NFL News Updates

Author: nfltalk

  • Ranking the top five portal DB classes

    Ranking the top five portal DB classes

    © Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

    Teams around the country solidified the foundation of their roster during the winter transfer window. Over the past week we have highlighted the best transfer classes by position and today we conclude the series with a look at the defensive backs.

    THIS SERIES: Ranking the top five portal QB classes | Top portal RB classes | Top portal WR classes | Top portal TE classes | Top portal OL classes | Top portal DL classes | Top portal LB classes

    MORE TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer search | Transfer Team Ranking | Football Player Ranking

    1. MIAMI

    Miami’s strong 2025 transfer class features a trio of four-star defensive backs – the only program in the nation that can make that claim. Former Michigan State defensive back Charles Brantley was a three-year starter for the Spartans and racked up 103 total tackles (61 solo), 18 pass break-ups, five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

    At Jacksonville State last season, Zechariah Poyser was responsible for five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumble recoveries). He’s expected to play an important role in the secondary this season.

    The third four-star defensive back in this Miami transfer class is Ethan O’Connor, who just finished his redshirt freshman season at Washington State where he hauled in an impressive four interceptions.

    Former Arizona defensive back Emmanuel Karnley, who also had a promising redshirt freshman campaign this past season, has a chance to blossom over the next few years at Miami.

    SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MIAMI FANS AT CANESCOUNTY.COM

    2. LSU

    © Chris Watkins-Imagn Images

    Coach Brian Kelly and company are the only program in this transfer cycle to sign two defensive backs in the top 55 of the transfer rankings. Former Virginia Tech standout Mansoor Delane, a top-15 transfer…

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  • 2025 NFL Draft: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders won’t throw at NFL combine, opts to wait until pro day, per report

    2025 NFL Draft: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders won’t throw at NFL combine, opts to wait until pro day, per report

    Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders and a likely top 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, won’t be throwing at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

    According to an NFL Media report, Sanders will utilize the draft showcase event to meet with teams before throwing with wide receivers he has an established rapport with at Colorado’s Pro Day. The 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year took a similar approach at the East-West Shrine Bowl in late January by only meeting with teams and the media. He was directly asked about when he would throw next as part of the draft process at the Shrine Bowl, and he said then that he didn’t know, citing the desire to be fully at his best.

    “I’m not sure,” Sanders told CBS Sports at the Shrine Bowl when asked if he would be throwing at the combine or Colorado’s Pro Day during the draft process. “It’s a lot of work on my quarterback coach making sure I’m sharp, and I’m ready. I never want to go out there and half-step. I want to be my best at all times.”  

    Sanders was college football’s completion percentage leader (74%) last season while winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the nation’s top upperclassman quarterback. One topic teams will certainly dig into with him at the NFL combine is his decision-making, something Sanders refers to as his best trait. The element that teams will want to discuss is his processing and getting the football out of his hands because Sanders had one of the longest average time to throw averages and highest sacks taken totals in all of college football. 

    2025 NFL mock draft: Jets trade up to No. 1 to address QB post-Aaron Rodgers; Giants grab Travis Hunter

    Tyler…

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  • 13 prospects poised to impress at 2025 NFL Draft Combine, highlighted by Colorado’s Travis Hunter

    13 prospects poised to impress at 2025 NFL Draft Combine, highlighted by Colorado’s Travis Hunter

    More than 300 of college football’s top players will descend upon Indianapolis from Feb. 24-March 3 for the 2025 NFL Combine, an event where prospects can interview and work in front of NFL coaches and front office personnel. On-field drills, including the revered 40-yard dash, begin on Feb. 27. 

    Prospects are hoping to turn in flashy numbers to improve their draft stock. It’s also an opportunity for those at the top of the class to solidify their status as can’t-miss prospects. 

    Some players are built to thrive in a combine setting. Here’s a look at the crop of college football stars that should turn heads, and perhaps even improve their professional outlook, during the 2025 NFL Combine. 

    Campbell is still coming into his own as an off-ball linebacker after starting his Alabama career in more of an edge-rushing role. While his instincts are still developing, there’s no question about his athletic ability. Campbell showed great burst to the football while anchoring the Crimson Tide’s defense. His short-area quickness was particularly impressive, and is a valuable asset for linebackers at any level. 

    Carter certainly isn’t a secret. He was named a consensus All-American and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors while terrorizing opposing backfields in 2024. He used a quick…

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  • Colorado star, potential top draft pick Shedeur Sanders won’t throw at NFL Combine

    Colorado star, potential top draft pick Shedeur Sanders won’t throw at NFL Combine

    Shedeur Sanders won’t be working out at the NFL Combine.

    The Colorado star and potential No. 1 overall draft pick has opted not to throw at the combine this week in Indianapolis. Instead, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Sanders “plans to focus on his interviews with teams” at the combine. He will then throw at his Pro Day ahead of the NFL Draft.

    #Colorado QB and potential top pick Shedeur Sanders plans to focus on his interviews with teams at the NFL Scouting Combine, helping them continue to learn him as a person.

    He’ll allow his four years of film to speak loudly, then throw at his Pro Day with four draftable CU WRs. pic.twitter.com/Ai1Ul6I4lV

    — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2025

    While it’s not too surprising, considering the growing trend in the league of players to skip working out at the combine in favor of doing it on their own terms, Sanders’ absence will be among the most significant at the combine.

    Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer and Colorado coach Deion Sanders, threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns with just 10 interceptions last season with the Buffaloes. He finished in eighth in the Heisman Trophy race, and played an integral part in fellow Colorado star Travis Hunter’s Heisman Trophy run. The Buffaloes went 9-4 last season, which marked the program’s third winning campaign in the last two decades.

    Both Sanders and Hunter are expected to be top picks in the NFL Draft in April. Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald had Hunter going No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans in their latest mock draft. They then had Sanders going No. 3 overall to the New York Giants, which made him the second quarterback off the board behind Miami Hurricanes star Cam Ward. It’s unclear if Ward is going to throw at the combine or not.

    Several of the top quarterbacks selected in last year’s draft didn’t throw at the combine, either. Caleb Williams, who went No. 1 overall to the Chicago Bears, skipped the combine. Former Heisman…

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  • Ashton Jeanty landing spots: Ranking five best fits for top NFL Draft prospect, including Cowboys, Chargers

    Ashton Jeanty landing spots: Ranking five best fits for top NFL Draft prospect, including Cowboys, Chargers

    The top headlines of the 2025 NFL Draft may well center around Colorado products, including Shedeur Sanders, the quarterbacking son of former NFL great Deion Sanders, and two-way superstar Travis Hunter. Other hot topics: Miami’s Cam Ward, who could be the first signal-caller off the board; and Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, whose defensive prowess might convince the Tennessee Titans to take him No. 1 overall.

    Is it possible we’re not giving due time and attention to Ashton Jeanty? The Boise State running back just had one of the most prolific college football seasons of all time, approaching Barry Sanders’ single-season record for ground yardage with more than 2,600 in 14 games. And fresh off a 2024 NFL season in which running backs suddenly stole the spotlight — see: Saquon Barkley with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles — it’s not crazy to think Jeanty could end up being the most impactful rookie of the entire 2025 class.

    With that in mind, where could the star ball carrier land in April, months after he drew NFL.com comparisons to Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson? Here are five of the most logical landing spots:

    With Tom Brady helping lead the way as a minority owner, the Raiders are sure to address quarterback as soon as possible. But Jeanty is a blue-chip playmaker who could pair with young tight end Brock Bowers to greatly support whichever young signal-caller eventually steps in. New coach Pete Carroll also knows well the value of a workhorse back, advancing to two Super Bowls with Marshawn Lynch driving the Seattle Seahawks.

    Their priority should be locking up their current offensive core, but that’s also why they could stand to secure an upgrade at running back without committing big bucks to the position. Jeanty may or may not make it out of the top 15, but as a total-package starter, he’d offer Joe Burrow yet another big-play safety valve, allowing feisty…

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  • ‘A Cherokee football guy’: Shawn DiVece lands top job in the program

    ‘A Cherokee football guy’: Shawn DiVece lands top job in the program

    Shawn DiVece has been named as head football coach at Cherokee High School.

    Shawn DiVece knows about the great tradition of Cherokee football.

    He has actually lived it for much of his life.

    A former player and assistant coach for the Chiefs, DiVece is now taking the next step as the new head football coach at Cherokee.

    He replaces Brian Glatz, who resigned after the season, which was his seventh as head coach.

    “I am beyond excited to really just continue the tradition and excellence that I was basically instilled by my former coach John Scott and coaching under PJ Mehigan and Brian Glatz, both former Cherokee players,” DiVece said.

    More: Football 2024: Check out all of our content for the South Jersey high school season

    DiVece, 43, is a 1999 graduate of Cherokee. As a senior in 1998 he played on an 8-3 team that advanced to the South Jersey Group 4 semifinals.

    DiVece rarely left the field.

    “He was a good player, one of the leaders on the team,” said Glatz, who was a Cherokee assistant coach when DiVece was a player. “He was a starter at wide receiver and safety/linebacker and was tough and competitive.”

    From there, he attended La Salle University, where DiVece started at receiver as a sophomore, moved to defense and played linebacker his junior season and was a starting wide receiver as a senior. He also was a college punt returner.

    DiVece learned a lot about the game both in high school and college and in 2003, he became an assistant coach under Mehigan at Cherokee.

    During his time with Mehigan, DiVece coached receivers and was a passing game specialist, fully involved in game planning.

    In his seven seasons under Glatz, DiVece was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

    When DiVece mentioned the great tradition of Cherokee football, he certainly knew what he was talking about.

    Since the advent of NJSIAA…

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  • Steve Smith infidelity accusation goes viral as X user claims ex-NFL WR had affair with his wife

    Steve Smith infidelity accusation goes viral as X user claims ex-NFL WR had affair with his wife

    If the evidence is real, Steve Smith’s personal life became quite public on Saturday. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

    Warning: This article includes several instances of graphic language.

    We may never know how Steve Smith was planning to enjoy his Saturday, but it ended up being eventful.

    The former Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver and current NFL Network analyst was hit with a litany of infidelity accusations from what appears to be the husband of the other woman, with alleged evidence. Smith has been married since 2000 and has four children.

    The opening shot was fired late Friday night, when an X account replied to a video of Smith golfing with a straightforward question.

    The account proceeded to post a screengrab of alleged sexts between Smith and his wife and quoted it in replies to a number of news outlets and larger accounts, including both of Smith’s former teams and Kanye West, for some reason.

    More details came in another tweet in which the account tagged a number of Smith’s sponsors, because he apparently believed it was very important Yeti Coolers knew that Smith was having sex with his wife. Allegedly, his wife met Smith while working for the Ravens’ marching band.

    There was also a video in which the owner of the account appears to confront Smith on the phone, with Smith repeatedly saying “I’m sorry,” as well as a picture of a bare-chested Smith in the bathroom with a unicorn graphic covering his midsection.

    So take all of that for what you will. There is a person out there who very clearly has a bone to pick with Smith and isn’t afraid about inviting attention to his own personal life.

    Smith has been retired from the NFL since the 2016 season, and remains the Panthers’ all-time leader in receiving yards. Despite his small stature, Smith became a five-time Pro Bowler and well known throughout the league for his aggressive personality.

    Since retiring, Smith has been a regular on NFL Network and hasn’t been shy with his opinions.

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  • 10 former head coaches in off-field analyst roles, highlighted by Georgia’s Will Muschamp, Ole Miss’ Joe Judge

    10 former head coaches in off-field analyst roles, highlighted by Georgia’s Will Muschamp, Ole Miss’ Joe Judge

    The days of analyst armies featuring names like Steve Sarkisian and Billy Napier that Nick Saban made famous at Alabama might be on the downturn, but there are still several prominent names working in behind-the-scenes roles in college football.

    Starting last year, the NCAA allowed off-field analysts to take a more hands-on role in coaching; there is plenty of incentive for former head coaches to take on an analyst role as they weigh their next career steps. For some, it’s a nice reprieve from the stress of running a program. For others, it’s a way to stay involved in college football through the backstretch of their coaching careers. And for the programs it’s a (typically cheap) way to get an experienced voice in the room that can help from everything from strategy to development to broader help in how to lead a program. 

    With that in mind, here’s 10 prominent former NFL or college coaches who are slated to spend the 2025 season in an off-field analyst role. 

    Rob Chudzinski, Boston College senior offensive analyst

    The former Cleveland Browns coach is now working on Bill O’Brien’s staff at Boston College. After a lone season as the Browns’ leader in 2013, Chudzinski also worked for the Indianapolis Colts before making the transition to college football at Boston College, first for previous coach Jeff Hafley before staying on with O’Brien. 

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