been mocked by nearly every analyst as being selected either late in round one or round two.

Consequently, if the Commanders had traded with the Raiders, they would have only served to have outsmarted themselves, being without a single quarterback worthy of being selected at No. 13.

In fact, there was such a drop-off into the next tier of quarterbacks that the next quarterback selected did not occur until the New Orleans Saints drafted South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler with the 150th selection. That is not a misprint. Yes, No. 150.

Commanders fans can be glad that Commanders GM Adam Peters made his draft-day trade in the second round rather than the first round. This decision enabled the Commanders to gain an extra selection in the second round while also holding on to their No. 2 overall selection, where they could take the second quarterback in this year’s rookie class.

Peters illustrated why you don’t simply trade down for the sake of trading down and gaining multiple draft picks.

As it was written about three thousand years ago in the ancient Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, “There is a time and a place for everything” (including when to trade down and when not to trade down in an NFL draft).

Nation’s No. 44 recruit commits to Georgia basketball, declares for NBA draft

6-foot-10 center recruit Somto Cyril has committed to UGA basketball and declared for the 2024 NBA draft

Four-star center recruit Somto Cyril has committed to the Georgia Bulldogs basketball program. Cyril, who previously signed for the Kentucky Wildcats, did not want to follow head coach John Calipari to Arkansas. Calipari’s departure allowed Cyril to be released from his national letter of intent.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound center plays basketball for Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Georgia. The four-star is ranked as the nation’s No. 44 recruit, No. 9 center and No. 4 player in Georgia.

Somto Cyril’s commitment to Georgia gives the Bulldogs five newcomers (and counting) for the 2024-2025 college basketball season. Cyril joins five-star forward Asa Newell as incoming true freshman for the Bulldogs. Georgia has the No. 17 recruiting class in the country, per 247Sports.

Cyril has a well-developed frame for a true freshman. The Overtime Elite center is a good rim protector and a powerful dunker.

Cyril is putting his name into the 2024 NBA draft in addition to committing to Georgia. The lengthy center is looking to get feedback from NBA teams while maintaining his college eligibility.

Georgia basketball has already seen numerous additions and departures this offseason. We are tracking every player to enter or exit the Bulldogs’ basketball program this spring.

Clemson baseball coach Erik Bakich visits ACC PM

Clemson Tigers baseball coach Erik Bakich made a special appearance on ACC Network’s ACC PM Wednesday to discuss his team as the regular season heads into its stretch run.

With the calendar having turned to May and only three weekend series remaining in the regular season for most conferences, the 2024 college baseball regular season has entered into its stretch run.

For Clemson, that means trying to lock up a top national seed for the 2024 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. The Tigers are ranked No. 4 in every major poll this week and are a projected No. 3 national seed according to both On3 and Baseball America’s Field of 64 predictions. Coach Erik Bakich’s team is 15-6 in conference play, two full games ahead of Florida State.

Clemson will host Georgia Tech this weekend before traveling to Winston-Salem to face No. 15 Wake Forest. The Tigers will close the regular season at home against Boston College before the ACC Tournament gets underway on Tuesday, March 21 at Charlotte’s Truist Field.

Bakich joined ACC PM’s Mark Packer and Taylor Tannebaum on ACC Network Wednesday to discuss his team’s 34-9 overall record entering May.

Among the topics Bakich touched on are the Tigers having overcome injuries at key positions this season, the emergence of freshman sensation and star right-hander Aidan Knaak, and the overall strength of the ACC.

Clemson Athletic Communications shared a video of Bakich’s full appearance on ACC PM. Here’s everything the coach had to say in Wednesday’s interview.

Who is the most likely player on the Boston Celtics’ roster to be traded this coming offseason?

It may likely be a player who has asked off the team in the recent past.

Who is the most likely player on the Boston Celtics’ roster to be traded this coming 2024 NBA offseason? With the team’ payroll about to balloon with Jaylen Brown’s supermax contract extension kicking in, there could be a surprising trade coming soon. And if you ask Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, it may likely be a player who has asked off the team in the recent past.

Backup floor general Payton Pritchard once wanted to be on any other ball club not that long ago, but could get his wish if Swartz is right. “Pritchard, 26, is a good backup point guard who’s only set to make $6.7 million next season.

“There’s no reason for Boston to shop him, but if it wants to find salary to send out in a potential deal, he may be the guy to go,” adds the B/R league analyst.

But there is one other player on the Celtics’ roster who Swartz thinks could be on the move — Al Horford.

But given he is “more important as injury insurance” for Kristaps Porzingis, we agree Fast PP is the most likely candidate of any of the Celtics’ core players.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Report: Daniel Jones, not Drew Lock, will start for Giants in 2024

Clarifying his earlier comments, Mike Garafolo says Daniel Jones will unquestionably start for the New York Giants in 2024, not Drew Lock.

Shortly after the 2024 NFL draft concluded, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, who was a long-time New York Giants beat writer, revealed that Drew Lock would be afforded the opportunity to “compete a little bit” with Daniel Jones.

“They have the faith in Daniel Jones to be ready to go in Week 1 and be a full participant in training camp,” Garafolo said. “And by the way, they also do believe that Drew Lock has a chance to compete a little bit and maybe push Daniel Jones. We’ll see.”

Those comments, understandably, took on a life of their own.

Despite general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll adamantly stating that Jones would start in 2024 — something that was even relayed to Lock himself — it opened the door to speculation.

Could Lock really win the starting job out of training camp?

NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah added fuel to that fire, suggesting Lock had a “really good shot” at taking over the starting role in Week 1.

“I believe Drew Lock has a really good shot on winning that job,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said, via Gregg Rosenthal. “They were comparing Daniel Jones and Drew Lock, emphasis on Drew Lock, to the QBs that were going to be there (at the No. 6 pick in the draft) and the line for them was Drake Maye.”

Unfortunately for the anti-DJ crowd, it may be time to pump the brakes on any hope that Lock is going to start coming out of camp.

On Wednesday, Garafolo sought to clarify his earlier comments and made it clear that Jones will be the team’s unquestioned starter so long as he remains healthy and productive.

“If you get into the season and Daniel Jones isn’t playing well then perhaps (Lock) will push him,” Garafolo said. “But I want to be clear about — and what the Giants have been clear about — is that if Daniel Jones is healthy, and they do hope and expect that he’s going to be healthy (by) Week 1, he is going to be the quarterback.”

Garafolo left the door open to Lock taking over if Jones completely bombs out but short of that, the Giants have hitched their wagon to DJ and intend to ride it out with him in 2024.

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Commanders announce dates for 2024 rookie minicamp

The NFL announced dates for all 32 rookie minicamps.

You don’t have to wait long to see Jayden Daniels in a Washington Commanders’ uniform.

The NFL announced rookie minicamp dates for all 32 teams on Wednesday, and Washington’s camp will run from May 10-12.

Of course, it is only a rookie minicamp, so fans won’t see Daniels in pads, but we may get a clue about which jersey number Daniels will wear. Daniels has always worn No. 5, which is currently worn by Washington’s most tenured player, punter Tress Way.

Daniels will likely end up in the No. 5 jersey as the new face of the franchise.

In addition to Daniels, the Commanders’ other eight draft picks will also don the burgundy and gold for the first time. Additionally, Washington signed 11 undrafted free agents who’ll also be on the field for the Commanders for the first time.