Tag: The Athletic

Notre Dame alumnus Monty Williams dismissed as Phoenix Suns coach

Was this the right call?

Success in the recent past seems to be mattering less and less in the NBA. For at least some teams, it doesn’t matter what you did a few years ago if you’re not getting the job done now. The Phoenix Suns showed they subscribe to that philosophy when The Athletic reported that they have fired former Notre Dame player [autotag]Monty Williams[/autotag] as coach. Williams was the 2022 Coach of the Year, and he took the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals.

Williams joins the ranks of NBA coaches who have lost their jobs recently despite doing great things not long ago. The Toronto Raptors ousted Nick Nurse even though he led them to the 2019 championship. Mike Budenholzer, who coached [autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] and the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 title, also was handed his walking papers. These moves should put almost every coach in the league on notice about what can happen if their team underachieves.

Hopefully, Williams isn’t out of the NBA for long. He has too good of a resume for teams with coaching vacancies not to at least look at him. He’s a good guy, too. Who wouldn’t want that on their bench?

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Brian Hartline on what makes Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba special

Nobody would know better what Smith-Njigba brings to the table than Hartline.

Brian Hartline played WR for the Dolphins during the Seahawks’ peak Legion of Boom days. However, since 2018 he’s served as the wide receivers coach at Ohio State, where they’ve been pumping out more pro wideouts than any other Power 5 program in recent years.

The latest big name to emerge from the Buckeyes’ receiver factory is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who somehow fell to the Seahawks at No. 20 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Smith-Njigba is our favorite pick in the class and fits exactly what Seattle was missing at the position.

Nobody would know better what Smith-Njigba brings to the table than Hartline. Here’s what he said about JSN’s game, per Mike Dugar at the Athletic.

“The tempo in which he changes directions is very special… Special meaning that I don’t see a whole lot of guys that do that. His catch-to-run mechanics, his ability to catch the ball and transition to a ball carrier is very uncommon. He does it at a very high level. That also plays into his overall speed and the way he plays the game.”

That ability to change directions helps Smith-Njigba simply get open a high-level trait that has earned him lofty comparisons to Yakima’s Cooper Kupp, who won Super Bowl MVP a couple seasons ago with the Rams.

As far as the numbers go, Smith-Njigba only had one great year in college, but it was a dominant one. In 2021 he dropped 95 catches, 1,606 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

It’s unlikely Smith-Njigba will approach those numbers in the pros – considering he’ll have to share targets with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Then again, Smith-Njigba fits snugly between those two in many ways. At 6-foot-0, 197 pounds he’s got Lockett’s elusiveness and short-area quickness along with some of Metcalf’s length and straight speed. JSN also thrives from the slot – something neither Lockett or Metcalf are known for. There’s a lot of hearty portions to be had at that WR3 spot, especially for someone with this skillset.

Together, this group has been ranked the second-best receiver unit in the NFL by Mike Clay at ESPN.

Vikings’ Ivan Pace Jr. named best UDFA fit in entire NFL

In a piece for The Athletic, Nick Baumgardner named Minnesota Vikings LB Ivan Pace Jr. his favorite UDFA landing spot in all of the NFL>

The Minnesota Vikings signed 15 undrafted free agents after the 2023 NFL draft, but one of them has stood out in a major way. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner identified one favorite UDFA landing spot for each team and his favorite for the Vikings is also his favorite across the league in linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.

OK, so I take back anything I said before this spot: Pace is my favorite undrafted signing. He’s only 5-10 and lacks overwhelming speed, but the guy is the definition of a “football player” in every way. He transferred into an already gritty Bearcats locker room in 2022 and became one of the toughest guys there despite his physical stature. The Vikings also added traits-heavy Army edge Andre Carter II.

With the lack of depth in the linebacker room, there is a good chance that Pace can make the team. His acumen as a pass rusher is exemplary with 9.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. While he’s not ever likely to be a three-down player, Pace Jr. can carve out a role on this team from day one.

Where Florida football lands in The Athletic’s SEC power rankings after spring

Here’s where The Athletic ranks the Gators in the SEC following the spring practice season.

Billy Napier and his army of staffers have an uphill climb ahead of them in 2023 after a disappointing showing during the 2022 campaign. For the second straight season, the Orange and Blue succame to a losing record giving the Gators consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the late 1970s.

As they say, hope springs eternal and that is exactly the attitude on campus these days. Following a lackluster Orange and Blue game — the program’s annual intrasquad scrimmage meant to hype up the fanbase — it appears that Florida football still has a lot left to be desired.

Now that all of the Southeastern Conference schools have wrapped up their spring practice season, The Athletic’s David Ubben took on the task of ranking the league’s teams from top to bottom based on what was seen these past couple of months. The Gators landed at No. 10 in these power rankings and here is what Ubben had to say about his decision.

The Gators are still searching for an answer at quarterback, but Billy Napier’s underwhelming Year 1 means there will be pressure for him in Gainesville. He’s recruited well but needs a Year 2 bump in a sport with less patience than ever.

The Georgia Bulldogs are perched at the top of the list, followed by the LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Tennessee Volunteers and Ole Miss Rebels to round out the top five. The Texas A&M Aggies, Kentucky Wildcats, South Carolina Gamecocks and Arkansas Razorbacks are also head of the Gators, respectively, while only the Auburn Tigers, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Missouri Tigers and Vanderbilt Commodores lag behind them in the standings.

The Orange and Blue kick off its 2023 campaign on Aug. 31 on the road against the Utah Utes, with the start time yet to be determined.

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Rival executives had praise for the Vikings draft

The Minnesota Vikings drafted six players in the 2023 NFL Draft and rival executives thought they did a great job with their picks.

When the Minnesota Vikings came out of the 2023 NFL draft with six talented players, the grades for the class were split. Some were a high while most thought the class was average or lower.

The Athletic’s Mike Sando, who is arguably the most plugged-in reporter in regards to the NFL, spoke to multiple executives about each team’s draft class and rival executives had some nice things to say about the Vikings class.

“Give them credit for getting good players while being limited in their resources,” another exec said. “They made a couple savvy trade-backs, got a fifth next year (from Kansas City). They were able to create value. We liked Addison, we liked Blackmon, we liked Jaren Hall.”

“You lose Thielen and then you add a really good route runner in Addison, a good get for them,” another exec said. “You probably wish they could have gotten more for the defensive side of the ball, but they had to get the receiver where they got him, while greater depth at corner let them get one who will fit Flores’ system.”

The Vikings having a good draft according to other executives is a great thing, especially when they talk about multiple players being good picks. It’s especially great when you consider only Jordan Addison was taken in the top 100.

2023 NFL draft: The Athletic names Bills’ class 8th best in league

2023 NFL draft: The Athletic names the #Bills’ class the 8th best in the entire league:

The Athletic really liked what the Buffalo Bills did at the 2023 NFL draft.

Following the conclusion of the event, every draft class from all 32 NFL teams were ranked side-by-side by the outlet. The Bills finished in great standing at No. 8 overall.

Overall, Buffalo’s finish was the fourth-best in the AFC. In terms of the division, the Bills were at the top. The closest AFC East foe was the New England Patriots at No. 16.

By the end of the draft, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane ended up conducting four trades. That helped the team end up with six total selections while adding a few for 2024.

Of those, The Athletic praised two: Dalton Kincaid and Nick Broeker.

Kincaid, Buffalo’s top selection, required an extra selection in a trade up. But the Bills still got a playmaker that was heavily praised.

Broeker, a seventh rounder, was called a great fit for the offense Buffalo runs. The offensive lineman was called a “Day 3 pick that could surprise” by The Athletic.

Admittedly, he’ll need some time to bring his game together as a late-round selection. However, any time a Round 7 player can bring something to the table, it’s welcomed.

Here’s The Athletic‘s full breakdown on both Kincaid and Broeker:

Favorite pick: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

I loved what Buffalo did on Day 2, adding a plug-and-play guard and toolsy linebacker with upside. But I keep returning to the Kincaid pick as one of my favorite fits in the entire draft. Kincaid can be a starting slot receiver for Josh Allen and give the offense an extra dimension it has been searching for the last few seasons. I can easily make an argument that Kincaid is the best pass catcher in this draft, regardless of position.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Nick Broeker, G, Ole Miss

A good value pick in the seventh round, Broeker is a strong, assignment-sound player. He might not have the explosiveness or knock-back power desired at the position, but when his technique and leverage remain on the same page, Broeker stays attached and loses slowly. He has experience outside at left tackle but projects as immediate depth at guard. He is a great fit for the Bills’ scheme.

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Oregon OL TJ Bass signs with the Dallas Cowboys as UDFA

Oregon OL TJ Bass signs with the Dallas Cowboys as UDFA

As expected, Oregon offensive lineman TJ Bass watched the NFL draft come and go without his name being called, but that didn’t deter him from signing with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.

The Cowboys perennially produce a good offensive line, and TJ Bass will be the newest member of that group. After a disappointing end to the season in 2022, the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with their former star running back,  Ezekiel Elliot. Next season, Dallas will be looking to reshape their offense and it will be interesting to see if Bass has a role to play in their 2023 system.

The 6-foot-4, 325-pounder from Deming, Wash. came to Oregon in 2020 Bass as a junior college transfer. He was a four-star recruit coming out of Butte College and was the No. 1 junior college offensive lineman in 2019.

Last season, the Ducks had one of the strongest O-lines in the PAC-12. Bass was a big part of that success and was named first-team All-PAC-12 and second-team All-American, for his efforts. Bass is proficient at both pass and run blocking which makes a desirable player at the guard position.

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The Athletic gives Anthony Richardson’s first-round draft grade

Here’s The Athletic’s grade for Anthony Richardson’s selection in the 2023 NFL draft.

Florida football was represented in the first round of the NFL draft by quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] when the Indianapolis Colts used the fourth overall pick to select the former Gator. The Gainesville native gives the Orange and Blue a first-day pick for the fourth-straight year and also continues a streak of having an alumnus taken in every draft of the common era.

On Friday following the first round, The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman put together his grades for the 31 players selected on Thursday, including Richardson. Here is what he had to off on the pick along with his grade.

The Colts finally got off the veteran Merry-Go-Round after opening the season with a different quarterback for five consecutive years. This fall marks the sixth, and nobody has more physical potential than Florida’s Anthony Richardson, whose combine numbers were off the charts. Not only does he have great size (6-4 ¼, 244) with big hands (10 ½ inches), but he ran the 40 in 4.43 seconds and posted a 40 1/2-inch vertical. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 654 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. His former teammates rave about him and his character.

But for every “wow” play there was a “whoa” moment. GMs and coaches get fired when potential doesn’t produce, and Richardson is the riskiest first-round quarterback in draft history. Richardson is a one-year starter at Florida who completed 53.8 percent with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions for 2,549 yards. He was the only Power 5 quarterback in the last three seasons with at least 300 attempts who completed less than 54 percent of his passes.

Richardson is the ultimate catnip. With his generational talent, he could lead the Colts to the Super Bowl multiple times. If he busts, everybody is getting fired.

Grade: C

The NFL draft continues on Friday night starting at 7 p.m. EDT and can be followed on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.

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Dane Brugler has the Saints passing on Adetomiwa Adebawore for another DT

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has the Saints passing on Adetomiwa Adebawore for another defensive tackle in his final first-round NFL mock draft:

Here’s a curious call in the final round of 2023 mock drafts. With the real thing just hours away, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler shared his take on what the New Orleans Saints (and every other team) may do in the first round of selections on Thursday night.

And he has them curving a fan-favorite prospect with former Northwestern defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore being passed up in favor of another defensive tackle at No. 29. We’ll let Brugler make the case  in his own words for the Saints picking Michigan Wolverines prospect Mazi Smith:

The Saints want to get better on the defensive line with this pick, and an edge defender like Myles Murphy makes sense. But Smith would give New Orleans the hulking nose tackle it desperately needs to improve its run defense.

Now, New Orleans doesn’t “desperately need” a hulking nose tackle after they signed Khalen Saunders to fill that role in free agency, but adding Smith wouldn’t hurt. He’s a good player and the best run defender in this draft class. But he doesn’t fit the niche the Saints are looking to fill at defensive tackle. They need an agile lineman with experience rushing the passer from the three-technique spot, and while Smith can push the pocket a little that’s hardly his main draw as a draft prospect.

Ironically, it’s exactly the projection for Adebawore to the next level, though he wasn’t asked to line up inside often at Northwestern. His college coaches played him out on the edge at defensive end but NFL coaches have almost exclusively been working him out at defensive tackle, projecting him to thrive in a move to the interior. But Brugler is as clued-in and well-sourced as it gets in this industry. Maybe the Saints are higher on Smith and his fit in their defense than we’re expecting.

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2023 NFL draft: Breaking down the Bills picks in The Athletic’s 7-round mock

2023 NFL draft: Breaking down the #Bills picks in The Athletic’s 7-round mock:

The Athletic was one of the latest NFL draft outlets to put together a full-on mock prediction for the 2023 event.

Here’s a full breakdown of the Buffalo Bills picks made in The Athletic’s seven-round mock: