Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby is among the great players in the NFL at his position. Last season came with its share of challenges for Crosby, but that has not diminished the esteem that he is held in among his peers.
CBS Sports ranked Crosby No. 5 overall in their edge defender rankings this year.
"Crosby excels as a run defender and pass rusher, has a motor that never stops and basically never leaves the field. His competitive edge is exactly what you want from a face of the franchise."
Myles Garrett (No. 1), Micah Parsons (No. 2), Will Anderson Jr. (No. 3) and Aidan Hutchinson (No. 4) were all ranked above Crosby.
Crosby recorded 10 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles last season. The veteran edge rusher also recorded 28 tackles for loss in 2025. He was the bright spot on the Las Vegas Raiders' roster last season, and despite the team finishing with the worst record in the league (3-14), and missing two games on the year, was still one of the most relentless edge rushers in getting after the quarterback.

#crosby #vegas #ranked

Shedeur Sanders wrapped up his fourth day of training camp with the Cleveland Browns' second-year quarterback taking all first-team reps for the seocnd time this camp.
Sanders is battling veteran Deshaun Watson for the starting quarterback job in Cleveland, and so far Sanders has looked like the better option. On the day, Sanders completed 13 of his 22 passes with four touchdowns and an interception. Watson, on the other hand, threw three interceptions to go along with three touchdowns.
Saturday's practice marked Watson's second day of camp with multiple interceptions after he had two during the first practice and the second day in a row with an interception. Making any noteworthy conclusions from training camp stats is usually a fool's errand as the playbook is still being installed. Still, it is always better not to have interceptions than to have them.
In total through four practices, Sanders has completed 70.3% of his passes with four touchdowns and an interception. Watson owns a completion percentage of 64.4 with three touchdowns and six interceptions.
Day 4 of Browns training camp is a wrap! Here’s how the QBs performed in team drills (11v11 and 7v7). Sheduer Sanders took all the 1st team reps. pic.twitter.com/AApVl9uZ9l

#camp #second #four #interception

Rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder was one of two Detroit Lions that exited Friday's training camp practice early to be evaluated for potential injuries. Rolder was being evaluated for a leg injury, while starting defensive tackle Alim McNeill was being evaluated for a potential neck injury.
On Saturday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Rolder will indeed "miss some time," but Rolder "didn't suffer a severe injury."
That's some bit of good news to hear that Rolder is not expected to miss major time.
Rolder is a rookie that the Lions selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Rolder totaled 118 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, and one interception throughout his collegiate career with the Michigan Wolverines. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound linebacker led Michigan with 73 tackles last season.
Rolder added seven tackles for loss, two pass breakups, two sacks, and one interception last season at Michigan.

#rolder #evaluated #linebacker #Potential

The Lions have signed veteran linebacker Devin White, a Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who earned All-Pro honors as a member of the second team in 2020.
White, 28, played for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, collecting 174 total tackles (11 for loss), 2½ sacks, 13 pressures, three pass deflections, an interception and a forced fumble across 1,118 snaps. He was targeted 105 times in coverage and allowed 83 catches for 671 yards and a touchdown, according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF gave White an overall defensive grade last season of 40.7, which ranked 93rd among the 100 linebackers who played at least 200 snaps on defense.
The signing of White comes one day after rookie linebacker Jimmy Rolder (leg) left practice early. It's unclear how long Rolder could be out for, though NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Saturday the rookie "will miss some time" but "didn't suffer a severe injury."
Lions coach Dan Campbell is likely to provide a more comprehensive update regarding Rolder during his news conference Sunday.

#lions #played

Former Houston Texans linebacker Devin White has found a new home.
According to reports, White and the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms on a one-year deal. The former first-round pick spent the 2024 season with the Texans as a No. 3 option behind Pro Bowler Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o.
White, 28, started all 17 games for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, totaling 174 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits, an interception, three forced fumbles and one pass breakup. His hit total ranked third in the NFL, trailing only new teammate Jack Campbell (176) and Miami Dolphins' Jordyn Brooks (183).
A former star for LSU, White was selected fifth overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. He spent his first five seasons in Tampa, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2021 and a second-team All-Pro nod in 2020.
During the 2020 season, White was the anchor of the Buccaneers' defense en route to a Super Bowl ****** le. He recorded two interceptions, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries to go along with 23 total tackles.

#white

Through three training camp practices, the Jacksonville Jaguars' cornerback unit is off to a fast start.
During Friday's practice, Jarrian Jones was the standout performer, coming away with two interceptions.
The return of Jourdan Lewis and Travis Hunter from injury has provided an obvious boost, while Montaric Brown continues to ascend.
John Shipley of Jaguars on SI noted that Jabbar Muhammad has been "active in coverage," building upon his strong performance in offseason programs.
Over the first two training camp practices in particular, moving the ball for the Jacksonville offense didn't come easy.

#camp #travis

The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced the 2026 Hall of Honor class, featuring three legends who have contributed to the Steel City brand of football in a major way.
On Saturday, the Steelers announced that former general manager Kevin Colbert, offensive guard turned beloved radio personality Craig Wolfley, and cornerback J.T. Thomas would be inducted into the Hall of Honor. The 2026 Hall of Honor class will be welcomed during the Steelers' Week 3 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 27.
Colbert, who served as the Steelers' director of football operations (2000-2010), general manager (2010-2016), and vice president in addition to his GM role (2016-2022), played a big part in shaping a talented Pittsburgh roster during the 2010s, including home-run picks like Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Maurkice Pouncey, Antonio Brown, Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and more.
Wolfley, who was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 1980 NFL Draft, made 102 starts during his 10-year stint in Pittsburgh. He served as a sideline reporter for the Steelers Radio Network from 2002 to 2020 before taking over as the Steelers' color commentator on radio broadcasts from 2021 to 2025. Wolfley passed away at age 66 on March 10, 2025, but his legacy will forever live on in our hearts.
Thomas, a four-time Super Bowl champion and a one-time Pro Bowler, was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft. Playing with the Steelers from 1973 to 1981 and with the Denver Broncos in 1982, Thomas appeared in 125 career games and made 89 starts. During his 10-year NFL career, Thomas recorded 20 interceptions.

#steelers #thomas #honor #draft

For a third straight day, the New England Patriots put on their full pads on Saturday. Intensity was not as high as the last two days as several veterans were managed, but plenty of work still was done.
To recap the seventh practice of the summer, please make sure to head over to our Patriots training camp notebook. In the meantime, here is who caught our eye during the session.
WR Romeo Doubs: The $68 million man has seen a slow start to his Patriots' tenure on the practice fields. That flipped on Saturday as Doubs led all of Drake Maye's pass catchers with five targets and managed to haul in all of them during 7-on-7s and full-team work. The duo struck multiple times over the middle of the field a day after Doubs made an impressive grab in the end zone for a touchdown. Doubs' did appear to put the football on the ground at one point at the end of a play, but it was on overall positive practice for the 26-year old.
WR A.J. Brown: Doubs was not the only offseason addition to continue stacking strong days on Saturday, as A.J. Brown continued to look more in-sync with Drake Maye. Brown caught all three of his targets from Maye with his best work coming as he muscled a contested target away from Christian Gonzalez. The 29-year old receiver also added quick hitters on an out and slant before leaving practice early for what appeared to be rest related.
DBs Karon Prunty and Dell Pettus: New England's secondary got their hands on multiple footballs on Saturday, which began with safety Dell Pettus jumping in front of a pass from Drake Maye to Mack Hollins to record an interception. Shortly after, rookie cornerback Karon Prunty hauled in an interception of his own as he impressively tracked a deep ball from Tommy DeVito to Cameron Dorner.

#saturday

Former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen has been activated off of the physically unable to perform (PUP) list by the Indianapolis Colts. Allen was the Colts' second-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft in April, and the linebacker appears to be fully healthy and is practicing following the announcement.
Allen was a superstar throughout his three-year tenure at Georgia. The linebacker is regarded as one of the top steals of the draft, and Allen is expected to emerge with an essential role on the Colts' defense in 2026. Allen was originally placed on the PUP list earlier this week due to a minor calf strain suffered prior to training camp, but the rookie now appears to be fully healthy.
Allen was credited with 205 total tackles, 4.5 sacks and one interception at Georgia from 2023-2025. The linebacker was projected to be a first-round selection in the draft by many ****** ysts and the Colts were able to land Allen late in the second round following his draft day slide. The former Bulldog has now seen his illustrious career in Athens come to an end, and Allen should compete for a starting linebacker role in Indianapolis following his activation from the PUP list.
A handful of former Bulldogs are set to make their NFL debuts this season in addition to Allen. Former Georgia big man Christen Miller may emerge with a significant role on the New Orleans Saints' defensive line, while star wide receiver Zachariah Branch will look to earn a starting role on the Atlanta Falcons' offense to begin the year.
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#role #following

There's a chance that former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos plays in college again during the 2026 season.
According to On3's Pete Nakos, Castellanos is exploring a return to college football for the 2026 season after gaining a fifth season of eligibility on Friday night.
MORE: Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti rips SEC 'hype machine'
It came after Colorado judge Charlotte Sweeney ordered the NCAA to declare eligible all class of 2022 athletes who finished their four seasons this past spring. Castellanos is one of those players after spending the 2025 season with Florida State.
Castellanos only spent one season with the Seminoles, finishing with 2,760 yards through the air, 15 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. It came after he spent the previous two seasons as the Boston College Eagles' starting quarterback. He also spent one season with the UCF Knights.

#spent #Florida #came #seasons

The Raiders haven't gotten a lot of immediate contributions from their rookies classes that past couple years. That must change this year as they look to get off to a fast start in their rebuild. In the spirit of that, let's look at what we've seen from their rookie class through the first three days of training camp.
Day one of camp, Mendoza took the field as the newly minted backup to Kirk Cousins. This after Mendoza had been the number three QB throughout offseason workouts. He looks smooth playing under center and throws a very good ball. Each day he seems to be asked to make tougher throws and he has kept pace well. As of yet, he has not thrown an interception. Mendoza has said he has a long way to go to fully absorbing the playbook and having full command of the offense, but is feeling fairly comfortable already.
He was drafted to challenge for either a safety job or nickel cornerback spot. Perhaps a hybrid role like Jeremy Chinn played last season. As of yet, the first team safeties have consistently been Chinn and fellow incumbent starter Isaiah Pola-Mao with veteran addition Taron Johnson nailing down the nickel corner job. But lots of camp still to see if Stukes can earn more reps, perhaps with the first team.
He has been pretty routinely running with the third team and until pads go on, he won't have a shot to change that.
He was a college tackle who was projected as a center and drafted as a guard. The Raiders have been testing his versatility, playing him as the second team center behind Tyler Linderbaum and third team right guard behind Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers. Zuhn has had his struggles with giving up pressure inside and Friday he launched a snap way over Fernando Mendoza's head. Yeah, he's still working out the kinks.

#team #first

The Seattle Seahawks have had some of the most successful secondaries in NFL history and star defensive backs who put up big numbers playing for the team.
The Seahawks' Legion of Boom, consisting of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Brandon Browner, helped lead the team to a Super Bowl victory in the 2013 season, while Seattle was powered by a strong secondary led by Devon Witherspoon, Nick Emmanwori, Tariq Woolen and Josh Jobe throughout their Super Bowl-winning run last season.
Let's take a look at who the Seahawks' all-time leader in interceptions is, as well as the other players that come close.
Dave Brown owns the record for the most interceptions in Seahawks' franchise history with 50.
Brown played for Seattle for 11 seasons from 1976-86 and was a second-team All-Pro honoree in 1984. He led the NFL in pick sixes three times in his career in 1977, as well as from 1984-85.

#super #season #interceptions

The SEC generally, and Georgia's schedule specifically is absolutely full of elite players. Along with the other preview series we're running here at Dawg Sports as fall practice looms, I thought it would be instructive to look at the ten best players the Red and Black will see this season. We begin with a Vandy defensive back who's going to have a lot on his shoulders this year.

Martel Hight, CB, Vanderbilt (vs. Vanderbilt, Oct. 3)
With Diego Pavia gone to the NFL, Vanderbilt's defense becomes the more proven side of the ball, and Hight is its anchor. In 2025 he led the SEC in interceptions among defensive players, finishing with four picks and 35 tackles despite Vanderbilt not placing any defenders on the All-SEC teams.
Hight has been a steady piece of the Vanderbilt secondary since his true freshman year, when he played in all 12 games and accounted for 38 tackles and an interception. As a sophomore he added 33 tackles, two interceptions, four passes defended, and a forced fumble, while also handling return duties. He was chosen to represent the program at SEC Media Days entering his senior season, a sign of the trust the staff has in his leadership as the Commodores transition to a new quarterback.
In 2025 the Commodore staff gave Hight a look at receiver, where he'd been a standout in high school. The move made sense with Diego Pavia at QB but question marks surrounding Vandy's receiving corps. Getting Hight, among the best athletes on the roster, more snaps to be explosiive made sense on paper.
On the field it was less of a winner. Hight was targeted just 11 times out of 55 offensive snaps, catching just 7 ***** and accounting for just 64 yards and no touchdowns. Hight played more than 10 offensive snaps in three of Vanderbilt's first four games, then never got that level of usage again. Just one throw went Hight's way after week four, as the staff seems to have realized his highest and best use is at corner.

#hight #vanderbilt #staff #pavia

The Chicago Bears were back for the third practice of training camp on Friday, which welcomed fans to Halas Hall for the first open workout of the summer.
The Bears put on a show for the fans on Day 3, which was dominated by the offense and featured several standout performances. Quarterback Caleb Williams is off to a hot start this training camp, and his connection continues to grow with his returning cast of weapons in Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. There was also an interesting left tackle battle update, where for the first time this summer it wasn't Braxton Jones running with the first team. Meanwhile, the defense put up a bit of a fight during red zone drills, where Williams threw his first interception of camp.
Here's what we learned from the third practice of training camp:
The Bears offense has overwhelmingly dominated the first three practices of training camp, although the defense has had a few moments. On Friday, it was quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent putting on a show for fans leading Chicago's explosive passing attack that's remained mostly unstoppable. According to Chris Kwiecinski, "Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent stole the show. They were in command, deadly accurate and anticipated routes so well." Williams' connection with Colston Loveland and Rome Odunze thrived while Bagent developed a nice rapport with Jahdae Walker, per Michal Dwojak. Even after Williams threw his first interception of the summer to Jaylon Johnson during red zone work, he "regrouped and made positive plays after."
The Bears offense had another impressive showing, but their one flaw came during the first red zone period, which was dominated by the defense. According to Courtney Cronin, both Montez Sweat and Austin Booker had sacks on back-to-back plays. Williams was picked off by cornerback Jaylon Johnson during a 7-on-7 red-zone drill, but he was able to bounce back later. Mark Carman noted that there was "some sloppiness in the red zone" where "Caleb showed some frustration and leadership." But the offense closed things out on a strong note with a successful two-minute drill, where there was 1:37 left, two timeouts, on own 39 with game tied at 10-10, per Adam Jahns. They went sox plays before Williams connected with Loveland for a 14-yard touchdown. But the best part according to Jahns? "Williams and Bears offense overcame a sack halfway through the drill. Williams-Loveland connection came through."

#williams #camp #offense #zone

Clemson added another talented quarterback to its future on Thursday.
Four-star signal caller Trace Hawkins announced his commitment to the Tigers, choosing Clemson over LSU, Duke, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt. The Calhoun, Georgia native gives Dabo Swinney and his staff another highly regarded passer to develop as they continue building for the future.
Hawkins has been a familiar face in Clemson over the past year. His first visit came during the 2024 season, and he returned several times in 2026, including trips for the Tigers' spring game, Elite Day and Swinney's high school camp. Those visits gave Clemson's staff multiple opportunities to evaluate the talented quarterback while allowing Hawkins to get a closer look at the program.
The 6-foot-1 passer is coming off a productive sophomore season at Calhoun High School, where he threw for 2,442 yards and 24 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He also added three rushing scores, showcasing his ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs. Recruiting services have already identified him as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2028 class, with both 247Sports and Rivals ranking him among the nation's top prospects.
Hawkins also becomes the first commitment in Clemson's 2028 recruiting class, giving the Tigers an early foundation as the staff looks to build around one of the nation's top young quarterbacks.

#staff

The Bills announced a pair of roster moves on Friday morning.
They have signed cornerback D.J. Miller to their active roster. Safety Wande Owens was waived in a corresponding move.
Miller was undrafted in 2024 and spent time with the Lions and Chiefs before moving on to the UFL the last two seasons. He played for Columbus in 2026 and had 24 tackles, a tackle for loss and three interceptions. He also had two interceptions for Michigan during the 2025 season.
Owens was waived with an injury by the Bills ahead of the 2025 season and returned to the team this year.

#roster #waived #interceptions #Friday

Between them, Albany Firebirds quarterbacks Sam Castronova and Tyler Kulka put up numbers this season that leave every other passing attack in Arena Football One in the dust.
Castronova and Kulka each started six of Albany's 12 regular-season games, combining for 3,199 yards and 76 touchdowns through the air against just seven combined interceptions. But, when it came to selecting his starting quarterback for the AF1 playoffs, Albany head coach Damon Ware knew he had to lean on experience.
That means Castronova, who won championships in Albany with the defunct Empire in 2022 and the undefeated Firebirds in 2025, will start Saturday's 4 p.m. semifinal game against the Minnesota Monsters at MVP Arena.
"Sam's at the top of his game, so Sam gets the slight nod," Ware said. "He's been there, done that. He's just such a phenomenal player."
Castronova hasn't played since a June 20 loss to the Nashville Kats, as he was away from the team due to personal reasons for the final two games of the regular season and Albany - which went 9-3 during the regular season - has also had three bye weeks during that time.

#season #firebirds #games #game

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer is coming off an inconsistent first season in Norman. Mateer joined the Sooners after a stellar season with the Washington State Cougars.
He was one of the most sought-after players in the portal before ultimately following offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Norman. He got off to a great start, throwing for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, while rushing for 190 yards and five scores in the first four games. The Sooners went 4-0 in that stretch, and Mateer was one of the leaders for the Heisman Trophy.
Mateer would suffer an injury to his throwing hand in that fourth game. That would require him to wear a brace on his thumb the rest of the season. He struggled, throwing for 1,670 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, while rushing for 241 yards and three scores in the final eight games of the season.
Despite those struggles down the stretch, ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed he's a fan of Mateer.
"You know, (I) saw Mateer the other day, and I'm a fan," Finebaum said on WWLS The Sports Animal. "And if he can, you know, stay healthy, if (he) gets, you know, some protection and some weapons, which they didn't really have last year."

#season

Tennessee will kick off its 2026 football season with 11 linebackers on roster.
Senior Arion Carter returns for his fourth season. He will miss two games due to a NCAA violation suspension for a $427.48 flight, which he repaid, during the NFL pre-draft process.
"Arion Carter represents everything that is right about college athletics, dedicating all four years of his career to the University of Tennessee," Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. "His high character, loyalty and leadership within our program are unmatched. Last December, Arion declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. He signed with an agent and accepted a $427.48 flight to begin the pre-draft process. He withdrew from the NFL Draft prior to the deadline due to a medical procedure and decided in his best interest to return to Tennessee for his senior season. Last January in good faith, he disengaged from the agent in terms of the NFL and paid back the flight in full.
"We disagree with the NCAA's ruling on punishing Arion with a multi-game suspension this fall. Arion made the right decision for his future health and well-being. He will proudly graduate from Tennessee in public health with Dean's List honors in August. Our team stands behind AC and his family, and we can't wait to be on the field with him during training camp next week."
The 6-foot-1, 238-pound linebacker appeared in 23 games, including 13 starts, for the Vols from 2023-25. He has totaled 161 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, 10 pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

#draft #season #senior #games

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule represented the Huskers on Thursday at Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago. Rhule was joined by Justin Evans, Luke Lindenmeyer and Andrew Marshall.
Rhule is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Cornhuskers. He is 19-19 in the last three seasons and is coming off a 7-6 campaign in 2025.
Evans started in all 13 games and did not allow a sack last season. He has been graded by PFF College as the top returning center in college football.
Lindenmeyer had a productive season for the offense last year. He recorded 29 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Marshall recorded 45 tackles, 4.0 TFL, an interception, and four pass breakups in 2025. He was an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection.

#last #coach

Texas A&M's 2026 offense will now feature transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton, who, at 6'4" and now 215 pounds according to the latest roster update, brings much-needed size to an A&M wide receiver corps that was completely built on speed last season, as transfer wideouts KC Concepcion and Mario Craver combined for 1.836 yards and 13 touchdowns.
After Concepcion was the first of a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, going 24th overall to the Cleveland Browns, Mario Craver returns as starting quarterback Marcel Reed's No. 1 receiver after reeling in 917 yards and four touchdowns, including a record 207 yards during the Aggies' road win over Notre Dame.
Marcel Reed's 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions led an Aggie offense that averaged 33.8 points per game last season, but after running back Le'Veon Moss was lost for the year during A&M's home win vs. Florida, Rueben Owens picked up the slack before struggling at the end of the season, rushing for a career-high 639 yards and five touchdowns.
This week, On3's Crain & Cone released their top 10 college football offenses, and while Texas A&M was selected, the Aggies did earn an honorable mention alongside BYU.
"Crain & Crone believe Texas A&M and BYU will do good things on offense in 2026. Last year, the Aggies averaged 33.8 points per game, while the Cougars recorded 31.4 points per contest."

#receiver #concepcion

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback competition is heating up, and no one is backing down on social media from defending who they think should win the job. Through it all, the coaching staff has remained steadfast in their execution of this quarterback competition, while some on the outside consider it already Kyler Murray's job to lose.
However, on Wednesday, J.J. McCarthy spoke to the media and shared some of the reasons he remains positive he can earn the job.
He explained, "Once I got healthier after that Seattle week, Washington, Dallas, I felt like I was hitting that upward trajectory, and I'm certain it's still been going up since then."
McCarthy finished the season with more interceptions than touchdowns, but in that final stretch, he did play better. In the final stretch of four games, he had five touchdowns to two interceptions, and the decision-making was getting better overall.
Early on in camp, it seems to be carrying over, but plenty of time is left in this quarterback battle.

#Media #interceptions #touchdowns #minnesota

In the eyes of New England Patriots nose tackle Cory Durden, Christian Gonzalez sets the standard at the cornerback position in the NFL.
According to WEEI's Justin Turpin, Durden lauded Gonzalez as being the best cornerback in the league after the team's training camp practice on Thursday.
"It's dope," Durden said regarding playing on the same team as Gonzalez. "Obviously, having the best corner in the game behind you. It's a lot of confidence."
Gonzalez recorded 10 passes defensed last season with the Patriots. He did not register an interception in the regular season, but did record one in the playoffs, along with a sack and seven passes defensed.
The Patriots' star defender is expected to lead the charge for New England in the secondary in 2026 behind Durden, who is in line to be the team's starting nose tackle next season.

#durden

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton spoke with reporters after practice on Wednesday at Missouri Western State University. He expressed his appreciation for being named a new inductee into the Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame.
"Coming from Texas, Coach (Barry) Odom took a chance on me. I was offered about two weeks before signing day, so I told him, man-to-man, I'm going to give this program everything I've got for giving me a chance. Looking back on it - what is it? from nine years ago on the first day in the building," said Bolton, "So yeah, super proud. Super proud to be a the true son in the University of Missouri. This place has been my home, let me be myself, allowed me to grow into my own and grow into a man. So yeah, man, I was super excited."
Bolton had another impressive season in 2025, leading the Chiefs with 154 total tackles, along with a sack and an interception. He was selected as an alternate for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games. During his college football career at Missouri, Bolton was named First-Team All-SEC in 2019 and 2020 and Second-Team All-American in 2020.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs LB Nick Bolton comments on a significant offseason announcement

#missouri #named

After they had over a month off, the Miami Dolphins were back on the practice field on Wednesday for their first training camp session at their Baptist Health Training Complex under new head coach Jeff Hafley.
With this being Day 1, the Dolphins weren't in pads, which limited the physicality of the session, but there were still some players who brought the energy.
Among them, was linebacker Willie Gay Jr., who was reportedly one of the best players on the field. He was also mic'd up by Miami's social team, and they released a cut-up of his best moments during practice.
It's not a training camp session without a Gay scream at the beginning of the work. It was also great to see his one-handed interception of quarterback Cam Miller.
Gay is fighting for a spot in the linebacker room, and if he continues to stack days like that one, he'll make the roster and could push for more playing time than he had in 2025.

#training #camp #Miami

Day 1 of training camp is officially in the history books for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with players deserving praise — and criticism — for their respective performances.
From a standout cornerback to one quarterback who saw his stock take a hit, here's a look at the biggest winners and losers from Day 1 of Steelers training camp.
Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey may have been forced to sit back due to injury, but Samuel made the most of his opportunity. He looked amazing during Day 1 of training camp, making several huge pass breakups intended for two of Pittsburgh's top receivers in DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.
From tipped passes to interceptions, Patrick Queen, Cole Holcomb, and Payton Wilson made huge plays throughout camp. It's a welcome change after the down year the Steelers' linebackers experienced in 2025.
Wilson emerged as one of Aaron Rodgers' favorite targets during Day 1 of training camp, pulling in passes early and often from the veteran quarterback. It's exciting that Wilson is getting a lot of opportunities to prove why he deserves the WR3 role, and from what we've seen so far, he's stepping up in a big way.

#steelers #wilson

We've made it. It's here. Football is back and the shiny new toys are being taken out of the box.
The Steelers took the field for the first organized practice of training camp at St. Vincent College on Wednesday morning. It was the first time Steelers fans could watch favorites, newcomers, and the 2026 draft class at the same time, including third-round pick and former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.
Allar underwent significant changes to his processing and footwork during OTAs and minicamp, being broken down and built back up again by new head coach Mike McCarthy. Following a strong career at Penn State, but one that left much to be desired, Allar explained after practice how McCarthy is impacting his season.
"Definitely makes you be very detail oriented and have a purpose behind every rep," Allar said. "I think that's the biggest thing I've learned."
Allar missed half the season with a broken ankle but was the first of three players taken by the Steelers in the third round. In 45 career games, 35 starts from his sophomore to senior year, Allar threw for 7,402 yards, 61 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

#first #state #back

The New England Patriots' secondary was one of the best in the NFL in 2025, perhaps surprisingly given who they used as their starting safeties. Craig Woodson and Jaylinn Hawkins — a fourth-round rookie and a career backup — patrolled the team's defensive backend, and they did a fine job.
However, the Patriots still decided to make a change by letting Hawkins leave in free agency and signing first-team All-Pro Kevin Byard to take his place. Four practices into their first training camp together, the pairing has looked solid.
Like the rest of the secondary, it also has been feeding off each other to build its chemistry.
"Feel really good about the secondary. We just got to continue to build and keep getting better," said Byard.
For the 33-year-old, training camp is business as usual despite being his first in New England. For his young comrade, meanwhile, it is a chance to get an up-close look at one of the best safeties of his era and a player who led the NFL in interceptions in 2025.

#first #Patriots #training

John Mateer is entering his final season as a college football player. The Oklahoma Sooners' gunslinger is hoping this year will be his best.
Mateer joined the Sooners after an incredible season with the Washington State Cougars in 2024. He threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 826 yards and 15 scores. He was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal. Ultimately, he decided to follow his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman.
His first season was rocky. He threw for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while rushing for 431 yards and eight scores. Mateer dealt with an injury to his throwing hand that derailed a promising start. On3's J.D. PicKell has been one of Mateer's biggest supporters. He said on "The Hard Count" that he believes Mateer is in for a big season.
"I think that John Mateer, going into his second year as the guy in Norman, and going into, I think it's like Year 4 in Ben Arbuckle's offense, will be so much better," PicKell said. "... I think he's going to be so much better from the neck up playing the game. He's seen the live bullets in the SEC now. He knows what it is to expect from the speed of the game."
If Mateer can improve his decision-making and regain the efficiency he showed at Washington State, he could take a massive leap in 2026. Oklahoma's defense gives the Sooners a championship-caliber foundation, but the ceiling of the team could ultimately depend on whether Mateer can become the difference-maker at quarterback that many expected him to be when he arrived in Norman.

#going

Texas A&M's 2026 season opener vs. Missouri State is a little over five weeks away, while the Aggies' preseason will kick off early next month. It's been a busy but quiet offseason for coach Mike Elko, who is entering his third season at the helm after leading the Aggies to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
Accomplishing several key goals, including a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Elko signed his six-year extension just weeks before the end of the 2025 season, which was a smart move given his status as one of the top football minds, while Penn State reportedly looked to poach the New Jersey native before ultimately hiring Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.
Retaining 65% of the 2025 roster paired with 17 transfer portal additions and the 2026 signing class, Texas A&M's 2026 roster isn't lacking talent, especially with redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed returning under center for his second full starting season after throwing for a career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions last season.
On paper, Alabama's secondary can be compared to Texas A&M's deep cornerback and safety rotation, now featuring transfer CB Rickey Gibson and former Colorado safety Tawfiq Byard, while the Aggies' defensive line will be led by senior DT DJ Hicks and Northwestern transfer edge Anto Saka, who is already a favorite among NFL scouts.
Texas A&M is not viewed as an overwhelming favorite to make it back to the CFP, mainly due to tough road games vs. LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma, as well as hosting Texas at home. Still, A&M's roster is more than talented enough to compete with every opponent on the schedule, while the new 9-game SEC slate will affect all 16 teams in different ways.

#roster