Tag: Sports Illustrated

Will Atlanta target Kyle Pitts with the NFL draft’s 4th pick?

If Atlanta decides to pass on a quarterback, making Kyle Pitts the highest-drafted tight end in modern NFL history would be a smart move.

[mm-video type=video id=01f3nxnngmay8v8vxpwb playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f3nxnngmay8v8vxpwb/01f3nxnngmay8v8vxpwb-41b4806c9c9060cab61aa37ff5072297.jpg]

Only one tight end has ever been drafted with the first overall pick, and that was Billy Cannon all the way back in 1960. Since the modern era began in 1970, only one tight end has been taken in the top five: Riley Odoms, who went fifth overall in 1972.

With mock drafts frequently showing former Gators tight end Kyle Pitts being taken by Atlanta with the fourth overall pick, he has the chance to be the highest player drafted at the position in the modern history of the league. And for good reason, as well. He was practically impossible to match up against in college given his size and speed, and with the tight end becoming an increasingly valuable position, NFL general managers are salivating at the thought of landing Pitts.

(function (d, s, n) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
js = d.createElement(s);
js.className = n;
js.src = “//player.ex.co/player/e5869bc6-faf6-4b7a-8c06-b5610c96a8fe”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘exco-player’));

If the Falcons are going to make history by selecting Pitts, though, it means that they will have to pass on a quarterback at No. 4, which is certainly an option for a team with an aging veteran on a big contract. Sports Illustrated Albert Breer discussed the possibility of the Falcons drafting Pitts and what it would take to make it happen in his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column.

Lots of teams think the Falcons are going to sit where they are and take Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, and really for two reasons. One, the asking price for a team to get up to No. 4 is high, as you’d expect it would be after what the Dolphins got for the third pick. Two, it’s been pointed out by a few people how the Matt Ryan contract restructure makes it more difficult for the Falcons to move on from him not just this year, but next year too—and how if they were looking to set up a quarterback transition, they’d be more likely to take their cap medicine now. So yes, Atlanta’s looked very hard at all the quarterbacks, and the Falcons are among a small group of teams to have multiple people at both pro days for both Fields and Lance. If I had to guess, this may well come down to which quarterback falls to them and how that quarterback compares to Pitts.

If the 49ers, who traded up with Miami for the third overall pick, decide to draft a quarterback like Mac Jones, it’s hard to imagine the Falcons would pass on Justin Fields with the fourth pick. With that being said, Pitts is arguably the top player in this class outside of Trevor Lawrence, and he’d provide an immediate boost to whoever takes him.

If the Falcons decide to pass on the fourth quarterback available, landing Pitts would give it one of the league’s top receiving corps.

[lawrence-related id=40978,40943,40877,40819,40699]

[listicle id=41068]

[listicle id=40927]

Trevor Lawrence addresses criticism surrounding his work ethic after recent interview

Trevor Lawrence took to Twitter Saturday to address his critics after a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.

While it didn’t cause a lot of Jacksonville Jaguars fans to jump off the bandwagon, Trevor Lawrence’s recent comments in a Sports Illustrated article raised some concerns for others in the football community. Specifically, it led to his work ethic and motivation being questioned after Lawrence said that he didn’t have a chip on his shoulder.

A former coach and family members of his also expressed that football wasn’t necessarily “life” for Lawrence, which made many wonder how strong his commitment to the NFL would be.

“It’s hard to explain that because I want people to know that I’m passionate about what I do and it’s really important to me, but . . . I don’t have this huge chip on my shoulder, that everyone’s out to get me and I’m trying to prove everybody wrong,” Lawrence said. “I just don’t have that. I can’t manufacture that. I don’t want to.”

Lawrence’s wife, Marissa, then chimed in by saying that “There’s also more in life than playing football.”

“And I think people mistake that for being a competitor. . . . I think that’s unhealthy to a certain extent, just always thinking that you’ve got to prove somebody wrong, you’ve got to do more, you’ve got to be better,” Lawrence added afterward.

Then came the critics (mostly national media members), who Lawrence seemed to hear loud and clear. He took to social media on Saturday to address the questions surrounding his work ethic, while making it clear he’s passionate about football.

As previously stated, most Jags fans and probably even the Jags’ coaching staff needed no clarification on what he meant. After all, he was one of the players who stood up as a leader and let it be known that he and his teammates wanted to play football after there were concerns that a 2020 collegiate season wouldn’t happen.

With the Jags doing multiple Zoom conferences with Lawrence and doing their research on him for a while, they understand exactly what kind of competitor he is. And in just under two weeks, he’ll still likely end up in Duval as his interview likely didn’t raise any red flags in the eyes of Urban Meyer, Shad Khan, and the Jags’ front office.

Pitts and Trask are long-odds to be taken in NFL draft top 3… so you’re saying there’s a chance?

Florida fans can expect to hear at least one of their beloved Orange and Blue’s name early on—at the very least Kyle Pitts but maybe more.

NFL draft fever is at a full boil as the end of April rapidly approaches and there is no shortage of mock drafts and hot takes abound in the sports media. For fans of Florida football, there is a lot to be excited about this year as at least one former Gator is projected to go in the first round for the first time since the legendary Tim Tebow was selected among the opening 32 selections in 2010 — and possibly two.

The highest UF alumnus on the draft board is tight end Kyle Pitts, who is considered a generational talent that will be selected somewhere in the top 10. After him, multi-faceted athlete Kadarius Toney who is listed as a wide receiver is expected to be taken some time in the late first round or, at worst, Round 2.

(function (d, s, n) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
js = d.createElement(s);
js.className = n;
js.src = “//player.ex.co/player/e5869bc6-faf6-4b7a-8c06-b5610c96a8fe”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘exco-player’));

Then there is quarterback Kyle Trask, a talented gunslinger who put up record numbers during the 2020 college season with some perceived weaknesses that has him dropped down to about the third round. Nonetheless, he remains one of the bigger names in the draft, which explains why DraftKings Sportsbook included him along with Pitts in their odds for the top three selections on April 29. Here is a look at the odds, as provided by Sports Illustrated.

Overall Kyle Pitts Kyle Trask
First Pick +20,000 +25,000
Second Pick +3,300 +15,000
Third Pick +5,000 +20,000

Obviously, the two are long-shots for the top three picks but the fact that the odds were set means that there is some outside chance they could be selected. It is kind of interesting how their best bet is at the second pick while they both regress on their third pick numbers. Regardless, Florida fans can expect to hear at least one of their beloved Orange and Blue’s name early on… if not more.

[lawrence-related id=40429,40411,40378,40337,40332]

[listicle id=40420]

[listicle id=40400]

NCAA on the verge of implementing one-time transfer exception

If the policy is reversed, players in sports like football and basketball would have the opportunity to transfer once without sitting out.

[mm-video type=video id=01f2aevmzxtbcn4gms playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=none image=https://cdn1.wibbitz.com/page/videos/486ca8d895ea42f98246baf05e2b4f5d_automated_poster_frame_120.jpg]

NCAA Division I Council met virtually on Wednesday to discuss what would be a landmark rule change regarding transfer rules for athletes in some sports. According to a report from Sports Illustrated, the Council is close to approving a reversal of a rule dating back to the 1960s that requires athletes in five sports (including football and men’s and women’s basketball) to sit out for one year after transferring unless they have a waiver approved by the NCAA.

If the rule change is adopted, all players in those Division I sports would have the option to exercise a one-time, penalty-free transfer. Players could leave the schools they sign with and have immediate eligibility elsewhere, albeit with certain caveats. For example, fall and winter sports athletes would have to make their transfer decisions by May 1 (though that would be extended to June 1 if there’s a coaching change or non-renewal of scholarship). According to the report, much of the discussion on Thursday centered around making those dates flexible this year.

(function (d, s, n) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
js = d.createElement(s);
js.className = n;
js.src = “//player.ex.co/player/e5869bc6-faf6-4b7a-8c06-b5610c96a8fe”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘exco-player’));

This change would continue a trend of relaxing transfer restrictions, as in the past several years, rules were reversed to stop schools from blocking transfer destinations, as well as allowing graduate transfers immediate eligibility for intraconference transfers. Were this rule to be approved, big-time college sports would likely see a much higher exodus rate of prospects looking for better opportunities elsewhere.

[lawrence-related id=39722,39664,39624,39536,39522]

[listicle id=39742]

[listicle id=39167]

Here’s where SI ranks Florida among the NCAA Tournament field

Of the 68 teams competing in the NCAA Tournament, UF came in just one spot above their first-round opponent, 10th-seeded Virginia Tech.

[mm-video type=video id=01f10zmwtvbcvmv0gr playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f10zmwtvbcvmv0gr/01f10zmwtvbcvmv0gr-cf19c3e5e531c3aa2798c858640cdb18.jpg]

The Gators ended the regular season in disappointing fashion with back-to-back losses against Missouri and Tennessee, and that carried over into the SEC Tournament, where the team beat a bad Vanderbilt team in sluggish fashion before being knocked out in a rematch with the Volunteers.

Surprisingly, Florida still enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed, but its path to a deep tournament run will be far from easy. In a ranking of all 68 teams in the postseason field from Sports Illustrated, UF comes in at No. 39 overall.

39. Florida. The Gators got their NCAA tournament work done in January, a month when they defeated LSU, Tennessee and West Virginia. February and March have been a chore, going 5–6. Still, just getting this far is an accomplishment when you consider that the team’s best player, Keyontae Johnson, collapsed in the fourth game and never returned. Florida is prone to frenetic possessions offensively, playing too fast and turning the ball over, but it can be efficient at that end when focused. Guard Tre Mann is an NBA talent who has averaged 23.5 points over his last four games, and he’s a willing rebounder. The Gators need to get big man Colin Castleton reengaged after a quiet SEC tourney.

The Gators come in just one spot above their first-round opponent, 10th-seeded Virginia Tech, who ranks No. 40. Sports Illustrated also seems to think Florida was overseeded a bit, as it ranks below everyone else on the seven-seed line as well as some teams seeded below it, such as ninth-seeded Missouri.

UF will have the opportunity to prove its doubters wrong in a difficult first-round game against the Hokies on Friday at 12:15 p.m. EDT.

[lawrence-related id=38184,38149,38147,38090,38089]

[listicle id=38094]

[listicle id=38181]

Here’s where SI ranks Florida among the NCAA Tournament field

Of the 68 teams competing in the NCAA Tournament, UF came in just one spot above their first-round opponent, 10th-seeded Virginia Tech.

[mm-video type=video id=01f10zmwtvbcvmv0gr playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f10zmwtvbcvmv0gr/01f10zmwtvbcvmv0gr-cf19c3e5e531c3aa2798c858640cdb18.jpg]

The Gators ended the regular season in disappointing fashion with back-to-back losses against Missouri and Tennessee, and that carried over into the SEC Tournament, where the team beat a bad Vanderbilt team in sluggish fashion before being knocked out in a rematch with the Volunteers.

Surprisingly, Florida still enters the NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed, but its path to a deep tournament run will be far from easy. In a ranking of all 68 teams in the postseason field from Sports Illustrated, UF comes in at No. 39 overall.

39. Florida. The Gators got their NCAA tournament work done in January, a month when they defeated LSU, Tennessee and West Virginia. February and March have been a chore, going 5–6. Still, just getting this far is an accomplishment when you consider that the team’s best player, Keyontae Johnson, collapsed in the fourth game and never returned. Florida is prone to frenetic possessions offensively, playing too fast and turning the ball over, but it can be efficient at that end when focused. Guard Tre Mann is an NBA talent who has averaged 23.5 points over his last four games, and he’s a willing rebounder. The Gators need to get big man Colin Castleton reengaged after a quiet SEC tourney.

The Gators come in just one spot above their first-round opponent, 10th-seeded Virginia Tech, who ranks No. 40. Sports Illustrated also seems to think Florida was overseeded a bit, as it ranks below everyone else on the seven-seed line as well as some teams seeded below it, such as ninth-seeded Missouri.

UF will have the opportunity to prove its doubters wrong in a difficult first-round game against the Hokies on Friday at 12:15 p.m. EDT.

[lawrence-related id=38184,38149,38147,38090,38089]

[listicle id=38094]

[listicle id=38181]

Here’s where Sports Illustrated has Florida seeded ahead of Selection Sunday

Selection Sunday for the 2021 NCAA Tournament has finally arrived: here’s where Sports Illustrated expected the Florida Gators to be seeded.

Selection Sunday for the 2021 NCAA Tournament has finally arrived as conferences around the nation wrap up their own tournaments and anoint their league leaders. Among those are the Southeastern Conference, which wraps up its bracket on Sunday afternoon when the No. 1 seed Alabama Crimson Tide faces No. 3 LSU Tigers for the conference crown.

The Florida Gators, who were seeded fifth in the tourney, were run out by the No. 4 seeded Tennessee Volunteers on Friday which set the tone for the postseason prognostications ahead of the Big Dance. While the Gators had not moved much in the polls over the past few weeks despite some questionable efforts on the court, the loss solidified its place in the middle of the NCAA Tournament pack.

On Sunday morning, Sports Illustrated published its final bracket, placing UF at the No. 8 seed and lined up to play the No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round of the Gonzaga Region bracket. A first-round win would likely set the Gators up for a meeting with the No. 1 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second round.

As far as fellow SEC schools are concerned, Florida is joined by No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 6 Missouri Tigers and No. 9 LSU in this year’s March Madness. Selection Sunday begins at 6 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on CBS Sports.

Get ready for March Madness by registering in advance for USA TODAY Sports’ bracket sweepstakes. In the meantime, mobile users can play USA TODAY Sports’ Couchketball virtual hoops challenge – the interactive basketball game where your skills determine the outcome.

[lawrence-related id=37972,37960,37957,37947,37943]

[listicle id=37887]

[vertical-gallery id=37865]

Where does Sports Illustrated have Florida seeded after quarterfinals loss?

Chances are, Gators fans, that this is the spot our beloved Orange and Blue will begin its 2021 NCAA Tournament title hopes next week. 

Florida basketball’s brief 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament run came to an end on Friday after a resounding loss to the Tennessee Volunteers in the quarterfinals, 78-66. The two teams entered the game having split the regular-season series and were seeded fifth and fourth, respectively, but the Vols proved to be the better team with two statement wins against UF in five days.

The Gators now turn their attention to the upcoming NCAA Tournament, in which their seeding has not benefitted from having lost three of their last four games. For the past few weeks, the team’s seeding has been rather buoyant without much shifting regardless of wins or losses.

According to BracketMatrix as of March 12, Florida is seeded as low as No. 10 and as high as No. 6, with the average sitting just under No. 8 (7.83) over a sample size of 133 different brackets. USA TODAY Sports’ updated bracket published Saturday morning agrees and has Florida seeded eighth, which is a drop from No. 7 before the Vols loss.

Sports Illustrated also released its latest postseason prognostication on Saturday, placing Florida in the exact same spot as the last update and consistent with the numbers presented above — the No. 8 seed of the Gonzaga region with the No. 9 UConn Huskies set as their first-round opponent.

Chances are, Gators fans, that this is the spot our beloved Orange and Blue will begin its 2021 NCAA Tournament title hopes next week.

Get ready for March Madness by registering in advance for USA TODAY Sports’ bracket sweepstakes. In the meantime, mobile users can play USA TODAY Sports’ Couchketball virtual hoops challenge – the interactive basketball game where your skills determine the outcome.

[lawrence-related id=37929,37900,37419,37404,37386]

[listicle id=37887]

[vertical-gallery id=37865]

Sports Illustrated has Florida at this seed heading into the SEC Tournament

Heading into the SEC Tournament, Florida basketball has some work to do if it wants to avoid an early game against a No. 1 seed.

[mm-video type=video id=01f0hqrx8sm4s2ppa4 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f0hqrx8sm4s2ppa4/01f0hqrx8sm4s2ppa4-053618f61730f9e01252f72a3d827741.jpg]

We’re just a few days away from the NCAA Tournament bracket being finalized, and that means that the Gators are running out of opportunities to boost their resume. The SEC Tournament this week presents a final chance to rise above the No. 8 seed line, where most projections show Florida landing, including the latest update from Sports Illustrated.

According to this projection, UF would draw nine-seeded UConn in the First Round, and if it survived that bout, it would need to beat the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed in Gonzaga to make it out of the first weekend.

Obviously, that’s a less-than-ideal path for the Gators, so they will look to at least rise to a No. 7 seed this week and they will certainly have their chances. Assuming Florida can beat Vanderbilt on Thursday, it will draw a rematch against Tennessee. Beating the Vols would mean that barring an upset, UF would have to take down Alabama to make it to the final.

It’s asking a lot, but if the Gators won both of those games, they could see their positioning rise a seed line or two.

Other SEC teams in the projected field are No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 6 Missouri and No. 9 LSU. Florida is in the same region as the Razorbacks and could potentially face them if it made it to the Elite Eight, but it wouldn’t face any other SEC opponents until the Final Four.

With the season winding down, UF will hope for a strong showing at this week’s conference tournament to avoid an uphill climb during March Madness.

[lawrence-related id=37579,37506,37419,37404,37386]

[listicle id=37626]

[vertical-gallery id=37252]

Gators basketball in familiar spot in latest SI bracket

Despite wins in its last two games, Florida struggles to find a way to move itself above the eight-seed line as the season nears its close.

Florida has won its last two games including a 74-57 road win over Auburn on Tuesday night. Those wins might have helped it secure its NCAA Tournament positioning, but they didn’t seem to give the Gators much of a boost in bracket projections.

In the latest bracket from Sports Illustrated, UF is listed as the No. 8 seed in Region 3, the same seed line where most other bracketology predictions have it landing. In this projection, Florida draws nine-seeded Boise State in the first round. A win in that game would almost certainly set up a matchup with No. 1 seed Michigan in the Round of 32.

The Gators could potentially face two other SEC teams before the Final Four, as No. 5 Tennessee and No. 6 Missouri both reside within their region in this projected bracket. Other league teams in this field are No. 2 Alabama, No. 6 Arkansas and No. 9 LSU.

Florida could see its seed rise or fall depending on the outcome of the last three games, which feature road bouts against Tennessee and Kentucky and a matchup with Missouri at home. It’s a tough stretch to end the season, but if it performs well, UF could see its seed line rise before the official bracket is released.

[lawrence-related id=36445,36443,36408,36400,36374]

[listicle id=36307]

[vertical-gallery id=36308]