When the Oregon Ducks walked off the field at the end of the 2026 season, everyone — fans, media, coaches, players — knew that there would be lessons learned after getting blown out by the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Semifinal, 56-22.
A team doesn't just lose that badly on one of the biggest stages in the sport of college football and put the pain away. You watch the film, learn what you can learn, and try to improve upon it.
For Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, watching the film of the semifinal also included watching the Ducks' defense — but he wasn't watching his team's side of the ball. Instead, Moore was watching the Hoosiers' star signal-caller and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza.
"Yeah, I watched a lot of Fernando tape," Moore said at Oregon's media day. "He's a good ball player; he's someone I respect. You know, I've been playing him since my freshman year at UCLA, playing each other at Cal. I learned a lot from him."
During that CFP matchup, the quarterbacks couldn't have played much more differently.

#watching #fernando #Football #Media

For many NFL quarterbacks in the mid-2010s, there was one middle linebacker who imposed his presence on the field and forced offenses to completely change their game plan whenever they faced the Carolina Panthers.
Channel 9 Sports caught up with NFL Quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Drew Brees to learn what it was like to come face to face against Luke Kuechly twice every year in the NFC South.
Matt Ryan: "I remember playing against him his rookie year. Tony Gonzalez was our tight end. I remember Tony coming to the sideline once being like man this rookie man he keeps chirping me; he's hitting me. That was the first time I was like ok you're on Tony Gonzalez's radar as a rookie early in the season; this guy is going to be pretty good
Drew Brees: "I just know this about Luke truly I think for Matt and I, we have our kind of our presnap routine right versus every other opponent which is you break the huddle you peak the clock you look at the front and make your way up to linebackers to safeties and you're getting a feel for coverage and the matchup and leverage and different things. Whenever we played the Carolina Panthers, my eyes would immediately go to Luke Kuechly.
Ryan: "For us too in Atlanta it was like one of the weeks where you would do stuff that was intentionally unsound and gameplan it with your protections and stuff and be like hey i know we would never do this but we're going to do this here and we feel like lukes going to check this to it so if we do it we're actually going to pick it up

#drew

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Quarterback competitions and learning new offenses have been the norm for Jerry Jeudy during his seven seasons in the NFL.
The Cleveland Browns wide receiver said Wednesday this is at least the fifth year he has been on a team that's figuring out who will be its starting quarterback during training camp.
Even though Jeudy has become frustrated at times with the lack of stability — first with the Denver Broncos and now the Browns — he realizes that who lines up under center is not his decision.
"I just got to deal with it. I can't control who's at quarterback, what happens to the quarterback, anything," Jeudy said. "I do control what I can control and that's running routes getting open and catching the ball, making plays. Other than that, I can't do nothing else but my job."
Jeudy — who has caught passes from 14 starting quarterbacks (seven each with the Browns and Broncos) — further clarified that a recent video on social media showing him holding up four fingers was about the age of his daughter and not an endorsement of Deshaun Watson, who wears that number, becoming Cleveland's starting QB for the Sept. 13 opener at Jacksonville.

#jeudy #seven

A late-practice interaction between Denver Broncos defensive lineman Malcolm Roach and Bo Nix could been much worse than the final result.
During the Broncos' fifth day of camp (and third day of padded practice), Roach broke one of the most important rules of training camp: Don't touch the quarterbacks. Especially a starting quarterback. Roach ended up accidentally sacking Nix in the end zone for a would-be safety, rolling up on Nix's lower body.
That sentence alone would make any Denver fan hold their breath. Even the players held their breath. "It got quiet," veteran defensive lineman D.J. Jones said after practice. "It got quiet real quick." Thankfully, Nix popped right back up from the contact.
Jones defended Roach, who is a well-liked member of the team. "He wasn't trying to tackle Bo," Jones said. According to Jones, there will be no repercussions for Roach for hitting Nix, because Roach was doing everything he was supposed to do.
While all is good with Roach, there is a massive understanding on the team that Nix is the central factor between the Broncos being Super Bowl contenders, or missing the playoffs entirely.

#Broncos #lineman

Lamar Jackson put on notice ahead of Ravens' 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Lamar Jackson had a rough time last season. There's no getting around it. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback was injured and missed four games. The Ravens' season ended early. Then, Baltimore gave the boot to John Harbaugh after 18 seasons.
Now, Jackson is coming up on a hugely important year for both the Ravens and himself as a quarterback.
Bleacher Report has released its list of the best quarterbacks in the NFL going into the 2026 season. "To tackle all this, our team of scouts conducted an exhaustive film review and graded every non-rookie on a 100-point scale built from position-specific traits," they state in the piece.
They put Jackson at No. 7 on the list. It's respectable, but it also comes with a warning. The Ravens depend on Jackson, and he's really the heartbeat of this offense. But, he'll need to get back to that MVP-caliber performance.

#season

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott 'deserves more credit' as 2026 season nears originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It can't be easy being the franchise quarterback of "America's Team." The expectations are always very high for the Dallas Cowboys, even when the supporting cast isn't strong enough to deliver team wins. That's the life of Dak Prescott, but considering he's one of the highest-paid athletes in the NFL, we're not too sad for him.
Still, Prescott continues to get underrated. His stats are strong, and he just ended a 4,000-yard passing season, but without a Super Bowl win or even playoff showing, he, of course, falls behind other quarterbacks on best-of lists.
Bleacher Report has released its tally of the best quarterbacks in the NFL going into the 2026 season. They graded players on accuracy, processing, arm talent, decision-making, pocket presence and leadership, so it was a good mix.
Prescott is No. 8 on this tally, which is really nice to see, because he often falls lower on such lists. The publication recognizes that Prescott "deserves more credit and praise as one of the league's top signal-callers."

#prescott #cowboys #even #strong

On Thursday night, for the first time in approximately six months, there will be NFL action as the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals open the preseason when they clash in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. And while there is never too much to take away from this game (or most preseason games), and neither team is expected to be a top Super Bowl contender this season, there are some things to keep an eye on Thursday night.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the game will be the battle between the two "starting" quarterbacks. The term "starting" is in quotation marks because we know that neither announced starter for the game, which will be Kenny Pickett for the Panthers and Carson Beck for the Cardinals, is expected to start this season for their respective teams. But both men have something to prove.
For Pickett, who was a first-round draft pick in 2022 for his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, every preseason is the window for the now-fifth-year signal-caller to prove he belongs in the league. He went 7-5 as a starter during his first two seasons in Pittsburgh, but the statistics were worse than the admittedly average record, and he eventually was benched and traded.
Since then, he has only started three games in the past two seasons and hopes to prove he can compete with Bryce Young for the starting job. If he wants that to happen, it starts on Thursday night in Canton.
Meanwhile, Beck was a third-round draft pick this year after leading Miami (FL) to a national runner-up finish, but he has some obstacles in his way if he hopes to be an NFL starter. But even though one of those players, Jacoby Brissett, finally settled his contract dispute with the Cardinals, he is still relatively unproven and inconsistent as an NFL starter.

#thursday #cardinals #preseason

The Baltimore Ravens haven't lacked talent in recent seasons, or most seasons for that matter. What's been unique to these new Ravens, however, is their identity. For much of this team's history, the vocal leaders and faces of this franchise played on defense: Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Tony Siragusa, etc.
This is now, unquestionably, Lamar Jackson's team, and that's hardly a criticism. We're talking about a team built around one of the best quarterbacks of his generation. With that, however, came a cultural shift. An organization once defined by Hall of Fame defenders is now recognized for an offense capable of overwhelming opponents. Under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, many believe that ceiling is even higher.
Anytime the Ravens have a healthy Lamar Jackson, they enter the game with a chance to win. This is a team that has championship aspirations, but the problem hasn't always been getting into position to win. It's been finishing.
Third-year right tackle Roger Rosengarten believes one of the lessons this team has carried into training camp under first-year head coach Jesse Minter is developing the mindset to put teams away. Speaking with reporters after Baltimore's first padded practice, Rosengarten acknowledged that the Ravens have left too much on the field late in games during his first two NFL seasons.
"One hundred percent... It showed from my rookie year to second year, and now going into my third year... Myself, as a player, and as a team, finishing in the fourth quarter has not been our best. I feel like that's not Ravens football. We talk about Ravens football and the history behind it. You want to be talked about like one of the greats, but that's about finishing in the fourth quarter."

#rosengarten

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been voted as the worst QB in the NFL ahead of the 2026 season.
There are a number of quarterback battles going on in training camps across the league, with Sanders being one of those players fighting for the starting spot.
Sanders is facing competition from Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel in training camp as the Browns need to improve on their 5-12 season from last year.
Heading into the new term, 50 anonymous voters including general managers past and present, ******* istant GMs, head coaches and other coaches from across the league have been ranking the top quarterbacks in the league.
Out of the 35 players up for a vote, Sanders came in dead last, with some of the voters not holding back in their ******* sments on the 24-year-old.

#season #players #year

With the 2026 college football season just weeks away, it's time to start counting down our top 25 teams. After revealing teams Nos. 13-25, we'll go deeper on who we think are the 12 best teams ahead of Week Zero on Aug. 29.
2025 record: 3-9
James Franklin's first-year track record says the Hokies are at least getting to a bowl. He led Vanderbilt to just its second bowl game in nearly 30 years in his first season with the Commodores in 2011 and it's easy to envision a similar bounce back for the Hokies here. Former Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer will be Virginia Tech's starter after his offseason transfer and the passing game should be better by default. Did you know it's been five seasons since Virginia Tech quarterbacks completed more than 60% of their passes?
The defense retains four of its top six tacklers and there's not much of a scheme turnover with former head coach Brent Pry staying on as the coordinator. The schedule is manageable too. The Hokies should go undefeated in September before a home game against Pitt and a cross-country trip to Cal.
Demond Williams Jr. flirted with leaving Washington after the 2025 season. (Photo by Henry Rodenburg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

#season #record #first

Every year, various media outlets provide their version of specific rankings. Defensive, offensive, positional rankings, power rankings, etc. The Athletic's Mike Sando ranks veteran quarterbacks into tiers every year with help from various NFL executives and coaches. Rookies are excluded as they haven't played a snap in the NFL.
This year's panel consisted of eight general managers, five ******* istant GMs, five former GMs and three other executives, plus nine head coaches, 10 defensive coordinators, five offensive coordinators, two offensive ******* istants, one defensive ******* istant, and two coaches that specialize in ******* ytics and game management for a grand total of 21 executives and 29 coaches.
Last year, Washington Commanders' quarterback Jayden Daniels was ranked as a Tier 2 quarterback, and despite playing in only seven games in 2025, he remains a second-tier quarterback. The panel voted, and Sando ranked the quarterbacks by average vote.
Tier 1 criteria: Carries his team each week, the team wins because of him, expertly handles pure-passing situations, and has no real holes in his game. This category included Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Matt Stafford, and Joe Burrow.
Tier 2 criteria: Carries his team sometimes, handles pure-passing situations in doses, or has other dimensions that elevate him above Tier 3, and has a hole or two in his game. This is where Daniels lands.

#tier #year

The Carolina Panthers will roll into the 2026 season with Bryce Young as their starting quarterback, and there are no plans to talk about a new contract until the year is done, according to the latest reports.
That's probably the best way to approach the situation for Young—who may be a late bloomer for a No. 1 overall pick, but still has plenty of room to grow.
If you ask league executives where Young ranks compared to the rest of the competition, a new poll from The Athletic says that he's No. 22—stuck in the third tier of starting quarterbacks around the league.
Senior writer Mike Sando notes the following:
Young has improved each year in Tiers voting since making his debut in 2024... "He made a huge jump in 2026," said a coach whose team faced Carolina in the second half of the season. "His command, his confidence, his accuracy, the movement — he just seemed so much more confident as a player. It was an eye-opener for all of us to watch him perform. It reflected in their team. It didn't reflect as much in the numbers. Young ranked 28th out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per pass play last season.

#quarterbacks #panthers

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — There are three guarantees in life: Death, taxes, and head coach Bret Bielema finding gems at the quarterback position, courtesy of the transfer portal.
From one-year icon Tommy DeVito to campus legend Luke Altmyer and now, a battle-tested Kaitin Houser. Bielema has an eye for QBs looking for a new home to make a name for themselves.
Yet, a position fight that Bielema admits is a "non-storyline battle" is the fight for QB2.
Behind Houser, Illinois has constructed a three-man, gunslinging depth chart with determined young men who are ready to step up, get under center, and put it all on the line for the squad when needed. So, determining who will be the number two is a true challenge.
Bielema revealed during his media availability Tuesday night that his staff added cameras to their quarterbacks' equipment, not only to see how they scan the field, but also to hear how they talk to their teammates.

#three

PHILADELPHIA − Eagles quarterback Andy Dalton says he likes rotating back and forth with Tanner McKee between the second and third units.
The part he likes the most is not knowing from day to day, and even series to series, as the Eagles go through their first full week of training camp with the two quarterbacks battling to back up Jalen Hurts.
That is something new for the 38-year-old Dalton, who has thrown for just under 40,000 yards in his career as he enters his 16th NFL season.
Buy Philadelphia Eagles tickets
"You kind of don't know when exactly we're going to be going in," Dalton said after practice on Aug. 4. "And that fits the role of the backup ... The first couple of days, we're trying to figure out, when is it going to be our time? When are we in? When not? Now, at this point, it's just like let me know when I'm going in."

#going #first #we 're

The Minnesota Vikings are turning the page and starting a new chapter in their long battle with the quarterback position. There is nothing they would love more than for former top pick J.J. McCarthy to be able to prove himself and be the guy for them. However, the arrival of Kyler Murray brings with it new energy, as a former player of theirs has recently been discussed.
Former Vikings running back Adrian Peterson spoke to Kyle Odegard of Rotogrinders recently about a plethora of topics related to the team's quarterback battle. One of them was the idea of Kyler Murray getting a fresh start with Minnesota and what it could do for him.
He said, "A lot of people give Kyler Murray a hard time for not being able to perform at a high level all the time and consistently, but he just needed a fresh start, something new to revive him. A different outlook on things and give them a boost they needed. When they picked him up, I thought this was an opportunity to change his mindset and say, 'You know what? I've been blessed to go to an incredible team that's very talented offensively and defensively, and now I can be that piece.' I feel like if he comes in with that mindset, he can be the one that gets us over the hump."
We have seen quarterbacks get fresh starts with Minnesota before, and the results spoke for themselves. The team has to be rooting for another Sam Darnold-ish type of season, with something more than a Wild Card game being the final game they play.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Former Vikings player sees the upside that Kyler Murray brings

#kyler #minnesota #fresh #able

Last week marked Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. During the event, the conference unveiled its 2026 preseason honors list, One of the players to receive honors was USC quarterback Jayden Maiava.
Unlike a typical preseason all-conference team, the list consists of 12 players, with position not being taken into account. Hence, Maiava was one of three Big Ten quarterbacks to receive honors, along with Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Oregon's Dante Moore.
Maiava is entering his second full season as USC's starting quarterback. As a redshirt junior in 2025, he threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns, while also adding six scores on the ground. The Trojans finished their 2025 campaign with a record of 9-4.
Maiava and USC will open the 2026 season on August 29 at the Coliseum against San Jose State.
Contact/Follow TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.

#quarterback

Carson Beck had "no clue" he was going to start the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game until this week. He was the last to know.
As (almost) everyone knows, veteran quarterbacks don't generally play in the Hall of Fame Game.
The third-round rookie is new to this thing, though.
"I thought I was going to play, but I had no expectations," Beck said Tuesday, via Darren Urban of the team website. "Obviously our schedule has been crazy right now. But I'm looking forward to it."
Coach Mike LaFleur has not publicly addressed playing time for his quarterbacks, but with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew expected to spend the night on the sideline, Beck likely sees most of the playing time. Fourth-stringer Kedon Slovis also could play.

#going #quarterbacks

The Baltimore Ravens have traditionally directed their largest investments toward quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive stars. Zay Flowers' extension reflects an evolving approach.
Baltimore agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension with Flowers that includes $108 million guaranteed. The contract makes him the highest-paid receiver in franchise history and places his $35 million annual average in a tie for fourth among NFL wide receivers.
That is a substantial commitment for an organization that spent years attempting to supplement its passing game through veteran acquisitions and draft picks. Flowers has given Baltimore a reason to change its strategy.
The former Boston College standout has produced 237 receptions for 3,128 yards and 14 touchdowns through three seasons. He has earned two Pro Bowl selections, recorded consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns and set the franchise's single-season wide receiver record with 1,211 yards in 2025.
His extension indicates that Baltimore wants its passing offense to be more than a complement to Lamar Jackson's mobility and Derrick Henry's power. Flowers gives offensive coordinator Declan Doyle a movable playmaker capable of threatening defenses horizontally and vertically.

#flowers #receiver

After finishing the college football season 8-5 last year, it's back to the drawing board for the Tennessee Volunteers.
There's plenty of turnover for the Vols entering 2026, including quarterback Joey Aguilar, who was denied a waiver to compete for an additional season.
Nonetheless, Tennessee is sure to be strong on defense at the very least with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles as the offense looks to find a rhythm with one of its freshman quarterbacks.
SHOP: 2026 Tennessee college football tickets
With the excitement of hearing Rocky Top blaring throughout Neyland Stadium in the fall, it's time to get your weekends planned with Vols football tickets.

#tennessee #vols #college

In one-quarterback leagues, and even in Superflex formats, the quarterback pool is quite plentiful compared to their NFL counterparts. From a sheer numbers perspective, there are 68 teams comprising the Power Four player pool (with Notre Dame), with just 12 signal-callers starting on any given week (up to 24 in Superflex).
Your eight bench spots thin out quickly, which compels managers to churn through players on bye weeks and in time shares. In the standard 1QB format, rostering two quarterbacks seems to be the sweet spot from a roster construction standpoint in 1QB leagues, so as to not leave yourself short on RB /WR depth. The ability to stream waiver wire pickups who are facing poor defenses make the high-end quarterbacks valuable and the middle-to-lower tier easily replaceable
You will want to roster four QBs in Superflex leagues if possible, so expanding rosters to 20 players with a 10-man bench is advised. Utilizing a two-quarterback rotation in a Superflex format is not going to suffice with bye weeks, schedule quirks and injuries looming. Ideally a 4QB construction will allow you the flexibility to play matchups and still be covered in case an unexpected change of circumstances arises.
Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!
Your draft approach will vary depending on whether you play Superflex or 1QB formats. In standard Yahoo 1QB leagues I wouldn't take any signal-caller except Arch in the top-50. For the top-100 and I'd expand that list to Trinidad Chambliss, Devon Dampier and Drew Mestemaker, in that order. Keep in mind the 4-point passing touchdown format greatly depreciates the efficacy of pass-only, pro style quarterbacks. So I wouldn't make the mistake of reaching for Dante Moore within the first 10 rounds when you can take a dual-threat with 25 FPPG potential later on.

#superflex

The Philadelphia Eagles will be without two receivers during Tuesday's training camp practice, with DeVonta Smith and rookie Makai Lemon sidelined by hamstring injuries. The team has not expressed long-term concern about either player. Their absences appear to be precautionary as Philadelphia manages its roster through the physical portion of camp and moves closer to the preseason opener.
Smith's absence removes the Eagles' unquestioned No. 1 receiver from practice. Philadelphia has little reason to expose one of its most important offensive players to additional risk during an early-August workout, particularly when hamstring injuries can worsen if a player returns too quickly.
Smith already has an established relationship with Jalen Hurts and does not need every training camp repetition to secure his role. His absence will allow the coaching staff to evaluate other receivers with the first-team offense while giving Smith time to recover.
Lemon had recently participated in individual drills without joining team periods. Ryan Fowler of NBC Sports Philadelphia and Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the rookie was fine and that the previous issue was not considered significant. He has since returned to the injury report and will not practice. The Eagles have not indicated whether his latest absence is related to the hamstring problem that limited him earlier in the offseason.
Unlike Smith, Lemon needs practice repetitions to learn Sean Mannion's offense, develop timing with Philadelphia's quarterbacks and earn a place within a crowded receiver rotation. The two absences should create additional opportunities for Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson. Wicks and Cooper have already made notable plays during camp, while several receivers remain in contention for roster spots and defined offensive roles.

#hamstring #team #absence

The Athletic's Mike Sando has put together his annual quarterback tier rankings, which are voted on by 50 NFL executives and coaches. So where did the Indianapolis Colts' Daniel Jones end up ahead of the 2026 season?
The way this works is that each voter placed 35 quarterbacks into one of five tiers -- with the first tier being the best. The quarterbacks were then ranked and placed in tiers based on the average vote they received.
For Jones, after appearing in Tier 4 a year ago, he is now in Tier 3. He was one of just five quarterbacks to move up a tier. Overall, he was ranked as the 21st best quarterback.
"I thought he looked broken in New York (with the Giants)," an offensive coordinator told Sando. "I thought he looked functional in Indy. He looked like a 3."
Through 10 games last season, Jones and the Colts offense were off to red-hot starts. Jones was ranked at or near the top of many key statistical categories, while the offense was one of the most productive in football.

#jones #ranked #season

The middle to late rounds are where you might find a fantasy football tight end sleeper without wrecking your roster. The NFL names below all sit outside the top few at their position, yet each has a path to more targets, a bigger red-zone role, or a leap in quarterback play.
One could push into the best-at-the-position conversation. The rest are cheaper swings with weekly starter upside. Generally, I advocate for drafting your tight ends late unless the top tier falls in your lap. Otherwise, you should skip the early-round tax and let the value come to you.
More sleepers: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (85) celebrates his touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 19, 2025.
Kraft is the rare pick who could finish as the best fantasy tight end outside the top tier, and his TE6 half-PPR ADP as the 88th overall selection does not reflect that ceiling.

#best

Tennessee football preseason practice has arrived, so it's time to start hyping and overanalyzing every player at every position on the 2026 roster.
On this podcast episode of "The Volunteer State," beat writer Adam Sparks and columnist John Adams discuss not-so-obvious players who could impact the Vols' season. And there's one big caveat: No quarterbacks.
This list includes players who aren't on preseason watch lists for all-conference honors. They're underrated for whatever reason. They're not the top transfer or a five-star freshman. And some are viewed as second-fiddle players in terms of interest at their position.
Sparks presented five under-the-radar players that intrigue him, and Adams reacted. To hear the full discussion, listen to the hour-long podcast. Here are those five intriguing players and why they were selected.
There was a time when Ethan Davis was seen as a young rising star at tight end. But he was overshadowed by transfers like McCallan Castles, Holden Staes and Miles Kitselman. In 2026, Davis has arrived at a now-or-never point in his career.

#time

Tennessee football preseason practice has arrived, so it's time to start hyping and overanalyzing every player at every position on the 2026 roster.
On this podcast episode of "The Volunteer State," beat writer Adam Sparks and columnist John Adams discuss not-so-obvious players who could impact the Vols' season. And there's one big caveat: No quarterbacks.
This list includes players who aren't on preseason watch lists for all-conference honors. They're underrated for whatever reason. They're not the top transfer or a five-star freshman. And some are viewed as second-fiddle players in terms of interest at their position.
Sparks presented five under-the-radar players that intrigue him, and Adams reacted. To hear the full discussion, listen to the hour-long podcast. Here are those five intriguing players and why they were selected.
There was a time when Ethan Davis was seen as a young rising star at tight end. But he was overshadowed by transfers like McCallan Castles, Holden Staes and Miles Kitselman. In 2026, Davis has arrived at a now-or-never point in his career.

#five #adams #arrived #every

Defensive tackles are more in demand now than they have ever been. The numbers show that quick interior pressure is the best way to disrupt modern quarterbacks, giving interior rushers a huge profile boost.
As important as they are in today's game, there are so many great interior defensive linemen that it's not uncommon for even great defenders at the position to fly under the radar.
That's certainly the case for Carolina Panthers stud Derrick Brown, who's been performing at an elite level since entering the league back in 2020. Those who know ball recognize Brown's ability, though.
Brown is the highest-rated player at his position in Madden NFL 27, and recently earned a top-five ranking at his position from Bucky Brooks at NFL.com. Brooks puts the Pro Bowler at No. 5:
The seventh-year pro's instincts, awareness and violence allow him to be a disruptive presence in the backfield as a rugged player who embodies the ultra-physical approach demanded by Panthers general manager (and former Pro Bowl linebacker) Dan Morgan. As the standard bearer for run-stuffing DTs -- with 65-plus tackles in each of his last three healthy seasons -- Brown has the ability to clog up lanes while enhancing the pass rush as a pocket pusher. He's a cornerstone of Carolina's rising defense under Ejiro Evero.

#interior #panthers #tackles

STARKVILLE — Kamario Taylor has a new quarterbacks coach at Mississippi State football for the 2026 season.
The Bulldogs hired Oklahoma State's Kevin Johns in December, bringing almost 30 years of coaching experience, including several jobs as an offensive coordinator and QB coach in power conferences.
Johns' priority for Taylor, the first-year sophomore starter, with preseason practice beginning Aug. 6?
"The No. 1 thing is that Kamario can throw the ball through a brick wall," Johns said Aug. 3. "He can throw it that hard. But sometimes, you have you learn how to take a little bit off those throws. We call that layering the throw, and I think him still developing that touch in certain situations to not throw the fastball probably is the No. 1 area."
Johns has been with three teams the last four seasons. He was Duke's offensive coordinator from 2022-23, Oklahoma's quarterbacks coach in 2024 and Oklahoma State's QB coach in 2025.

#oklahoma

Dax Hill got a big smile on his face when asked how the Cincinnati Bengals defensive backs are impacted by a consistent pass rush showing up early in training camp.
The Bengals defense had another good day Monday, Aug. 3 as the pads came on for the first time, and the defensive line's pressure on the quarterbacks especially stood out.
That allowed the secondary more opportunities for pass breakups.
Hill had a punch-out in coverage on tight end Mike Gesicki at the end of practice, DJ Turner almost picked off Joe Burrow in another 11-on-11 series, Jordan Battle was making plays in coverage and against the run, including one pass breakup on Ja'Marr Chase, and those were just a few highlights.
Defensive end Boye Mafe especially was in Burrow's face quite a bit; Myles Murphy had multiple pressures and rookie Cashius Howell had a "sack."

#especially

Aug. 3—Dax Hill got a big smile on his face when asked how the Cincinnati Bengals defensive backs are impacted by a consistent pass rush showing up early in training camp.
The Bengals defense had another good day Monday, Aug. 3 as the pads came on for the first time, and the defensive line's pressure on the quarterbacks especially stood out.
That allowed the secondary more opportunities for pass breakups.
Hill had a punch-out in coverage on tight end Mike Gesicki at the end of practice, DJ Turner almost picked off Joe Burrow in another 11-on-11 series, Jordan Battle was making plays in coverage and against the run, including one pass breakup on Ja'Marr Chase, and those were just a few highlights.
Defensive end Boye Mafe especially was in Burrow's face quite a bit; Myles Murphy had multiple pressures and rookie Cashius Howell had a "sack."

#bengals #face #especially

Two days before fall camp begins, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has already landed on the watch list for one of the most prestigious awards in all of college football: the Maxwell Award.
Leavitt was rated as the highest-ranked player in the transfer portal during the offseason. Since joining LSU under Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr., the buzz surrounding him has only continued to grow. Last month, we reported that Leavitt has the 10th-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy, ranking third among SEC quarterbacks.
Leavitt possesses a tremendous amount of physical talent and is now paired with what many believe are the best play designers and play callers in college football. Put that kind of talent in an offense like this, combine it with the LSU brand, and the sky is literally the limit.
We've seen something similar before with another former Arizona State quarterback, Jayden Daniels.
The difference is that when Daniels arrived at LSU, there were questions about the type of player he was, and he was coming off a disappointing season. Leavitt, on the other hand, was coming off an outstanding year that was unfortunately cut short by injury.

#daniels #college #talent