Michael Porter Jr. Offers Money To Homeless Man Digging Through Trash In New York City, Gets Turned Away
Michael Porter Jr., the newest addition to the Brooklyn Nets, found himself caught in a moment that was both heartfelt and humbling during his early days in New York. While walking the city streets, Porter noticed a homeless man digging through a public trash can and pulling out scraps of food, specifically what looked like leftover peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Moved by the man's situation, Porter attempted to help the only way he immediately could: by offering him money.
"Man, I see a homeless dude over there, eating out of the trash. If I've got cash on me, I'm always going to try to help out a brother like that, man."
But what started as an act of kindness took a turn few expected. As Porter approached the man, cash in hand, he was shooed away. Still wanting to help, the 6'10' forward discreetly placed the money near the man's belongings or inside a pocket of a worn jacket lying beside him.
Moments later, Porter watched as the homeless man angrily removed the bills and tossed them away, rejecting the gesture altogether and waving him off once more.
The scene left Porter visibly taken aback.
"We saw him reaching into the trash can, grabbing peanut butter and jelly. That's tough, bro. I feel bad for him."
The encounter, caught on video, quickly began circulating on social media, sparking conversations about mental health, dignity, and the complexities of street life. Many praised Porter for his willingness to help, while others noted how unpredictable and delicate interactions with the homeless can be, especially in a city like New York.
Porter is still adjusting to life on the East Coast following his trade from the Denver Nuggets to the Brooklyn Nets earlier this summer. While he's expected to take on a bigger offensive role in Brooklyn, his transition has been under the spotlight for more than just basketball.
A recent viral story from Taiwan involving a rumored hotel stay with transgender model Xiao A La has added another layer to the public intrigue surrounding the 27-year-old. However, Porter has remained silent on that matter, focusing instead on his offseason preparation and building chemistry with his new teammates.
Despite the awkward nature of the incident, Porter's gesture revealed a side of him rarely seen in headlines. Known for his scoring and athleticism, this was a moment that showed empathy and human concern, even if it wasn't received the way he hoped.
In a city that rarely pauses, Porter took a moment to try to do good. Sometimes, that's all one can do. And for Porter, this interaction may serve as an early lesson in his New York journey: in a city full of noise, not every act of kindness lands, but it still matters.This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
2 minutes ago
- New York Times
Fantasy football 2025 backup running back rankings, from David Montgomery to Nick Chubb
Every fantasy football manager wants a strong bench. That is doubly true at the running back position, due to its susceptibility to injuries. One way to stack depth at this position is by acquiring quality backup running backs (handcuffs). The system I use in my draft guide to assist fantasy managers with this handcuff RB bench building breaks down NFL backfields into four workload categories, which help determine a backup's potential value: No team is currently trending towards using the RBBC approach in the 2025 season, so I'll review running backs in the other three categories. Let's begin by reviewing backup platoon backs. Even though these players are technically considered backups, they often receive workload volumes similar to those of lead platoon backs. Because they are technically backups, their ADP is lower than it should be, which can make backup platoon backs among the best value picks in any fantasy draft. Advertisement 1. David Montgomery, DET Montgomery is easily the most valuable backup platoon back in the NFL. He is one of four players to post 220 or more scrimmage plays in each of the past six seasons. Montgomery gets plenty of goal-line use and is one of only six players with 12+ touchdowns in each of the previous two seasons. Rate him as an RB2 who could generate RB1 value if Detroit leans on the run more to prevent scoreboard shootouts. 2. Cam Skattebo, NYG Last year, he was the first FBS player since Christian McCaffrey to generate 1,500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season. Skattebo also set the Arizona State record for rushing touchdowns in a season and could take over the goal-line role for New York. He'll start 2025 sharing work with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and thus is currently a borderline RB3/RB4, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Skattebo outplays his ADP by a notable amount. 3. Jordan Mason, MIN Mason gives Minnesota breakaway ability that Aaron Jones just doesn't have. Last year, Mason ranked second only to Jahmyr Gibbs in 10+ yard rush percentage (minimum 150 carries). Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell will want to utilize Mason's skills, which will provide the former Niners' back with enough work to pave a viable path towards outperforming his RB4 ADP. 4. Najee Harris, LAC Harris is a perfect fit in a Jim Harbaugh offense that lives by the 'run the damn ball' mantra. Harris ranks first in the league in scrimmage plays over the past four years. He is also seventh in RB receptions since 2021. His talent may not be fully utilized in Los Angeles, but he will see enough work to stay at the border of the RB2 and RB3 tiers. However, at the moment, there's no timeline for his return after a fireworks-related accident. If we find out Harris will be available in Week 1, he moves up two spots. Advertisement 5. Tank Bigsby, JAX Jaguars head coach Liam Coen did a superb job of managing the workload levels of the Tampa Bay running backs last year. Coen wants Travis Etienne involved in the passing game and will have another opportunity to divide carries and rushes masterfully. Bigsby had two straight seasons with 200+ scrimmage plays at Auburn, so he has the track record to shoulder the extra work and play better than his RB4 ADP indicates. 6. J.K. Dobbins, DEN The Chargers asked Dobbins to be a lead back last year, and he gave them 227 scrimmage plays. Denver brought him in based on what they saw in L.A., but also because Dobbins was ranked tied for third in 10+ yard rush percentage (minimum 175 carries). Additionally, RJ Harvey might be better suited for a lightning back role, so Dobbins could get enough work to move higher than his current RB4 valuation. 7. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE Stevenson's fantasy case may be the toughest among this group of platoon backs. Last year, he was tied for 22nd in PPR points per scrimmage play among the 27 RBs with 200+ plays. He's also one of the least productive pass catchers at this position, ranking next to last in YPT (min. 40 targets), and is fumble-prone. Stevenson's value may end up being linked to how many carries TreVeyon Henderson can handle, which means he's a borderline RB3/RB4 with a potentially low floor. 8. Tyjae Spears, TEN Tony Pollard was the least productive running back on a fantasy points per scrimmage play basis in all three main scoring types (min. 250 touches). Last season was the second consecutive one in which Pollard saw his production fall in the lead back role. Head coach Brian Callahan has indicated that he wants Tennessee to split work between backs, which is more than enough to give Spears lots of upside potential at his RB4 value. The ideal alternate back will have a workload similar to a low-end platoon back. Alternate backs also have a fast path to work, as they are usually the next man up if the lead back is injured. 1. Zach Charbonnet, SEA Charbonnet's path to additional work is clear. Kenneth Walker has missed 10 games in his three pro seasons, which is partially why Charbonnet has 318 scrimmage plays in his two NFL campaigns. Add that to Charbonnet ranking fourth in PPR points per scrimmage play (min 175 plays), and he may be the most valuable alternate back and well worth a RB4 draft-day investment. Advertisement 2. Jaylen Warren, PIT Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has never met a run-heavy game plan he didn't like, meaning Warren should see enough work to, potentially, lead all alternate backs. The wild card here is if rookie Kaleb Johnson, who had 262 scrimmage plays and 23 touchdowns at Iowa last season, develops into a bell-cow role. If that happens, Warren could falter below his RB3 valuation. 3. Austin Ekeler, WSH Ekeler is still one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL. He ranked first in yards per target and yards per reception among RBs with 40+ targets last year. Kliff Kingsbury is an expert at utilizing pass-catching backs in his offense, so Ekeler is a very good borderline RB4/RB5 in half- and full-PPR leagues. 4. Rachaad White, TB White was relegated to a lesser role in this offense late last season. He has a path to redemption under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. White was one of only four running backs with six or more games of 5+ receptions last year, and he was only one of six RBs to average 1.0 or more PPR points per scrimmage play (min. 150 plays). If White repeats that production pace, he may end up with a borderline platoon role, making him a fantastic RB4 option. 5. Trey Benson, ARI Benson didn't get many carries last year, but he did a lot with what he was given. His 15.9 percent rate of 10+ yard rushes mimics what he did at Florida State. With James Conner headed into his age-30 season, Benson could see a workload increase that generates much more than his current low-end RB4 value. 6. Rico Dowdle, CAR Dowdle is slated to be a distant backup to Chuba Hubbard, but there are paths to success. He posted RB2 numbers last year and has a 6-foot, 215-pound frame to take on extra work if Hubbard struggles. Dowdle could also see many more targets if Hubbard doesn't quickly improve upon last year's dismal 3.2 YPT, making Dowdle one of the top RB5 candidates. 7. Roschon Johnson, CHI Bears head coach Ben Johnson used a thunder-and-lightning approach with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Detroit. He could do the same in Chicago with Johnson and D'Andre Swift. Johnson had 6 rushing touchdowns inside the 5-yard line last year and thus could retain the goal-line role. There's a viable avenue for him to finish above his current RB5 ADP. 8. Ray Davis, BUF Davis led the SEC in rushing touchdowns two years ago. The Bills basically split their goal-line carries between James Cook and Josh Allen. If Buffalo decides to spare Cook or Allen from some of that goal-line work, Davis could end up as an RB3. He comes with risk but also upside for a player with an RB4 ADP. Advertisement 9. Jaydon Blue, DAL New head coach Brian Schottenheimer will call for as many run plays as possible. With Javonte Williams having the lowest yards per scrimmage play among RBs with 400+ touches the past two years, Schottenheimer may want to give the speedy Blue as much of that work as possible, making Blue a worthy upside RB5 option. 10. Braelon Allen, NYJ Jets head coach Aaron Glenn plans to use the Detroit blueprint in New York. With Breece Hall trending downward, Allen could move into a platoon role, provide ample value behind a strong Jets run-blocking wall and possess upside potential beyond his RB5 ADP. 11. Kareem Hunt, KC Wherever Hunt goes, a larger-than-expected workload volume follows, which could also be the case in Kansas City (again). Isiah Pacheco has posted 200+ scrimmage plays only once in seven college or pro seasons, so Hunt could produce above his borderline RB5/6 valuation. 12. Jerome Ford, CLE Ford played in maybe the worst offense in the NFL last year and missed time due to injury, yet still posted four games with 15 or more PPR points. Quinshon Judkins has been absent from training camp after he was arrested on charges of battery and domestic violence. He is also unsigned as of now, and if Judkins has any additional issues, Ford could get enough work in Kevin Stefanski's offense to outperform his RB5 ADP, even with rookie Dylan Sampson lingering. 13. Jaylen Wright, MIA Wright didn't have many carries last year, but he did have a higher percentage of 10+ yard rushes than De'Von Achane or Raheem Mostert. In a Mike McDaniel offense, Wright's skill set may lead to production above his borderline RB4/RB5 ADP. 14. Nick Chubb, HOU Joe Mixon has started to show signs of wear and tear after six straight years of bell-cow work, and an ankle issue threatens his early-season availability. Chubb could be first in line for carries if he returns close to his 2023 form, when he posted an incredible 21.4 percent rate of 10+ yard carries. The caveat is that Woody Marks could move ahead of Chubb on the Texans' RB depth chart. The backups to bell-cow starters generally have minimal fantasy value outside of an injury to the bell cow, making them low-cost insurance options. Fantasy managers should acquire these players late in drafts, so the cost is minimal, and your squad gets significant protection against the gargantuan scoring drop-off that can happen when a bell-cow back is lost to injury. Advertisement Here are the nine backups to bell-cow starters: 1. Tyler Allgeier, ATL 2. Isaac Guerendo, SF 3. A.J. Dillon, PHI 4. MarShawn Lloyd, GB 5. Justice Hill/Keaton Mitchell, BAL 6. Raheem Mostert, LV 7. DJ Giddens, IND 8. Tahj Brooks, CIN 9. Blake Corum, LAR (Photo of David Montgomery: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
New York Times
2 minutes ago
- New York Times
College football Freaks List 2025: Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith tops a list of 101
Even though I've been reporting the Freaks List since 2005, I am still blown away numerous times while working on this project with what I hear about some of the amazing things college football players have done or can do. I rely on the intel from coaches, schools, teammates, parents, NFL scouts, NFL Scouting Combine trainers and agents. As you can see, the hardest part of this project is keeping it to 100. To think, when I first started the list, there were only 10. Editor's note: This article is part of our Freaks List series, which chronicles the strongest, fastest and most physical players in college football. Advertisement The best college football player in the nation is also its biggest Freak, and he won't turn 20 until after Thanksgiving. Smith entered college with a ton of hype and backed it up with 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns for the national champions. He led the country with six receptions of at least 50 yards. Part of an unprecedented run in Columbus of elite wide receivers, the 6-foot-3 1/2, 223-pounder is clearly the most gifted. He's the biggest, strongest and fastest. Smith's testing and timing numbers are remarkable. Asked which of his Freakish feats this summer he's most proud of, Smith said it's his 225 pounds on the bench for 20 reps. 'I'm very proud of that,' he said. 'I could probably only hit like five before I got to Ohio State. I came in weak.' Smith's 11-foot broad jump, 38-inch vertical jump and 23.5 mph on the GPS are jaw-dropping for a receiver his size. Could he get up to 24 mph? 'Whooo. I don't think so,' he said. 'That's like track speed right there.' Smith, who also squatted 550 pounds, credits the work he's been doing with South Florida-based trainer Pearson Sutton since he was 8 for his explosiveness. 'The way my trainer and my dad prepared me, working me out two, three times a day just made me bigger, faster and stronger.' Smith changed his diet this offseason: 'I was eating fast food probably every day throughout the season. It was bad.' Now, with the help of a nutritionist, he's got a meal plan. Smith's staying away from red meat and eating a lot of salmon, rice and broccoli. The toughest thing for him to give up was Wendy's, which he hasn't had since right after the national championship. The biggest, by far, of Alabama's three O-line Freaks, the 6-7, 366-pound Proctor's body has 274 pounds of lean muscle mass with 26 percent body fat. His strength numbers are awesome. This summer, he squatted 815 pounds, benched 535 and power cleaned 405. Honestly, I was even more blown away when I found out he vertical jumped 32 inches and broad jumped 9-3. He's 366 pounds! That 32-inch vertical is as much or more than five of the wideouts who were at this year's combine. It's the same as Colorado's LaJohntay Wester, and he weighed 203 pounds less. Advertisement In his first season at Alabama, Proctor started at left tackle and was selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team by the conference coaches. He had his highest-graded performance of the season against Georgia and its top-ranked defense. Last year against Georgia, Proctor earned a 90 percent grade with five knockdown blocks as the Tide didn't allow a sack all night, per Pro Football Focus. Against South Carolina's ferocious D-line, Proctor did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit in 63 snaps and posted five knockdowns. Harbor was the first back-to-back No. 1 player I've ever had in 20-plus years of the Freaks List. The junior evolved into more of a weapon in the offense in 2024, catching 26 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He has a rare combination of size and sprinter speed. Harbor is bigger than many college defensive ends but is faster than almost every receiver in college football. He topped out at 23.6 mph on the GPS. In 2024, the 6-5, 245-pound Harbor ran a 10.11 100-meter and 20.20 in the 200-meter for the track team, earning second-team All-America honors going up against guys half a foot shorter and 60-70 pounds lighter. This offseason, Harbor's body fat measured 5 percent. The 6-3, 338-pound Washington is of the caliber of elite D-linemen head coach Dan Lanning saw while in the SEC. His numbers made me do a triple-take when the staff sent them over. To be that massive and clock 20.89 mph and vertical jump 36 inches is mind-blowing. Washington squatted 755 pounds, bench pressed 475 and power cleaned 385. He's coming off a season in which he had 10 tackles and 1.5 TFLs, but he figures to make a much bigger impact now that defensive tackles Derrick Harmon and Jamaree Caldwell are in the NFL. 'He's always been extremely explosive, and his conditioning has gotten better and better each year,' Lanning said. 'He's always had an elite get-off and can get knocked back on the line of scrimmage, but his technique has really come along to match it now.' Advertisement After a freshman All-American season in 2023, the Alabama native emerged as a bigger force last season, making 32 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and three sacks while splitting time between DE and DT. The 6-3 20-year-old is quite the physical Freak, ranking in the top five on the team in muscle mass when he arrived as a true freshman in 2023. His latest body composition scans prior to camp showed that 240 of his 310 pounds are lean muscle mass. He's a rare combination of power and speed for a 300-plus pounder. This offseason, Woods bench pressed 490 pounds and did 34 reps of 225. He squatted 700 pounds and power cleaned 385, ran a 4.86 40-yard dash and vertical jumped 33 inches. Don't be surprised if Woods ends up as a top-5 NFL Draft pick when he leaves Clemson. He's special. A five-star D-lineman who had three sacks in his debut season looks like he's just getting warmed up. The defense has some high-level athleticism in its front seven this year, with Harold Perkins, a 225-pound linebacker who hit 22.4 mph, and Florida transfer Jack Pyburn, who bench pressed 425 pounds and set an LSU record with a bench peak power output of 2200+ watts, also deserving some Freaks love. But it's McKinley who really stands out and probably will be even higher on this list next year. The 6-6, 308-pound sophomore vertical jumped 35 inches, broad jumped 10 feet and power cleaned an astounding 418 pounds. 'We ran out of weights for him to max squat,' said head coach Brian Kelly. 'It's a 650-pound max squat. I throw that out to you to show how powerful he is. He's such a great kid. He's grounded every single day, he has elite strength and he's going to play a major role in what we do.' A former basketball player who was in the 260-pound range in high school, Jones first dunked in ninth grade at about 6-1. Now, at 303 pounds, he is one of the country's best centers. Last year, Jones had zero sacks allowed in 280 pass blocking snaps, per PFF. He set the program record this offseason with a 705-pound squat. He holds the position record with a 36.6-inch vertical, a 1.53 10-yard split and a 4.09 shuttle. His 470-pound hang clean this summer is also a position record, but he was hoping to break the program record for all players held by another Freaks List alum, Tristan Wirfs. 'It's a good number,' Jones said, 'but I broke my hand in the winter, so I know I could've gotten more. Wirfs was five. I feel I could've gotten it, or gotten close at least. But I'm proud of my hang clean.' Advertisement This is his third season on the Freaks List. 'Zane is the best D-tackle I've played against,' said Penn State center Nick Dawkins, who has faced several top 50 draft picks in his college career. Among them: Oregon first-rounder Derrick Harmon and Ohio State's Tyleik Williams. 'I've played against some dang good defensive linemen, but Zane Durant is the best. It's the twitchiness off the ball. It's the lateral movement. It's the combination and recovery of being able to have a counter move that is a counter to power and/or speed. It's his IQ. Being able to pick up screens, picking out stretch plays, picking up gap schemes and calling it out before the play, and it's his killer mentality. I could go on for two hours about this stuff. He's just a different cat.' In 2024, Durant had 42 tackles, 11 TFLs and three sacks. The 6-1, 290-pound senior from Florida has run a 4.66 40 and hit a max velocity of 21.1 mph. He clocked a 4.43 shuttle time, broad jumped 9-10 and vertical jumped 30 1/2 inches. He's bench pressed 425 pounds and squatted 660. This offseason, he power cleaned 345 pounds. Ty Blanding is another Freaky DT; at 6-1, 292 pounds, the sophomore ran a 4.82 40 this offseason and squatted 675 pounds. In two seasons with the Tigers, he has a combined 80 tackles, 14.5 TFLs and eight sacks. He doesn't turn 20 until a few weeks into this season. Last year, when he had 11 TFLs and seven sacks, he was at his best in the Iron Bowl, when he had six tackles, two TFLs, forced a fumble and a fumble recovery. The 6-6, 285-pound junior squatted 700 pounds this offseason and bench pressed 415. Styles has started 28 games and won't turn 21 until November. Last year, he finished second on the team in tackles with 100, with 10.5 TFLs and five broken-up passes. The son of former Ohio State star Lorenzo Styles Sr., who won a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams, is a remarkable athlete. At 6-4 1/2, 243 pounds, he broad jumped 11-0, vertical jumped 40 inches and squatted 675 pounds. His body fat is 10 percent. If not for Jeremiah Smith, Styles would be the Buckeyes' biggest Freak. (The truth is, it's close between them.) 'He's a little faster,' Styles said of Smith, who hit 23.5 mph this year. 'My one last year was like 23.2. My most recent one was 22.8. He's rolling. We're super competitive with each other. We'll do bike sprints against each other. We'll push sleds. We have a bunch of great athletes always pushing each other.' Like Smith, Styles credits his father for helping him get a good start on developing his Freaky athleticism. 'When I was younger, I did a lot of explosive training with my dad,' he said. 'At 5, 6 (years old), we were doing ladders, running with the parachutes, doing broad jumps up hills, box jumps, jump squats. He always made everything a competition.' Styles said DB Brenten Jones, a 6-2, 205-pound former walk-on, is in the running for biggest Buckeye Freak: 'He runs like 23.5, jumps 11-feet broad. Vert's almost 40. He is a Freak.' A junior from Idaho, Sadiq is a matchup nightmare for defenses. Last year, he took a big step forward, catching 24 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns; both TDs were in the Big Ten title game. The 6-3 Sadiq came to Oregon two years ago at 220 pounds but is now 255. He's much leaner this season thanks to healthier eating, which he said has enabled him to go from 12-13 percent body fat to about 10. He vertical jumped 41.5 inches this summer, power cleaned 365 pounds and bench pressed 435. Advertisement 'He does stuff that amazes you every single day,' said Lanning. 'But as a coach, one of the things that excites you the most is that he really challenged himself to block better this past year, and he was really good at it.' The 6-1, 235-pound junior had a breakout season in 2024, leading a stacked defense with 68 tackles to go with 6.5 TFLs and one interception. The junior will linebacker, a team captain, is a more explosive athlete than most running backs. This offseason, Carter, a former 300-meter hurdler in high school, vertical jumped 40.3 inches. He's also hit 21.2 mph on the GPS and bench pressed 325 pounds. A three-time Freaks List guy, the 6-foot Robinson, who arrived at the Academy at 240 pounds, is up to 286. He's a stud. Robinson made First-Team All-AAC in 2024 after posting 61 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, seven QB hurries and two forced fumbles. His best game came on the biggest stage when he led Navy to a huge win against arch-rival No. 19 Army, making a career-high 13 tackles that included a forced fumble. He also took a fake punt 29 yards on a fourth-and-5 in the fourth quarter. In his career, he's had three rushing attempts for a total of 87 yards — a cool 29-yard per carry average with the runs of 24, 34 and 29 yards. This offseason, he bench pressed 465 pounds (up from 450), squatted 665 (up 15 pounds) and power cleaned 350. He vertical jumps 33 inches and hit 20.13 mph on the GPS. 'The Godfather' returns to the Freaks List for the third time. Corleone is a three-time all-conference pick who has produced 109 tackles, 17 TFLs and 9.5 sacks in his 34-game career. Last year, the 6-0 ½, 336-pounder made first-team All-Big 12. He now bench presses 485 pounds, squats 615 and can do a sumo deadlift at 585 pounds. Despite his massive body, Corleone has very nimble feet. This offseason, he clocked a 1.71-second 10-yard split, which would've been the third fastest among defensive tackles at this year's combine. His 7.44-second three-cone drill time also would've been the third fastest at the combine in his position group. The former four-star Texas A&M QB blew up last year for the Commodores as he returned to the SEC after a stop at New Mexico State, making first-team All-SEC. He led Vanderbilt with 49 receptions for 638 yards and five touchdowns. He had a dominant performance in Vanderbilt's historic upset of Alabama, making six catches for a career-best 113 yards. The 6-4, 235-pounder, a former Texas 6A state high-jump champion, has elite wheels. He broad jumped 11-3 this offseason (up five inches from last year) to go with a 39-inch vertical. His top speed on the GPS was 21.43 MPH. He power cleaned 360 pounds. The former five-star has started all 26 games at right tackle that he's played at Miami since arriving two years ago. Last season, Mauigoa earned All-ACC second-team honors. The 6-6, 335-pounder clocked a 1.57 flying 10-yard split. His power output registered almost 10,000 watts, which is by far the most on the team, almost 1,000 watts more than the next player. Last year, Mauigoa measured at 9,274 watts. His max velocity is 18 mph and his vertical jump is 30 1/2 inches. Advertisement Once ranked as the 34th best offensive tackle prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, Goosby has proven to be a terrific evaluation. As a redshirt freshman last season, he started two games, one at left tackle and the other at right. PFF gave Goosby an 80.8 pass blocking grade for the season, which was higher than Cameron Williams, Texas' starter at right tackle, although the freshman had a much smaller sample size. At 6-7 1/3, 311 pounds, Goosby clocked a flying 10-yard sprint of 1.44 seconds, grading at an extremely high level in terms of his acceleration for an offensive lineman. His max speed of 20 mph this offseason was almost as impressive. He bench pressed 365 pounds and jumped the highest of any of the Longhorn O-linemen. His leaping ability and body control are also evident in this video of him doing a 360-dunk last spring. Texas LT Trevor Goosby is one of the more freakier athletes in CFB. 3️⃣6️⃣0️⃣🤘 — Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) May 1, 2025 The South African moved to Georgia when he was 10. His grandfather was a championship bodybuilder and his grandmother represented South Africa in the 1958 Commonwealth Games. The 6-3, 300-pounder, a Freaks List guy when he was at Penn State, made a big impact at Tech last year, earning second-team all-ACC honors after coming up with 23 tackles, five TFLs, one sack, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Van den Berg's strength and agility numbers have risen. This summer he power cleaned 393, squatted 675 and bench pressed 450. His vertical jump of 36.5 inches was even more impressive. He also broad jumped 9-10 and hit 19.5 mph. Tech DB Will Kiker, a 195-pound walk-on, is another Freaky Yellow Jacket. He squatted more than triple his weight, doing 635, and cleaned more than double his weight, 393 pounds. One half of the superb 1-2 punch in the backfield with Kaytron Allen, the 6-0, 228-pound Singleton returns for his senior year, poised to have his fingerprints all over the program running back record book. He already ranks No. 5 in rushing touchdowns with 32 and No. 10 in rushing yards with 2,912 yards. Singleton is within reach of taking over the top spot in both categories. Last season, he had 172 carries for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 41 catches for 375 yards and five TDs. The guy who holds the school's all-time rushing TD mark is Saquon Barkley, who had 43 in three seasons. Barkley, No. 1 on the 2017 Freaks List, ran a 4.33 40, power cleaned 405 pounds and bench pressed 405. Singleton is close to those numbers and better in the bench press, doing 435. He improved his power clean to 395. His 40 is 4.35. His shuttle time is 4.18. His max velocity is 23.5 mph. He broke Barkley's running back record in the squat last year, doing 665. He did 660 this offseason. Singleton's broad jump also went up four inches to 10-5. A former three-star recruit who was the anchor behind an excellent O-line that helped Washington make the championship two years ago, he was graded as the second-most valuable center in the country by PFF and earned an 80.7 run-blocking grade that ranked second among Power conference centers. Advertisement In his debut season with the Tide in 2024, Brailsford thrived in the SEC, making first-team All-American honors after producing 63 knockdown blocks and allowing just half a sack on the year. Against Georgia's talented defensive front, Brailsford graded out at 94 percent and totaled five knockdown blocks in 70 snaps of action. The 6-2, 290-pound Arizona native has just 19 percent body fat and bench pressed 505 pounds, power cleaned 385 and squatted 675. His agility is part of what makes Brailsford such a terrific center: He vertical jumped 33, broad jumped 9-5 and hit 19.47 mph on the GPS. Daniel Hishaw is one-of-one. An absolute monster — Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) October 7, 2023 The 5-10, 220-pound senior has battled back from two significant hip injuries that hampered him in 2021 and 2022. He plays with extreme physicality, whether it's punishing a blitzing linebacker or pounding would-be tackles. In his Jayhawk career, he's rushed 1,490 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging a robust 5.3 yards per carry. His power is also very evident in the weight room, where he benches 405 pounds and squats 540. His explosiveness also made jaws drop this offseason when he vertical jumped 43.4 inches (up 3.3 inches from this spring). KU football reminder…We get to watch Daniel Hishaw do Daniel Hishaw stuff very soon — Brandon McAnderson (@BRANDONMCANDERS) May 4, 2023 The 6-4, 290-pound former Nebraska state champion shot putter, who played in 11 games in 2024, is next in the long pipeline of Hawkeye O-line Freaks. Only a sophomore, Pieper already holds the program record (4.13) for fastest short shuttle among offensive guards. He also holds the vertical jump record for guards at 37.4 and for the best 10-yard dash program record at 1.52. 'He's a Freak,' said Hawkeye center Logan Jones. 'He can jump! It's ridiculous. We don't even practice broad jump, and the dude did like 10 feet.' A former standout on Iowa Western CC's junior college national title team in 2023, Copeland generated a lot of buzz when he first got to Tech after video of his squatting 605 pounds for 10 reps was circulated. Copeland's 2024 season with the Hokies was derailed by a season-ending torn triceps in Tech's fourth game. Folks in Blacksburg are excited about his return. This summer, the 6-2, 284-pound junior looked plenty Freaky, vertical jumping 32 1/2 inches, broad jumping 9-5 and clocking more than 20 mph on the GPS. He also squatted 685 pounds and benched 455. Coaches said he could've done much more on both, but they cut him off. The Ohio native made the Freaks List last year as a true freshman. On the season, Brewu had 15 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The 6-1, 280-pound 19-year-old squatted 685 pounds, bench pressed 475 and vertical jumped 33 inches. Advertisement Making another appearance on the Freaks List, Orange had a solid 2024 season, making 24 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss — 3.5 of those TFLs came in the last five games of the season. The 6-4, 325-pound Orange, who spent much of his offseason refining his diet, has benched 450 pounds, squatted 650 and cleaned 365. He also has vertical jumped 34 inches. In two seasons, the rangy junior has had five catches but for an average of 22 yards per reception. The staff thinks this is the year he's ready to break through. The 6-7, 245-pounder has spectacular athleticism. This offseason, Ezirim broad jumped 10-10, vertical jumped 39 inches and hit 22.17 mph on the GPS. He squatted 505 pounds. A repeat on the Freaks List, Roberts will start for the Tide for the third consecutive season. The 6-5, 327-pound senior has just 18 percent body fat and 272 pounds of lean muscle on his frame. Roberts' power numbers again were remarkable. He squatted 805 pounds and power cleaned 415 while his bench press stayed the same (525). He vertical jumped 29 inches and hit 19.06 mph. Last year, he started 11 games and made 18 catches for 282 yards and one touchdown. This offseason, the 6-0, 195-pounder, who has made a remarkable recovery from a broken leg in 2023, squatted a Gophers wide receiver record 664 pounds, breaking his own record from a year ago by 50 pounds. Brockington vertical jumped 42 inches, broad jumped 11-4 1/4 (an improvement of five inches from last year), ran a 4.19 shuttle time and had a 10-yard split of 1.43. His numbers, particularly his jumping and strength ones, are truly amazing. A transfer this year from Division II Lindenwood in Missouri, Caldwell had 93 career catches for 1,722 yards and 23 touchdowns in his career there. He's 6-4 1/2 and 208 pounds, and he wowed Cincinnati coaches when he broad-jumped 11-9. For context, that's seven inches longer than any other wideout jump at the combine this year. It also would've tied the farthest any wide receiver has ever jumped at the combine. Caldwell's vertical jump is 36.5 inches and he clocked a 1.50-second 10-yard split. The Virginia native is coming off a breakout season in his sophomore year, where he started all 16 games, making 58 tackles, six TFLs, one sack, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and breaking up four passes. A standout running back in high school, he's made big gains this offseason, improving his 40 to 4.37 from 4.50 last year. His vertical jump went from 34 inches to 37 1/2, he now broad jumps 10-5 and also bettered his shuttle time to 4.05 — no linebacker has gone faster than that at the combine since 2019. Rojas hit 22.5 mph on the GPS, power cleaned 350 pounds and benched 375. Peak, a Georgia native, weighed nearly 380 pounds going into his senior year of high school, but lost a lot of the weight playing basketball. He has started in each of his first two seasons at right tackle, and the 6-4, 308-pound junior, expected to play at left tackle this fall, should be one of the ACC's best O-linemen this season. In 2024, Peak was second on the Wolfpack in pancakes with 54. Advertisement 'He's very athletic and a great bender,' said NC State strength coach Dantonio Burnette. This offseason, Peak vertical ran a 4.86 40 and hit 19.8 mph on the GPS. He jumped 32.5 inches, broad jumped 9-3 and timed a very impressive 4.37-second shuttle. That would've been the fastest shuttle time of any offensive lineman at the 2024 combine, besting former Texas Tech Freak Lister Caleb Rogers' 4.49. Peak bench pressed 405 pounds, squatted 585 and cleaned 350. Five years ago, Hilton was the highest-ranked of the Tigers' ridiculously talented wide receiver class that included NFL first-rounders Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers and second-rounder Jack Bech. Hilton, an elite track athlete, has battled many injuries in his career but is expected to have a big 2025. He missed most of last season with an ankle injury, but has flashed his big-play potential. In the Texas Bowl against Baylor, he caught seven passes for 113 yards. He's had 31 catches in his career with seven going for at least 40 yards, with five TDs. The 6-0, 190-pound senior, a former three-time Louisiana state high jump champion, has hit 23.7 mph on the GPS, an all-time LSU record. He also has clocked a 1.37 10-yard split off of a 1-yard lead-in, another program record, and he's timed in the high 4.2s in the 40. On a team with plenty of Freaky receivers, including track star Jelani Watkins and Barion Brown, coaches say this is the program's biggest Freak. In his first season as a starter, the former three-star recruit took the sport by storm. He completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven INTs. On the ground, he ran for 674 yards and seven TDs, often looking like the best athlete on the field. At 6-3, 245 pounds, Sellers measured in with just seven percent body fat this offseason. He squatted 555 pounds and hit 22 mph on the GPS. And his coaches say he's just scratching the surface of how good he can be. Trey Lance's younger brother is a special athlete, too. At 6-3, 207 pounds, he vertical jumped 40 inches this offseason and broad jumped 10-10. That kind of explosiveness shows up on the field. The younger Lance set an NDSU record last season with 17 touchdown receptions, which led the FCS in 2024. The first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference pick had 75 catches for 1,071 yards for NDSU. The TE from Germany made the Freaks List last year (No. 90). In 2024, he started six games and caught 13 passes for 108 yards and was named Most Improved Player on offense. The 6-6, 250-pound junior, who has hit 21.75 mph, broad jumped 9-7. This offseason, Klein ran a 6.89 in the three-cone drill. His former teammate Colston Loveland did it at 6.94 last offseason, and no tight end at this year's combine did it quicker than that. Klein's shuttle time of 4.25 this offseason would've been the fastest by any tight end at the combine. One other Wolverine Freak to remember is redshirt freshman RB Micah Ka'apana, a 5-11, 190-pounder from Hawaii who broke Roman Wilson's reactive plyo stair record at Michigan of 2.22 by flying up the stairs in 2.19 seconds. A former four-star recruit, Langston didn't see much action in three years with LSU, but new Owls coach Zach Kittley has loved what he's seen and expects a breakout season from him. The 6-3, 292-pound Langston looks like a leader for FAU. He's very strong and explosive and has long arms — he has a 6-7 wingspan. He bench pressed 425 pounds, power cleaned 365 and vertical jumped 37 inches. He also clocked a hand-timed 4.7 40. Advertisement He missed almost all of last year with a fractured hip suffered in the season opener. D'Appolonia showed a lot of promise as a true freshman in 2023, making eight tackles as one of Toledo's top special-teamers. Don't be surprised if he's one of the MAC's best linebackers this year. The 6-3, 245-pounder is a high-level athlete. He clocked 21.94 mph on the GPS, broad jumped 10-8 and vertical jumped 34.5 inches. He also benched 355 pounds and squatted 555. The other Freaky athlete on the Rockets' defense is 295-pound lineman Martez Poynter, who had seven TFLs in 2024. The near 300-pounder hit 19.77 mph on the GPS, did 35 reps of 225 on the bench and maxed 455 on the bench. As a true freshman last year, the former four-star recruit appeared in 10 games and made seven tackles. The 6-5, 295-pounder from Minnesota has intriguing athleticism, having clocked 19.22 mph at nearly 300 pounds. More impressively, Abasiri's 10-yard split was 1.60, which would be a good time for an edge rusher. He's squatted 700 pounds. At 6-7, 270, Honig, a former quarterback from Bavaria, Germany, began his college career at TCU. He moved to tight end after a redshirt season and played in 12 of 15 games during TCU's run to the title game. Honig won the starting job last season in large part because of his blocking ability, but he did have six catches, with three for touchdowns. At 6-7, 270 pounds with just 14 percent body fat, some scouts think he could project to offensive tackle at the next level because of his hulking frame and impressive athleticism. There is a lot here. He's cleaned 395 pounds — the most UConn strength coach Tyson Brown's ever seen in his 16 years in the business. Honig, who has 11-inch hands, also benched 225 for 30 reps. He vertical jumped 36 inches and broad jumped 10-5. Honig would've been a pretty hot commodity had he gone in the portal this offseason, but he is very loyal to coach Jim Mora and the Huskies. 'He is a phenomenal guy with as good of a work ethic and character as I've been around,' said Brown, who has coached at Mississippi State, Baylor, Washington and Washington State. 'He's a big-time leader for us.' The four-star recruit from Kansas, who was a 6A state champion in shot put and discus, has added 15 pounds since arriving last winter. Woods has wowed coaches with his explosiveness, intelligence and work ethic. At 6-3, 244, Woods broad jumped 10-5 this offseason and vertical jumped 33.5 inches. His shuttle time was 4.28. He squatted 555 pounds and power cleaned 365. ILB Aaron Chiles is another similarly sized Freaky defender. The 243-pound sophomore vertical jumped 9-10 1/2 and cleaned 345 pounds at 243. Injuries at Wake Forest caused him to miss the 2021 and 2023 seasons. In between, Greene looked like one of the best young players in the ACC. He caught 37 passes for 642 yards and six TDs. Last year, Greene was healthy and caught 23 passes for 380 yards and three TDs. He's fully healthy now and coaches think he can make a big impact. At 6-2, 200 (he played at 210 at Wake), Greene broad jumped 11-4 1/2 and vertical jumped 42 inches. He has great length with 34 1/2-inch arms and 10 1/4-inch hands. Advertisement Good news for the Bulls: their star QB, who is just 20, looked better than ever this spring after missing eight games last season due to a leg injury following a record-setting season in 2023. That year, Brown and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels were the only QBs in the nation to post 3,000-plus passing yards and 800-plus rushing yards in the regular season. The 6-3 1/2, 232-pound senior hit 22.5 mph on the GPS this offseason. He squatted 600 pounds and benched 300. 'He really is a freak athlete,' said USF head coach Alex Golesh. One of the many big gets by the Red Raiders in the portal this offseason, Bailey had a combined 22.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks in his three seasons at Stanford. He is PFF's highest-rated returning edge player after grading out at 90.9 as a junior in 2024. Bailey bench pressed 405 pounds and squatted 550. He has rare speed for a guy at 6-3, 250, having hit 22.16 mph. His new teammate Romello Height is almost as Freaky, having clocked 21.82 mph at 240 pounds. The son of former Irish and San Francisco 49ers great Bryant Young and former ND track star Kristin Young had an outstanding freshman season in 2024, making 23 tackles, seven of which came on third downs. He blocked three kicks, tops among all freshmen in FBS. At 6-7, 270, Young combines terrific length and size to go with high-end explosiveness. He's put on almost 30 pounds since arriving last year, but still managed to vertical jump 34 1/2 inches and broad jump 9-5. He benched 335 pounds and cleaned 335. Anthonie Knapp, another member of the Irish's already strong 2024 recruiting class, also made a compelling case for a spot on this year's Freaks List. The 6-5, 300-pound offensive tackle, who excelled filling in for Charles Jagusah last season, vertical jumped 30 inches and benched 425 pounds. He spent three seasons at NC State before transferring to Liberty last year, where he was the top returnman and had 10 carries for 62 yards and seven catches for 97 yards. The 5-11, 205-pound senior has added 10 pounds this offseason and vertical jumped 42.6 inches. He was clocked at 22.26 mph. He squatted 575 pounds, bench pressed 335 and power cleaned 320. The staff is expecting a breakout season from the former high school track star. The junior was very effective in limited action, rushing 274 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries with a gaudy 8.3-yard per carry average in 2024. The 5-10, 220-pounder is a very explosive athlete. This offseason, he ran a 4.40 40, but that probably wasn't his most impressive number. He did 10-9 3/4 inches on the broad jump, clocked a 3.96 shuttle time, squatted 635 pounds, vertical jumped 37 1/2 inches and did 33 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. His backfield mate, fullback Jackson Acker, is also pretty Freaky, a 6-2, 248-pounder who clocked a 4.50 40. He started one game for the Nittany Lions in 2024 but saw a lot of action, making one interception and six pass breakups. The 5-11, 205-pound junior is one of the Freakiest DBs in the country. He set the Penn State record for DBs in the squat, doing 565 pounds in his freshman year. He's clocked a 4.32 40 and this offseason, broad jumped 10-7, vertical jumped 37 1/2 inches and hit 23 mph on the GPS. Advertisement Golday finished second on the team in tackles last year (58) and had seven TFLs despite being limited by injuries over the season's final three games. Still, he was PFF's second-highest-graded linebacker in the Big 12 in 2024. The 6-4 1/2, 240-pounder has some elite testing numbers. He ran a 4.24 shuttle time, which would've been faster than any linebacker at this year's combine. He broad jumped 10-7, which would've been second-best there. His 36-inch vertical and 1.54-second 10-yard split also stand out as did his 24 reps on the bench with 225 pounds. His max on the bench is 365. He did 19 pull-ups and hit 22.16 mph. He's a unique weapon. In 2024, he led Baylor in catches (52), yards (754) and receiving TDs (10). Beyond that, he returned 14 punts for 290 yards (a spectacular average of 20.7 yards per return). He was such a nightmare for opposing special teams that Baylor's last four opponents of the year did not even give Cameron an opportunity to run one back, so he ended up falling below the NCAA's statistical minimum threshold for punt return average to lead the nation in punt returns. The 6-1, 225-pound senior has to be one of the strongest wideouts in college football. This offseason, he bench pressed 395 pounds, squatted 528 and power cleaned 319. He also clocked 21.6 mph on the GPS. The former all-star QB didn't get into any games last season, but don't be surprised if he becomes a factor for the defense soon. A four-sport super athlete from a small town in Iowa (Monticello, pop. 4,056), the 6-1, 225-pound Reis already holds the program linebacker record with a 630-pound squat as well as a 41.4 vertical jump/ and 1.45-second 10. In 2023, he led all ACC freshmen in tackles with 71. Last season, Robinson had six TFLs, five sacks and 64 tackles. The 6-2 1/2, 235-pound linebacker vertical jumped 34 inches this offseason and broad jumped 10-4. His shuttle time was 4.27 and his top speed was 22.23 mph. The former five-star recruit was overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams last year, but Coleman had a terrific true freshman season in his own right, catching 37 passes for 598 yards and eight TDs. In Auburn's last three games, he had 22 catches for 306 yards and six touchdowns. The 6-3, 201-pounder has been clocked at over 23 mph on the GPS in games and in practice. This offseason, he squatted 540 pounds and power cleaned 305. As a true freshman, Baugh gave the Gators a huge spark in the second half of the season, shining against Georgia, Texas, LSU and Ole Miss. He also had big performances against FSU and Kentucky, when he had a program-record five rushing TDs. Baugh led the Gators with 673 yards, averaging over five yards per carry to go with eight TDs. The 6-1, 233-pound power back from Atlanta, who has 13.6 percent body fat, squatted 565 pounds this offseason, did a close-grip bench press of 350 and cleaned 335. He also moves well for such a big back, hitting 21.7 mph. He started six games last year after overcoming an early-season injury and was still able to make second-team all-Mountain West. He was second on the Cowboys with 30 receptions for 425 yards and tied for the team lead with three TDs. The former high school basketball standout only played one season of football before coming to college, but he has the kind of athleticism at 6-5, 250 pounds that will intrigue NFL scouts. He's hit 21.6 mph and his flying 10-yard time of 0.93 seconds is impressive, as are his 37-inch vertical and 10-8 broad jump. He squatted 500 pounds, benched 350 (up 25 pounds from last year) and cleaned 335. Advertisement He rushed for almost 2,600 yards and had over 700 more receiving yards and 30 touchdowns in three seasons at Cal. The 5-11, 208-pounder squatted 485 pounds, bench pressed 370 and power cleaned 315. His max velocity was 21.6 mph and his max acceleration registered at 12.1 mph — his ability in one second to see how fast he can sprint from a stop. The strength staff measured his peak propulsion power at 7,792 watts, and his propulsion force was more than three times (3.01) his body weight. One of the best-kept secrets in the Big Ten. In 2023, as a redshirt freshman, Saka made 5.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 11 games. Last season, he made All-Big Ten honorable mention selection with five TFLs and 3.5 sacks, where he also ranked 13th in the Big Ten in pass rush win percentage in 2024, according to PFF. He's added about 15 pounds since last season, and is excited to see the difference it makes for him on the field, now that he carries almost 260 pounds on his 6-4 frame. Expect him to be more of an every-down player for the Wildcats. 'I still feel very explosive, very fast,' the former high school sprinter said. 'I feel that 255-260 (pound) range is money for me.' This summer, Saka vertical jumped 36 1/2 inches and broad jumped 10-4. He emerged as one of the MAC's top defensive players in 2024, making 38 tackles with 6.5 sacks with a forced fumble. The 6-5, 255-pound former high school wrestler has put impressive numbers this offseason, broad jumping an eye-catching 10-6 feet. (Only Shemar Stewart and Landon Jackson jumped farther at the combine among defensive ends in 2025.) He vertical jumped 35 inches, ran a 4.73 40, had a 4.47 shuttle time and bench pressed 410 pounds. Williams' combination of frame, athleticism and production has intrigued many NFL scouts. Hey @BruceFeldmanCFB if you need someone for your Freaks List here is Roy Williams 6'5 255 10'6 Broad Jump. He working like a Pro this year. — Thomas Hammock (@NIUCoachHammock) July 18, 2025 One of the former James Madison players who followed Curt Cignetti to Bloomington, the 5-10, 210-pounder rushed for 251 yards and two TDs in limited action. Black vertical jumped 40 inches, bench pressed 415 pounds and squatted over 500 this summer. 'He's our biggest Freak for sure,' said DL Mikail Kamara. 'When he lifts, everything moves so fast. He's ridiculous. I've never seen him struggle (in the weight room). I saw him bench press 415 the other day, and it was butter. It touched his chest and went right back up. It looked like a warmup set. And he's hella fast.' The former state champion wrestler from Florida has been a menace to opponents. Last year, Jacas made 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. He made 9.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and forced two of those fumbles in Illinois' six games against ranked teams. Coaches are expecting an even bigger season from him in 2025. Advertisement 'He has lost over seven percent of his body fat from last season to the start of this season,' strength coach Tank Wright said. The 6-3, 270-pound Jacas is now under 12 percent. He has hit over 20 mph on the GPS and bench pressed 225 pounds for 30-plus reps. 'Talent is common at this level of college football; however, work ethic sets the elite apart from the rest, and Gabe Jacas is the definition of work ethic and dedication,' Wright said. 'Football has become his lifestyle. From early morning workouts to late afternoon workouts. He has embraced every aspect of a relentless mindset to achieve high goals.' A top-125 recruit who had originally signed with Georgia, Smith is finally healthy after battling various injuries, and the staff is fired up. Last year, while at Purdue, he started in all three of the games he played in, catching six passes for 69 yards. The 6-0 1/2, 204-pounder ran a 10.29 100 meters and clocked at 23.11 mph on the GPS. This offseason, Smith bench pressed 315 pounds, squatted 445 and cleaned 325. The former five-star began his career at Oklahoma. He made six TFLs and 4.5 sacks last year and looks ready to make a bigger impact. The 6-4, 252-pound senior hit 22.1 mph on the GPS with a max acceleration of 8.18. He squatted 565 pounds, benched 335 and cleaned 330. He's one of a trio of Sun Devils who each could've been on the Freaks List. Star wideout Jordyn Tyson, at 6-2, 205, hit 22.8 mph and bench pressed 335 pounds. Linebacker Keyshaun Elliott hit 22.42 mph at 6-2, 234 pounds and power cleaned 360. A soccer player from Germany who didn't pick up football until 2020, Biegel redshirted last season as a 6-5, 280-pounder. He has added 35 pounds and displayed 'rare traits in both movement and strength and power,' said strength coach Justin Tress. 'He weighs 315 pounds and moves like a linebacker.' Beigel has uncanny flexibility in his lower body in his ankles, knees and hips, which is evident in how quickly and deep he goes squatting 425 pounds for three reps, Tress said. Beigel also rocketed up the reactive plyo stairs in 2.64 seconds, best of any offensive or defensive linemen in the program. Former All-American Aidan Hutchinson once did it in 2.57 seconds but he weighed 50 pounds less. Beigel isn't the only Freaky Wolverine in the D-line room. Ike Iwunnah, a 6-3, 320-pound senior, is just the third player in Michigan history who has done 800 pounds on the combo twist, joining Mike Onwenu and 2022 Freaks Lister Mazi Smith. Iwunnah also completed the reactive plyo stairs in 2.75 seconds (Mazi Smith did it in 2.82 seconds). One of the best-kept secrets in the ACC, the 5-9, 192-pound senior had 228 carries for 1,049 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2024, becoming the first Wake Forest RB to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground in six seasons. He also added 23 receptions for 254 yards and two more receiving touchdowns. On special teams, he averaged over 25 yards as a KR, which included a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Miami in Week 13. Claiborne has hit 22.3 mph and has clocked a flying 10-yard split of .90 seconds with a 25-yard buildup. He squatted 500 pounds this offseason and cleaned 300. Advertisement Clairborne also earned the distinction of having the fastest speed grade of any running back in EA Sports College Football 26. Both he and Fresno State's Rayshon 'Speedy' Luke, a 5-9, 180-pounder who once ran a 10.32 100-meter in high school, are listed as 96s — one point above Notre Dame's noted speedster Jeremiyah Love. The 6-2, 214-pound Brown is really gifted. This offseason, he clocked a 4.40 40, vertical jumped 41 inches and broad jumped 10-8. He also squatted 585 pounds and did 21 reps of 225 on the bench. On the field, the former high school quarterback and standout basketball player had 51 tackles last year with three pass breakups, one sack, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The 6-0, 225-pound junior is coming off an All-American season in which he piled up 101 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, seven sacks and four interceptions. He blocked a Toledo extra point attempt in the GameAbove Sports Bowl and returned it for a rare defensive 2-point conversion. He also had a 59-yard pick six against Syracuse earlier in the season. On that play, Louis displayed his speed, clocking 21.34 mph. This summer, he broad jumped 10-3 and did 40 chin-up reps during a team competition. A redshirt freshman, the 5-11 1/4, 214-pound Scott is already one of the strongest running backs in college football. He power cleaned 375 pounds this offseason and squatted 550. 'He will clean over 405 next year, guaranteed,' NC State strength coach Dantonio Burnette said. Remember Scott's name: I predict he makes a big splash in the ACC this year. Scott, who was one of the top high school sprinters in Georgia, vertical jumped 37.5 inches, ran a 4.35 40 and clocked a 4.23 shuttle time. The 6-3, 190-pounder is making his third appearance on the Freaks List. Taylor had 23 tackles and one TFL in 2024, his first in the SEC. This offseason, Taylor broad jumped 10-11, vertical jumped 38.5 inches and hit a top speed of 21.99 mph on the GPS. An elite track athlete who has a lot of potential on the football field. At the ACC outdoor championship meet this year, he ran the 400 in 44.38, setting an ACC and FSU record. Danzy, who made first-team All-ACC in track as a true freshman, was the national leader going into the NCAA Track and Field championships and ninth in the world. Before coming to FSU, he was the Florida state champion in the 200 and 400 in 2023 and 2024. The 6-1, 185-pounder played in four games as a running back for the Noles in 2024, preserving his redshirt status. This spring, he shifted to wideout. This offseason, Danzy power cleaned 335, showing he has a lot of strength to go with all that speed. The strength staff says he is easily capable of going over 24 mph. Advertisement Another Freaks List returnee, Morris' 2024 season was over almost as soon as it began. He started the opener against Elon but suffered a season-ending injury. In 20 career games, he has made 75 tackles with three TFLs. The 6-3, 238-pound fifth-year senior looked more than ready for 2025 this summer. He vertical jumped 40 inches and broad jumped 10-2 1/4. He hit 21.73 mph on the GPS, clocked a 4.28 shuttle time and a 6.72 three-cone drill. His power numbers also were outstanding, bench pressing 415, squatting 573 and power cleaning 366. He spent two seasons at Tennessee as a reserve running back/returnman before coming back to his home state, where he was once the top-ranked prospect in Virginia and won state titles in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash (twice) and 4×100-meter relay. The 6-1 1/2, 210-pound Seldon is probably the fastest Hokie, having clocked 22.9 mph this offseason. He also broad jumped 10-4 and vertical jumped 36 inches. The Nittany Lions have had a remarkable run of standout athletes at tight end. Dinkins, the son of former NFL tight end Darnell Dinkins, started six games last season, catching 14 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki proved last year he's very creative in finding ways to get his best athletes the ball, and Dinkins is one of the Freakiest athletes in the country. At 6-4, 255 pounds, Dinkins ran a 4.50 40 (a school record for Penn State tight ends) and hit 21.8 mph. He broad jumped 10-0, clocked 4.30 in the shuttle, bench pressed 405 pounds, power cleaned 355 and squatted 550. A 6-3, 215-pound sophomore, Singleton has added about 30 pounds since arriving in Tampa from Georgia. He made a bunch of splashy plays in his first season, catching 26 passes for 408 yards and three touchdowns, and should be an even bigger weapon with star QB Byrum Brown back. Singleton, who has huge hands and wears XXXL-sized gloves, hit 22.4 mph and squatted 535 pounds. This was a big get for the Tigers. While at Georgia Tech, Singleton was a 2023 freshman All-American at Georgia Tech (56 passes for 754 yards and three TDs, plus 131 rushing yards and a TD). A decorated high school sprinter, Singleton ran track at Tech too, clocking a 10.32 100 meters in one race he won. (His personal best in the 100 is 10.20.) Pound for pound, the former 5-10, 180-pound Georgia state champion in the 100, 200 and 400 meters is very strong. He squatted 550 pounds and clocked over 23 mph on the GPS. The junior started 13 games at guard last season and was honored as a First Team All-AAC selection by the league's coaches. The 6-2, 285-pounder was a Georgia 5A state heavyweight wrestling champion but was the lowest-ranked recruit in Tulane's 2022 recruiting class. He's blossomed into one of the top guards in college football. He's extremely explosive and strong. This offseason, Hurst power cleaned 375 pounds but head coach Jon Sumrall said they cut him off: 'He could've gone way more.' Hurst also bench pressed 450, squatted 600 and did a trap bar deadlift with 635 pounds for three reps. A converted safety, Brown led the Wolfpack with 94 tackles last season. The 6-0, 224-pound senior has added about 10 pounds from last year but still runs like a DB, and a fast one at that. This offseason, he clocked a 4.47 40 with an even more impressive 3.97 shuttle. He had a 10-3 broad jump and a 38.5-inch vertical jump. Brown also squatted 530 pounds, benched 365 and cleaned 325. Advertisement A two-time transfer who played at Cincinnati and West Virginia before joining the Bearkats, the 6-1, 265-pound senior wowed his new teammates and coaches this summer with his numbers. He clocked a 4.70 40, vertical jumped 32.5 inches and clocked 21 mph. He benched pressed 425, squatted 535 and did a sumo deadlift of 585. He also did 16 pull-ups. He began his career at West Georgia before transferring to Limestone University, where he led all NCAA Division II tight ends with 57 catches for 766 yards for eight TDs in 2024. The 6-3, 229-pound senior doesn't have great size for a tight end but is super athletic and strong. He benched 405 pounds, power cleaned 365 and vertical jumped 37 inches to go with a 1.43-second 10-yard split with a 10-yard run-up. He hit 21.7 mph on the flying 10. He was a big recruit for FSU in 2022, but the former four-star recruit didn't see a lot of playing time in two years there as his body continued to develop. Richardson, who has 11-inch hands and a 6-11 wingspan, won a starting job with the Owls in 2024. At 6-5, 322 pounds, he vertical jumped 35 inches this summer and clocked a hand-timed 5.0 40. He power cleaned 405 pounds and benched 405. Last year, the New Jersey native made FCS first-team All-America after making 82 tackles with 22.5 TFLs and 12.5 sacks. He went in the portal last winter and transferred to Memphis, but opted to return to URI in the spring. The 6-2, 250-pound senior vertical jumped 35 inches this offseason, did multiple reps squatting 600 pounds and benched pressed 375 pounds. Another transfer, this one from North Carolina, Sampson is expected to become Tech's starting left tackle. He has great size at 6-8, 335, but also moves well, having hit 17.24 mph. He's bench pressed 385 pounds and squatted 605. The diminutive junior proved to be a big weapon for the Hilltoppers, especially in road games: He scored three times on big plays — 74 yards at Sam Houston, 72 yards at Middle Tennessee and 28 yards at New Mexico State. The 5-6, 180-pounder is extremely strong for his size. He did 20 reps on the bench press at 225 pounds and maxed out at 350. He squatted 450. He vertical jumped 41 inches, broad jumped 10-1 and clocked a 4.10 shuttle time. His 10-yard split was 1.5,1 and he hit 22.5 mph on the GPS. In his first full season as a starter, Spears-Jennings made a lot of big plays: 66 tackles, five TFLs, 2.5 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The 6-1, 219-pound junior, a former high school sprinter, squatted 510 pounds, bench pressed 330 and hit 21.6 mph on the GPS. His max acceleration was 12.8 mph, measuring his ability in one second to see how fast he can sprint from a stop. Spears-Jennings' propulsion force measurement was 3.4 times his body weight in a vertical jump, which is exceptional, according to the staff. Advertisement The 6-3, 198-pound Hurst, who spent two seasons at Valdosta State, had a big debut season in the Sun Belt, making 56 receptions for 961 yards and a Georgia State single-season record nine touchdowns. He had two TDs, including the game-winner with 15 seconds left, in Georgia State's upset against Vanderbilt. Hurst clocked a laser-timed 4.51 40 this offseason and also broad jumped 10-8. His three-cone time was 6.93. Head coach Dell McGee has another Freaky transfer on his roster in former South Carolina RB DJay Braswell, who, at 5-11, 215, ran a laser-timed 4.38 40 with a 1.47-second 10-yard split. A first-team FCS All-American in 2024, Jones led the country with 22 passes defensed and 22 passes broken up to go with 48 tackles, two INTs and two forced fumbles. In high school, Jones was the Virginia state champion in the long jump and the runner-up in the triple jump. The 6-0 1/2, 195-pound senior has really long arms and is drawing plenty of interest from scouts. His wingspan is 6-5 1/2. This summer he clocked a 1.51-second 10-yard split, hit 22 mph on the GPS, vertical jumped 36 1/2 inches and broad jumped 10-2. Coach Mike London calls him 'The TikTok King': 'He knows every dance move out there. Heck, he even knows the electric slide.' After returning from an ACL injury that hampered him for parts of his freshman and sophomore seasons, the junior started three games, catching 11 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-6, 255-pound second-generation Irish football player displayed plenty of explosiveness this offseason, vertical jumping 34 inches and broad jumping 9-10. He's also quite strong, benching 350 pounds, power cleaning 335 and squatting 535. The junior college product had 527 yards and four touchdowns in his debut season at La. Tech. He also had 20 catches for 126 yards and two TDs as a receiver. The 5-10, 206-pound Wiggins squatted 585 pounds, vertical jumped 40 inches and hit over 22 mph. The former Illinois O-lineman, who made Academic All-Big Ten in his two seasons there, made third-team All-Sun Belt in 2024, starting three games at left guard and then ODU's final nine games at left tackle. The 6-4, 319-pound senior, who played five sports in high school (football, baseball, wrestling, golf and track and field), ran a laser-timed 1.58 10-yard split this offseason. His top GPS speed was 18.18 mph. He squatted 655 pounds and benched 425. Carter arrived from Memphis last year and was Tech's starting right guard. He was their second-highest graded o-lineman, according to PFF, at 70.6. He's an impressive combination of agility and power. He clocked 18.88 mph on the GPS at a stout 6-0, 300 pounds. He also bench pressed 425 pounds and squatted 655 this offseason. The younger brother of former Oklahoma State star Brennan Presley, Braylin transferred to Tulsa from Oklahoma State two years ago. He's made some big plays as a returner, averaging 52 yards on three kickoff returns in 2024. The 5-6, 170-pound senior has run a 10.4 100 meters, hit 23 mph, clocked a 1.44-second 10-yard split, vertical jumped 38 inches and did 4.18 in the shuttle. He squatted 585 pounds and power cleaned 315. Advertisement One of the ACC's best punters looks and moves like an ACC power forward. Sparks, who averaged 44.6 yards per punt and had 25 percent of his kicks pinned inside the opponent's 20 last season, is 6-6 1/2, 223 pounds. This offseason, he broad jumped 10-5 ½ and vertical jumped 33 1/2 inches. Only four DBs at this year's combine ran faster than his 4.25-second shuttle time. Last year's Freak punter, Penn State's Gabe Nwosu, almost made the list again. The 6-6, 280-pound punter runs a 4.86 40 and vertical jumped 31 1/2 inches. He improved his bench press to 390, which has to make him the strongest punter in college football. Delaware kicker Nate Reed also almost made it. At 6-2 1/2, 183, he broad jumped 10-5, vertical jumped 37 inches and hit 21.15 mph. He spent three seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to MSU, where he caught 19 passes for 230 yards and two TDs. A former high school QB who won the Texas 3A 200-meter title running 21.27, the 5-9, 170-pound Thompson clocked a blazing 23.7 mph this offseason. He bench pressed 305 pounds and squatted 405. He's expected to have a big season for the Bulldogs, taking over the slot spot that Kevin Coleman had, where he put up big numbers last season before transferring. Ball State also has one of the Freakiest specialists on the roster in kicker Brady Boehm, a transfer from Missouri who vertical jumps 41 inches, but in Wing, they have a guy who almost jumped as high (39.7 inches) and weighs 40 pounds more. The 6-2, 233-pound redshirt junior, who started his college career at Rutgers, also broad jumped 10-4 1/2 this offseason. 'Micah is an edgy pass rusher with a high motor and huge explosive ability to go along with it,' said BSU strength coach T.J. Greenstone. 'His performance is a result of the intensity he brings day in and day out.' This is an intriguing young prospect who redshirted last season, catching one pass in three games. At 6-5, 211 pounds, Tipton, a former high school track standout in Texas, vertical jumped 41 inches this offseason and broad jumped 10-5. He also power cleaned 315 and clocked a 1.43-second 10-yard time with a 10-yard run-up. NFL scouts are very interested in Walthall. The 6-1 1/2, 198-pound Walthall, who won a Texas state title in the triple jump with a leap of 50 feet, 4 inches, began his college career at Hawaii. In his first season at UIW, he had 70 catches for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Walthall vertical jumped 40 inches this summer and broad jumped 10-7. He's also hit 22 mph on the GPS and power cleaned 290 pounds. Advertisement A graduate transfer from Cornell, White had 20 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in 2024 for Buffalo. The 6-2, 255-pound White squatted 635 pounds at .59 m/s, which, according to Buffalo's strength staff, that weight, at that speed, projects his squat to be around 800 pounds. This offseason, White bench pressed 435 pounds, cleaned 365 and vertical jumped 35 inches. He also hit 20.47 mph on the GPS. The 6-4, 330-pound redshirt senior is the guy the staff sees as the biggest Freak in the program. Morris, who started five games last season, has done two reps on the bench of 420 pounds and squatted 505 for a double as well. He also vertical jumped 28 inches and broad jumped 8-6. Curt Cignetti's move to Indiana created two pipelines: One from JMU to Indiana, the other from Holy Cross to JMU. Fuller followed the path of fellow Freaks Lister Jacob Dobbs. He was a Campbell Trophy semifinalist last year at Holy Cross, where he sustained a season-ending injury in his third game, so he opted to redshirt and retain a year of eligibility. He had a prolific career at Holy Cross, scoring 45 touchdowns. In 2023, he had 156 carries for 1,046 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. The 5-11, 229-pound New Hampshire native is a powerhouse. He squatted 660 pounds this summer and benched 365 (up 15 pounds from last year) and cleaned 335. The Eagles always seem to have a few excellent O-linemen that the NFL will like, and the 6-5, 311-pound junior left tackle fits that mold. In 2024, Bowry allowed only two sacks in 321 dropback snaps. Bowry's athleticism has really impressed the staff; he achieved a peak velocity of 1.18 meters per second and a peak power of 2,610 watts while performing multiple sets of five reps on back squats with 435 pounds. Gennarelli started all 14 games at right guard and played a key role in Army's O-line winning the 2024 Joe Moore Award for Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football, the first Group of 5 school to win the award. The 6-1, 300-pound junior, an AP All-America Third-Team honoree, is one of the strongest men in college football. He bench pressed 505 pounds, squatted 605 and did a sumo deadlift of 625. Williams, a senior, began his college career at Weber State, where he was an FCS All-American. He then transferred to Idaho in 2024 before following head coach Jason Eck to New Mexico,. He only played in four games last year before suffering a season-ending injury. He did make six tackles in Idaho's opener against Oregon. The 6-1, 186-pound Salt Lake City native is a very long, athletic corner who clocked 22.5 mph, vertical jumped 39 inches and broad jumped 10-5 this summer. The wiry corner helped the Skyhawks win the Big South-OVC Football Association Championship in 2024. McGoy made 42 tackles, three TFLs, picked off three passes and broke up 18 passes. He's also run for the UT-Martin track team, competing in the 55, 60, 100 and 200. The 5-10, 170-pound DB obviously doesn't have great size, but has vertical jumped 41 inches and run the 40s in the 4.38-4.40 range. The Freaks List series is part of a partnership with GMC Sierra EV. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Photos: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images, Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images, Kirby Lee / Imagn Images, Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire / AP Photo)
New York Times
2 minutes ago
- New York Times
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, with 100/200 double, emerges as next U.S. sprint star
EUGENE, Ore. — It's official. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is here. And she's a big problem. She completed the double at the U.S. championships on Sunday, smoking a field featuring reigning Olympic champion Gabby Thomas, Olympic bronze medalist Brittany Brown, and rising star McKenzie Long. After cruising to gold in the 100-meter on Friday, Jefferson-Wooden ran a personal-best time of 21.84 seconds to win the 200 gold. The 24-year-old leaves this weekend and heads to the 2025 world championships in Tokyo looking like she might be America's best in both. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden dominates the 200m to become the first athlete since 2003 to complete the 100m/200m double at nationals. 😲 📺 NBC & Peacock — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2025 'Oh, I'm getting me a big bowl of fries,' she said when asked how she'd celebrate her double, 'and really just chill out and hang out with my family.' She exploded at the start of the race, taking the lead immediately. She came out of the turn in Lane 7 with a considerable cushion. With her top-end speed, it was curtains for the field. Advertisement Anavia Battle was a surprise in second place (22.13) and set up an intense battle for the third-and-final U.S. qualifying spot for Tokyo. Thanks to a late surge and a lean, Gabby Thomas took the third spot in a photo finish at 12.20 seconds. Thomas, who didn't look strong in the first round, ran the final 50 meters in 5.52 seconds, the best in the field. It put her in a too-close-to-call finish with Brown and Long. Video concluded Thomas edged Brown by one-thousandth of a second. Long was one-thousandth of a second behind Brown. That shows the depth of this 200-meter field, and it's their best event. Not so for Jefferson-Wooden. 'Obviously,' she said, 'the 100 is my preferred event and it's also my favorite. But also I've spent so much time in my career shying away from how good I can be in the 200. And now I'm just starting to embrace that because I know that the more my times get faster in the 200, the more it's going to help my 100.' When she won bronze in Paris in the 100-meter, she said it felt like a gold medal because of all she went through to make it there. It was her first Olympics and proof that she can compete with the elite. Now she is establishing herself as a superstar to be dealt with in women's sprinting. She can beat the elite. The global field is intense, so Jefferson-Wooden is about to feel the pressure of the expectations in the elite realm. Not only do Sha'Carri Richardson — who missed the 200 final but will compete in the 100 in Tokyo — and Thomas figure to be better at worlds, but Julien Alfred of St. Lucia is strong in both events, and England's Dina Asher-Smith is always formidable. But it's clear Jefferson-Wooden belongs among them. And she's only getting better. One of the most riveting races of the day featured two unlikely figures running the race of their lives: Donavan Brazier and high-schooler Cooper Lutkenhaus in the men's 800-meter. Brazier ran a personal best 1:42.16, the third-best time in the world this season, to win his first U.S. championship. He'd stepped away from racing for three years, but he's returned to put his name back on the map in 2025. Donavan Brazier is BACK! High schooler Cooper Lutkenhaus breaks the U18 world record with a 1:42.27 in second! 😱 📺 NBC & Peacock — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2025 Brazier won the U.S. championship in the 800-meter in 2019, then went on to win gold at the world championships — punctuating his Texas A&M career. He failed to make the Olympics in 2021, finishing eighth in the trials. He faded from view thanks to recurring injuries. Sunday, he ran the final 100 meters in 13.12 seconds to turn a bronze into gold. The only better close on Sunday was from Lutkenhaus, the 16-year-old from Northwest High School in Texas. Advertisement His stunning surge down the stretch secured him second place. His time of 1:42.27 was a world record for the 18-and-under category. He was the only one to post sub-13-second times in each of his final two 100-meter splits, including 12.48 seconds over the final 100 meters. 'The last 100 got really loud,' Cooper said. 'The stadium exploded. … It was crazy.' Bryce Hoppel, ranked No. 4 in the world, took third (1:42.49), Josh Hoey, ranked No. 6 in the world, missed out on a medal (1:43.06). On her fourth throw of the women's discus final, Valarie Allman — the two-time defending Olympic gold medalist — launched a throw of 71.45 meters Sunday. It was more than enough to capture her seventh consecutive U.S. championship. She has now won 26 straight meets. Her last loss came at the last world championships. In August 2023, she took silver behind fellow American Laulauga Tausaga. She'll head to Tokyo in search of the one thing missing from her resume: world championship gold. Rai Benjamin, ranked No. 1 in the world, cruised to the gold in the 400-meter hurdles in 46.89 seconds — nearly two seconds ahead of second place. Last month, Benjamin lost in the Prefontaine Classic to Brazilian Alison Dos Santos. Those two, and Norwegian Karsten Warholm, are the class of the event and figure to make a riveting competition at worlds next month. Addison Wiley, ranked No. 6 in the world in the women's 800-meter, nearly fell and finished last, missing out on her first national championship. Nia Akins, the two-time defending U.S. champion, jumped out front and led for 700 meters. But she ran out of gas and finished fourth. Roisin Willis, the 20-year-old Stanford star, took advantage with a strong kick to finish in 1:59.26 for her first U.S. championship. Maggi Congdon had an even faster close, jumping from sixth to silver with a time of 1:59.39. Veteran Sage Hurta-Klecker, ranked No. 18 in the world, edged out Akins for third in 1:59.48. WOW. 😲 800m NCAA champion Roisin Willis comes from behind to win the national title! 📺 NBC & Peacock — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2025 Cole Hocker did his patented breathtaking kick again. He was in seventh with 200 meters to go in the men's 5,000-meter and found another gear, running the final two 100-meter splits in 13.06 and 12.64 seconds. It was enough to squeeze ahead of another surging star, Grant Fisher, who looked strong after taking over second place with a lap to go. Hocker took the gold in 13:26.45, pinching his ticket to Tokyo and making up for the slight upset he endured in the 1,500 meters, where he finished third. Incredible kicks from Cole Hocker and Grant Fisher as they go head-to-head to decide the 5000m! 😤 📺 NBC & Peacock — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2025 Fisher finished in 13:26.75, shy of his bronze-winning effort in the Olympics but enough to earn a spot in Tokyo. Nico Young, who made his move over the last two laps and led going into the final 100, faded into third at 13:27.05.
