NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • On3’s Steve Wiltfong projects Oklahoma to land DE Jake Kreul

    On3’s Steve Wiltfong projects Oklahoma to land DE Jake Kreul

    The Oklahoma Sooners have been making noise on the recruiting trail over the last several week, picking up several commitments over the last few days in the 2026 recruiting class. On Monday they added three-star linebacker Beau Jandreau and four-star defensive end Daniel Norman. And now they may be close to locking up another talented defender.

    On Tuesday evening, On3’s vice president of recruiting and transfer portal Steve Wiltfong issued a prediction favoring the Sooners for defensive end Jake Kreul.

    Kreul is considered a five-star player in the 2026 cycle by ESPN and a four-star prospect by Rivals, On3, and 247Sports. Kreul was just in town for an official visit during the ChampU BBQ and it looks like the Sooners have moved the needle.

    He’s a consensus top 100 player in the class and a top-15 EDGE in the cycle. Also notable was a prediction flip on Tuesday night from Orangebloods and Rivals recruiting analyst Cody Carpentier, who switched his projection from Florida to the Oklahoma Sooners.

    Kreul is one of the elite prospects in the 2026 cycle, showing a technical refinement to his game. Locked On’s recruiting analyst Brian Smith called Kreul “the most technically advanced high school edge rusher” he’s ever seen.

    The IMG Academy has an elite offer sheet from a total of 36 Power Four schools, which includes Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida, and many more. And you can see why. He’s an excellent pass rusher with a motor to match. He can win with speed, power, or by utilizing his technique to get by offensive tackles.

    Though Oklahoma still has to lock up his commitment and get him signed as the elite recruiting programs continue to push for Kreul’s services, the Sooners have put themselves in a position to land a day-one contributor in Jake Kreul.

    Jake Kreul Recruiting Profile

    Watch Jake Kreul highlights on…

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  • Terron Armstead: Tua Tagovailoa, Drew Brees share “elite” traits

    Terron Armstead: Tua Tagovailoa, Drew Brees share “elite” traits

    Before joining the Dolphins in 2022, offensive tackle Terron Armstead played his first nine seasons with the Saints.

    That means he got an up-close, day-to-day view of quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tua Tagovailoa before electing to retire this offseason.

    In an interview with the Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday, Armstead noted why he feels like Brees and Tagovailoa have plenty of similar qualities — though Armstead did acknowledge Tagovailoa has plenty more to prove.

    “I see similarities. I’m not saying they’re the same player or same person, no two people are,” Armstead told Eisen. “The anticipation, the accuracy, timing of throws, the ability to knock a wing off a fly repeatedly. Those guys throw darts. They don’t throw to areas, they are very precise. And that’s an elite talent, it’s an elite trait. Very few people possess [it]. He’s one of them and Drew Brees is another.”

    Why hasn’t Tagovailoa been able to put it all together?

    “I would say time on task,” Armstead said. “Having more experience, getting more reps, getting more snaps. I don’t know exactly where Drew Brees was going into his sixth year. I know he had a shoulder that had to get reconstructed when he signed to New Orleans and really pushed his career even further, to be the Hall of Famer player that he was.”

    Brees signed with the Saints in the 2006 offseason, leading up to his sixth year. He’d been a Pro Bowler in 2004, but in 2005 had completed 64.6 percent of his throws for 3,576 yards with 24 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

    But while Brees’ shoulder was a significant question before he signed with New Orleans, he had also started at least 15 games three times in his career. To this point, Tagovailoa has reached that mark just once — in 2023, when he started all 17 contests.

    Part of Tagovailoa’s lack of availability has been his tendency to take unnecessary risks, which is an issue he’s still working through. But…

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  • Chandler Jones, San Jose State’s all-time leader in catches and receiving TDs, dies at 33

    San Jose State football legend Chandler Jones has died, the team announced Monday. He was 33.

    Jones died in an accident in Los Angeles involving a Toyota RAV4, according to MyNewsLA. The crash occurred early Sunday morning around 2 a.m. on the eastbound Marina Freeway, the California Highway Patrol said. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Jones, a former honorable mention All-American wide receiver, holds numerous program records and remains the Spartans’ career leader in catches and receiving touchdowns. He also had a stint on the SJSU coaching staff as a graduate assistant following his professional career, which included time in both the NFL and CFL.

    “My heart is broken at the news of losing this incredible person,” said former San Jose State coach Brent Brennan, who hired Jones in 2017. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family. From his freshman year as a WR, to coaching on our staff, he made [SJSU football] better everyday. The Jet was special. Love you brother.”

    From 2010 to 2013, Jones shined as both a reliable and explosive target in the San Jose State aerial attack. He accumulated program-bests in receptions (248) and touchdowns (31) and ranks second on the Spartans’ career leaderboard in receiving yards with 3,087. The Torrance (Calif.) Bishop Montgomery product also placed himself in the record book with multiple single-game and single-season achievements.

    Jones’ best season with the Spartans came in 2013 when he caught 79 passes for 1,356 yards and 15 touchdowns from eventual NFL quarterback David Fales. His 17.2 yards per catch led the Mountain West, and he landed on the conference’s first team at the end of the campaign. That year made him the only San Jose State receiver to catch at least 50 passes in four consecutive…

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  • Why Ravens LB Kyle Van Noy is desperately seeking his first sack of new Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers

    Why Ravens LB Kyle Van Noy is desperately seeking his first sack of new Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers

    Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy has 55.5 sacks on his career and is fresh off a career-best campaign in which he tallied 12.5 sacks and reached his first Pro Bowl. None of those hits on the quarterback, however, have come against Aaron Rodgers. Van Noy said he wants to change that, now that he and the four-time MVP are divisional rivals once again.

    Rodgers signed this month with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which means Van Noy will have two opportunities in 2025 to get revenge for a play that still haunts him a decade later. It was during his stint with the Detroit Lions that Rodgers, then with the Green Bay Packers, burned his defense for a touchdown and left a sour taste in Van Noy’s mouth.

    “I’d like to get him back,” Van Noy said on NFL Network. “For whatever reason, the D-coordinator [Teryl Austin], who’s actually the D-coordinator of the Steelers, wanted to go Cover 0 all game against Aaron Rodgers. He caught us. We’re like, ‘Oh, we gotta run it.’ Ended up scoring a touchdown to Jordy Nelson. He ended up walking by and kind of tapped me on my butt, like, ‘Nice try.’ So I gotta get him back for that. That’s been there for 10 years.”

    Van Noy averaged one sack per start in his most recent campaign. If he stays on that pace, the best of his career, he should be due to take Rodgers to the ground at least once this fall.

    One takeaway from every AFC team’s offseason workouts: Chiefs seeing early flashes from first-round rookie

    Tyler Sullivan

    Rodgers took 40 sacks last season with the New York Jets, the…

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  • Oregon Football QB target picks up another SEC offer

    Oregon Football QB target picks up another SEC offer

    The Oregon Ducks may not have been first to the party when it comes to fast-rising quarterback prospect Bryson Beaver, but they certainly arrived early. 

    Since the Ducks showed up, others have followed. 

    Oregon offered the former Boise State commit a scholarship a couple of weeks ago, and since then, his recruitment has blown up. Credit to Beaver, who has put the work in, being named one of the top performers at last week’s Elite 11 Finals camp. Additionally, credit to Oregon for recognizing the potential and issuing an offer early. 

    Since the Ducks offered Beaver, he has garnered interest from a lot of top schools in the nation, including the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ole Miss Rebels, both of which hosted him on visits earlier this month. 

    Now, following Beaver’s official visit to Oregon this past weekend, the 4-star received another SEC scholarship offer, this time from the LSU Tigers. 

    We are now in another recruiting dead period, so Beaver won’t be able to take a visit to LSU in the near future, but assuming he keeps his recruitment open through the summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up in Baton Rouge this fall for a game. 

    While Duck fans are eager to get Beaver, who is predicted to commit to Oregon, it’s understandable that he wants to take his time with his recruitment. After blowing up so much in the past month, he certainly deserves to enjoy the process and not feel rushed in his decision. 

    Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

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  • PFT's 2025 NFL post-minicamp power rankings

    PFT's 2025 NFL post-minicamp power rankings

    1. Eagles: The rich get richer. And a new dynasty could be emerging.

    2. Chiefs: A Super Bowl loss will only make the Chiefs more determined to get another Super Bowl win.

    3. Bills: The window is still wide open, but the Chiefs are still blocking full daylight.

    4. Ravens: The window is still wide open, but the Bills and Chiefs are still blocking full daylight.

    5. Lions: This year, the regular season will be harder. Which could make them better prepared for the playoffs.

    6. Commanders: Have they done enough to close the gap with the Eagles?

    7. Rams: A favorable schedule could put them in play for the No. 1 seed.

    8. Texans: After two straight appearances in the final eight, they opted to make major changes in an effort to go farther.

    9. Buccaneers: Arguably the most underrated team in the entire league, they have the talent to compete with anyone.

    10. Broncos: Combining a Sean Payton offense with an improved defense could make things very interesting in the AFC West.

    11. Packers: With a new CEO taking over, the pressure could slowly be building on the quarterback, the coach, and the General Manager.

    12. Vikings: A proven roster with an unproven quarterback could make for a rollercoaster of a season.

    13. 49ers: Don't be surprised if they rebound all the way to the NFC Championship, and possibly beyond.

    14. Bengals: The front office continues to keep the team from being everything it can be.

    15. Chargers: In most other divisions, they'd be the favorites to win it.

    16. Steelers: They're going to skew one way, or the other.

    17. Bears: The expectations are high again. Can they live up to them?

    18. Seahawks: The Geno-for-Darnold swap was a bold one.

    19. Cowboys: If they gave out Super Bowls for mismanaging the contracts of key players, they'd have more trophies than anyone.

    20. Cardinals: There's a quiet vibe that they might be ready to contend. They'll have to prove it on the field.

    21. Patriots: It's not crazy to think they can vault to the playoffs.

    22. Jets: Even if Aaron Glenn can pull…

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  • Behind the Wisconsin v. Miami tampering lawsuit over transfer DB Xavier Lucas that was months in the making

    Behind the Wisconsin v. Miami tampering lawsuit over transfer DB Xavier Lucas that was months in the making

    The legal enforceability of a revenue share agreement between a football player and institution is at the crux of a landmark legal case between two Power Four schools that could have wide-ranging implications.

    The University of Wisconsin sued the University of Miami on Friday over alleged tampering and tortious interference of a two-year agreement with defensive back Xavier Lucas, a member of the Badgers’ 2024 team. Lucas is not mentioned by name in the lawsuit — only referred to as Student-Athlete A — but all of the details line up after he left Wisconsin in January to join Miami’s football program as the No. 1 cornerback in the transfer portal. 

    Wisconsin alleges that Miami intentionally interfered and tampered with Lucas’ deal with the Badgers not long after he received a substantial payment following the deal’s execution. 

    “Miami’s interference caused Student-Athlete A to breach the university contract, resulting in great harm to UW-Madison,” the complaint alleges. “Such harm includes, without limitations, loss of a student-athlete with valuable NIL rights who plaintiff UW-Madison anticipated having in UW-Madison’s program for the 2025 football season and beyond. Further harms include the loss of financial benefits UW-Madison stood to receive from Student-Athlete A’s continued participation in its football program.” 

    Wisconsin wants compensation for the financial and reputational harm it and collective VC Connect suffered in losing Lucas, but what it really wants is to set a precedent. If successful, Wisconsin’s lawsuit could have a significant impact in decreasing tampering and increasing roster stability in what has been years’ worth of unregulated free agency in college athletics. Its decision to bring a lawsuit at all is…

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  • Raiders rookie Dont’e Thornton Jr.’s size, speed made him the ‘Al Davis pick’ of 2025 NFL Draft

    Raiders rookie Dont’e Thornton Jr.’s size, speed made him the ‘Al Davis pick’ of 2025 NFL Draft

    Few, if any, NFL owners and executives valued speed as much as Al Davis when he was running the Raiders. When the team selected Tennessee wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it was hard not to think that Davis would have approved of the selection.

    Thornton blew everyone away at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine when he posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.30 seconds. That number only gets more impressive when you realize Thornton measures at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds.

    That combination of size and speed is rare, and current Raiders owner Mark Davis said his father would have loved Thornton.

    “Mark joked that was the Al Davis pick of this draft,” Spytek told the team’s official website. “The height, weight, speed, raw traits, athleticism, speed, and I think it’s just focusing on what he can do and what he can be. … You watch his target tape, I think it’s pretty impressive. And we think he hasn’t hit his ceiling yet.”

    Davis wouldn’t have been alone in his appreciation of Thornton’s physical traits. New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said Thornton’s “unique” tools will make him incredibly difficult to defend at the NFL level.

    Terry McLaurin contract: $30 million payout may be sticking point in talks between Commanders, star wideout

    Brad Crawford

    “There’s not a lot of humans on this planet that do that,” Kelly said. “And I think if you had to draw up an outside receiver, you would pick that type of body type, someone that’s got length, someone that’s got a huge catch radius, but…

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