Last season was a rollercoaster for Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon. On one hand, he finished tied for sixth in the NFL in pass defenses with 17. On the other hand, he racked up 11 penalties, the second most among all defensive backs. That volatility becomes less surprising when you remember it was his first season as a full-time outside cornerback.
With his first season as an outside cornerback behind him and a big year ahead, Nixon isn't patting himself on the back but rather hopes to keep growing in his new role while learning from his mistakes.
"I think it helped a lot going over the film and watching the mistakes I made and some of the dumb penalties that I gave up, just not knowing the level of it, what it takes," said Nixon after practice on Thursday. "I feel like I had a really strong year to start it, but definitely ready to prove myself again this year for sure."
Nixon is a rare case of a seven-year veteran who is still learning to play his primary position. The 2019 undrafted free agent has reinvented himself from a special teamer to a nickel corner to an All-Pro kick returner to now being an every-down player at one of the game's premium positions.
The path forward won't get easier for Nixon. As long as he's entrenched as the Packers' No. 1 cornerback, expectations will be high. His focus, though, is in the right places: cleaning up the penalties and developing into a more complete outside corner.

#nixon #season

Long before LeBron James bid farewell to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason, the transition of power within the franchise began. Luka Dončić, whom the Lakers famously traded for in February 2025, became their crown jewel.
But James remained at the heart of JJ Redick's squad that season and this past season. James and Dončić co-existed remarkably well, each respecting the other's game while forming an entertaining three-headed attack with Austin Reaves.
Even though the Lakers have been planning their future around Dončić for a good bit of time now, it wasn't until James officially closed the door on his chapter in L.A. that Dončić stood alone in the spotlight. He's the undisputed face of the franchise, and he's reportedly embracing a leadership role that's seemingly heightened in the absence of James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time league MVP.
In fact, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Dončić is hosting the entire Lakers roster in Slovenia for a four-day minicamp in August. The trip will feature workouts, golf, bonding and touring Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, McMenamin reported on Wednesday.
Dončić, a six-time All-NBA first teamer, is preparing for a pivotal season in his already prolific career. He played his way into the MVP conversation last season before a Grade 2 left hamstring strain effectively ended his campaign prematurely. He experienced that setback in early April and didn't make it back for the Lakers' postseason run, which came to a screeching halt in the Western Conference semifinals.

#lebron

The Patriots put three players on injury lists earlier this week and head coach Mike Vrabel said that a fourth will be joining them.
Vrabel said at his Friday press conference that safety/special teamer Brenden Schooler will go on the non-football injury list to open training camp. Vrabel did not share the nature of the issue that Schooler is dealing with, but said "he may be away for a little bit or out for a little bit."
Schooler had 19 tackles in the 2025 regular season and added six more in the playoffs. He was an All-Pro for his special teams work in 2024.
Linebacker Harold Landry and tight end C.J. Dippre are on the physically unable to perform list while running back Terrell Jennings joins Schooler on NFI.

#injury #little #Friday #brenden

Quarterback is often said to be the most important position in football.
That rings less true, though, at the high school level. That’s especially the case in the Gainesville area, where running backs and wide receivers can carry teams to victory.
Still, the signal caller is a very important position, and our area features some of the best in their class.
The region did lose Gainesville Sun All-Area first teamer Xavier Collins from Columbia, who transferred to Camden County on the eve of spring practice, but small school player of the year Richard Roundtree is back.
So is All-Area big school second teamer Andrew Whittemore, who has had a fantastic offseason that included an offer from Florida.

#teamer

Sean McVay and the front office probably have a good idea of which players are locks to make the 53-man roster this year. With such a strong roster, many players are certain to make the team. But there are a handful of guys who are squarely on the bubble, needing a good showing in camp in order to stick around on the active roster.
Training camp practices will help decide who falls on the right side of the bubble and who gets cut, as will the preseason. These six players are right on the bubble heading into camp, which begins this weekend.
Ty Simpson obviously isn't in any danger of being cut if he can't secure the No. 2 spot behind Matthew Stafford, but Bennett's job isn't safe. In fact, if Simpson beats out Bennett, it's possible the Rams will release the former Georgia standout and only carry two quarterbacks.
Of course, that's dependent on Bennett's performance in camp and the preseason, but with such a talented roster, the Rams may not find room for three quarterbacks. If Bennett performs the way he did last summer, though, he'll be difficult to cut.
Dolac was a key special teamer last year after standing out in training camp and the preseason, securing his spot on the 53-man roster after just two exhibition games. Even though he made the team last year, there's no guarantee he'll be back on it this season – especially after the Rams signed Grant Stuard to be their special teams ace.

#camp #Rams #players #simpson

Every NFL season produces its share of breakout players. The difficult part isn't reaching that level once. It's staying there. Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun has officially moved beyond that conversation. Often, success is a matter of luck or even coincidence. Coaching still matters, and once Baun left the New Orleans Saints and aligned himself with Vic Fangio, everything changed.
Since joining the Eagles, Baun has gone from special teamer to a Super Bowl champion. He's a two-time Pro Bowler, a 2024 First-team All-Pro, and a Butkus Award winner.
After another outstanding campaign last season, Baun continues earning recognition from around the league. That reinforces what Eagles fans have watched unfold since his arrival. His emergence wasn't lightning in a bottle. It was the beginning of one of football's most remarkable career transformations.
Defensive coordinators spend an entire offseason studying tendencies. Opposing offenses adjust. Expectations change. Players who come out of nowhere one year often find themselves fighting to prove the following season wasn't a one-hit wonder.
Baun's league-wide approval seems unanimous. He can play at the line of scrimmage, blitz, or play coverage. That versatility has become one of the defining characteristics of his game.

#Eagles #often

Preseason PAC-12 honors are rolling in for Fresno State Football as the Bulldogs are now just weeks away from the opening of Fall Camp.
Athlon Sports released its 2026 All-PAC12 teams, highlighted by 16 selections from Fresno State.
Senior star cornerback Simeon Harris leading the way for first-team selections.
The All-Mountain West honorable mention led the conference in interceptions, helping to revamp the Bulldog defense along with fellow first-teamer defensive lineman Deijon Laffitee.
Sophomore Left Tackle and Buchanan grad Brayden Walton also snagging first team honors, helping to anchor Coach Entz's rushing attack, which gained its most yards on the ground since 2018.

The start of the 2026 Kentucky Wildcats football season is coming fast, and is now just 54 days away. As it approaches, we are getting to know the players that make up the roster. This year's squad doesn't have a No. 54, but there are two players wearing No. 53, so today we're taking a look at one of them: Ben Reeves.
Reeves is a 6'2", 242 lb out of Edgewood, Kentucky. He was a defensive lineman with Covington Catholic, and recorded seven sacks in his final season there. He enrolled at Georgetown College after high school, and recorded 30 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble as a redshirt freshman last year. He the transferred to Kentucky this offseason.
Though he wasn't a highly rated recruit out of high school, Reeves has proven to be a productive player at the NAIA level. He'll bring a strong work ethic and drive to succeed to the Wildcats.
Reeves will likely be depth this season, and a potential special teamer. However, he still has plenty of eligibility remaining, and time to work his way up the depth chart. He's an easy to root for player, and a Bluegrass State product who Big Blue Nation will be rooting for.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Get to know the Kentucky football roster: No. 53 Ben Reeves

The Green Bay Packers recently extended the contract of veteran linebacker and special teamer Isaiah McDuffie, per reporting from Over the Cap.
The extension is worth $4.85 million over one additional year, keeping McDuffie under contract in Green Bay through the 2027 season. His previous contract, a two-year deal, was set to expire following the 2026 season. His new extension includes a $1.5 million signing bonus and a $750,000 roster bonus due if he's on the roster on the third day of the new league year in 2027.
McDuffie's cap number increased to $4,725,000 in 2026, while his cap number in 2027 will be $5,100,000. The only fully guaranteed money in 2027 is the prorated $750,000 from his new signing bonus.
McDuffie may not be a projected starter in Jonathan Gannon's base 3-4 defense, but he's a quality backup and full-time special teamer. Considering newcomer Zaire Franklin is coming off a poor final season in Indianapolis and just turned 30 years old, McDuffie is a strong insurance plan for both 2026 and 2027.
The extension gives McDuffie a pay ******* p in 2026 while providing the Packers an additional year of contractual stability without massive guaranteed money at risk in 2027.

Three players from the Lackawanna League earned major awards when the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches ******* ociation released its all-state team Monday.
Abbi Call of Valley View was named the Class 4A Player of the Year, Avary Brister from Abington Heights was selected the Class 5A Player of the Year, while teammate Adrianna Condrad was chosen Class 5A Pitcher of the Year.
Also, from the Wyoming Valley Conference, Lake-Lehman’s Hannah Chipego was tabbed as Class 3A Pitcher of the Year and Tunkhannock’s Michaela Howell as Class 4A Pitcher of the Year.
Overall, 41 players from District 2 were honored, including 28 from the Lackawanna League — 15 of them first-teamers.
Class 1A runner-up Holy Cross had five players: pitcher Ava Schmidt, catcher Peyton Graboske, second baseman Lila Kolcharno and outfielder Claire Helring on the first team, and shortstop Jules Galella on the second team. Old Forge put two players on the second team in shortstop Lillianna Lenceski and outfielder Ava Arnold.

Former SEC Freshman of the Year Tori Edwards announced her transfer from the LSU Tigers to Florida on Saturday.
Edwards started all 58 games at first base for LSU in 2025 and slashed .383/.495/.802 with a 1.298 OPS. She hit a team-high 18 home runs and drove in 73 runs — the third most in program history — while walking (37) more than she struck out. It's considered one of the greatest freshman seasons in program history, and she was named an NFCA All-American Second Teamer, while finishing in the top 10 for the NFCA Freshman of the Year and the top 25 for the USA Softball Player of the Year.
Edwards' sophomore year was still excellent, but it didn't quite live up to the breakout performance she put up as a freshman. She slashed .284/.451/.568 with a 1.019 OPS, once again starting 58 games at first base. Her homers dipped slightly to 12, as did the RBI count of 45. She still walked (48) more than she struck out (39).
Edwards earned NFCA Gulf All-Region Second Team and All-SEC Second Team honors. She should replace Jocelyn Erickson, who played catcher and first base.
Florida has now landed a pair of commitments from the transfer portal, the first being from Duke redshirt sophomore catcher Kairi Rodriguez.

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most accomplished and well-paid punters in the NFL in Bryan Anger. The 37-year-old special teamer is a two-time Pro Bowler, and the oldest expected starting punter in the league. The former third-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars has enjoyed quite the career, also playing in Tampa Bay and Houston during his 14 accrued seasons.
But with age, accolades and compensation come a certain degree of expectations, and for whatever reason, Anger and the Cowboys' coverage team has failed to live up. It's a situation previous broached by Cowboys Wire's Terence Watson and a situation that deserves continued attention as the Cowboys head to Oxnard next month.
Special teams is a group effort and that's especially true in matters of punt coverage. Punters don't simply receive snaps and boom the ball as far as humanly possible. They must play within the limitations of their coverage team. Before the phrase "outkicking his coverage" became **** ociated with the arena of finding a mate, it held a quite literal meaning. Punters must weigh the perimeters of the situation and calculate how far they can send a ball to land it just ahead of his trusted gunners. Too much room gives the returner an advantage. Too little room and he leaves meat on the bone. It has to be just right.
The conclusion of the 2025 NFL campaign saw Dallas rank just 14th in net yards per successful punt attempt (includes regular and postseason stats). It's not terrible, but hardly what one would expect from one of the highest-paid punters in the NFL. Anger might not be to blame for such average performance, but if this is as good as the unit is then maybe this would be a good time to get younger and cheaper at the punter position.
It would behoove the Cowboys to kick (punt?) some tires this summer in Oxnard. Whether it's identifying prospects to groom for next season when Anger's contract expires or whether it's to consider this year as a preemptive replacement, a little research could do a team good.

Earlier this week, we broke down the nine biggest winners from Detroit Lions OTAs and minicamp. Unfortunately, everyone can't be winners.
The following list of six players who I believe saw their stock fall over the past month are far from in trouble. There's relatively little on the line in the spring, but for various reasons–amount of reps, what coaches are saying, competition at the position, or injury–my expectations for these players have slightly dropped.
Again, I want to retirate that we're talking very low stakes in the spring, but I don't think any of these people helped their case.
Let's get one thing clear here: the Lions absolutely value Vaki as a four-core special teamer. I would be absolutely shocked if he doesn't make the team. He continues to rep with first-team special teams units, and holds the valuable personal protector position on punt coverage. Detroit views him as one of the best special teams players on the roster, if not the entire league.
However, Lions coach Dan Campbell was pretty blunt when it comes to where Vaki stands as a running back after two injury-filled seasons.

We’re just 82 days from the start of the 2026 Penn State Football season!
Let’s mark the occasion by giving the spotlight to someone who quietly makes the team better – wide receiver Ethan Black. The Davidsville, PA, native earned his spot on the roster the hard way – as an undersized walk-on. Despite his lack of size at 5-9, 160 lbs., Black had a standout career for Conemaugh Township. During his senior season alone, he produced 1,645 all-purpose yards with 18 touchdowns, while also collecting 39 tackles and four interceptions on defense.
As a true freshman, Black was honored as the team’s Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Year. It was clearly a productive year despite taking a redshirt season. The award signifies a strong work ethic and giving a consistent effort to make the team better at each turn.
Black was able to see the field on special teams in 2024, and made his first tackle in a Nittany Lion uniform against Maryland. He continued his work as a special teamer in 2025, while also being named Academic All-Big Ten for the first time.
Just 82 more days until Penn State hits the field!

The Miami Dolphins addressed the tight end position again in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Seydou Traore 180th overall in the fifth round. Traore spent his first two collegiate seasons at Arkansas State before transferring to Colorado in the winter of 2023 and to Mississippi State later that summer. However, he was forced to sit out 2023 after transferring twice but finished his final two years with the Bulldogs. He had a strong senior campaign, hauling in 35 receptions for 369 yards and a career-high five touchdowns, posting one drop and gaining 220 yards after the catch in 2025.
Since Traore is primarily known for his athleticism, scoring a Relative Athletic Score of 9.42, is not the best blocker, and is considered undersized, he projects as a move “F” tight end rather than a traditional in-line one. In his rookie season, he will compete for a roster spot. Because he was born in France and raised in England, the NFL granted him a roster exemption through the International Pathway Program, meaning he will not count toward the 53-man roster if he makes the cut or against the 16-man practice squad.
The Dolphins announced on Thursday that they have signed Seydou Traore to a four-year rookie contract, wrapping up the draft class. Spotrac projects his deal to be worth $4.759 million with a $379,472 signing bonus, prorated at $94,868 per year. Additionally, they project Traore’s cap hits to be $979,000 in 2026, $1.144 million in 2027, $1.259 million in 2028, and $1.374 million in 2029.
“Traore is a ‘F’ tight end with good athleticism, average size and a need for development. His route-running is unfocused but fixable. He has soft hands and good body control from his background as a goalkeeper. While he has decent vertical speed, he must improve his separation burst out of breaks to uncover against man coverage. He’s not built for in-line blocking but has impressive moments when lead-blocking in **** e. Traore is a practice squad candidate with enough upside to find a roster spot down the road.”
He projects as an average backup or special-teamer.

3 teamer
Rockies Under 8.5
Giants ML
Braves ML