Auburn G Tahaad Pettiford facing DUI charge
Pettiford, 19, is under the legal drinking age so any blood-alcohol level greater than 0.02 percent is considered illegal in Alabama. His BAC was not reported. He posted a bond of $1,000.
"We are aware of the situation, and we will handle internally with Tahaad and his family," Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement Saturday morning, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. "We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward."
A blue-chip recruit from Jersey City, N.J., and a freshman sixth man on the Tigers' Final Four team last season, Pettiford averaged 11.6 points, 3.0 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 22.9 minutes in 38 games (one start).
He made the Southeastern Conference's All-Freshman team and earned a spot on the NCAA Tournament's All-Region team after averaging 15.2 points in five tourney games. He was held to seven points on 1-of-6 shooting in Auburn's loss to eventual champion Florida in the Final Four.
Pettiford tested the NBA draft waters after the season and participated in the NBA Combine in Chicago, where his 42-inch vertical leap was the second-best at the event.
According to CBS Sports, he returned to Auburn for his sophomore year with an NIL package believed to be worth more than $2 million.
Pettiford was a five-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, ranked No. 29 nationally and No. 2 among point guards by the 247Sports composite.
--Field Level Media
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Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Bears rookie outlook: Where does Luther Burden III's electric playmaking best fit in with WR corps?
Four wide receivers were selected in the first round of the NFL draft in April. Luther Burden III was not among them. In the second round, when the 39th pick came around and Burden was still available, coach Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears were happy to swoop in. The move came as somewhat of a surprise, given that the Bears already had DJ Moore and Rome Odunze on the roster. Johnson saw a chance to add a playmaker. Here's what Bears fans need to know about Burden before rookies report to training camp July 19. Burden expected to hear his name during the first round. That has provided motivation for the 21-year-old receiver. After not becoming one of the 32 first-round picks, Burden posted to social media a picture from his workout at the Missouri football facility after midnight on draft night. On Day 2, the Bears tried to trade up one spot with the New England Patriots when Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson was still available, as documented in the Patriots' in-house video production. The Patriots declined and selected Henderson 38th. The Bears pivoted and selected Burden. 'It was clear he was the most talented player on the board,' general manager Ryan Poles said shortly after drafting Burden. 'We think he's an electric player, playmaker, highly competitive, and the run after the catch is special, probably best in this class. When you add that to the group that we have, things get pretty exciting.' Burden grew up in St. Louis. His grandfather Luther 'Ticky' Burden played for the New York Knicks in the 1970s, and his father, Luther Burden II, played basketball at Saint Louis University. Burden III played basketball and football in high school. He originally went to Cardinal Ritter College Prep in St. Louis before transferring across the Mississippi River to East St. Louis and instantly becoming the top recruit in Illinois in the Class of 2022. Burden received more than three dozen scholarship offers and at one point committed to play for Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma. That could've paired him with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who was a freshman for the Sooners in 2021. But in August 2021, Burden decommitted from Oklahoma and flipped to Missouri a few months later. With the Tigers, Burden had a huge breakout season as a sophomore in 2023 with 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. He helped the Tigers to an 11-2 record that season. His production wasn't quite the same last season (61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns) for an offense that struggled in the passing game. In Johnson's eyes, an offense never can have too many weapons. Burden was a playmaker at Missouri, even if his statistical production took a dip in 2024. He's a weapon with the football in his hands. The question becomes how Burden mixes in with returning receivers Moore and Odunze. With Keenan Allen out of the picture, the Bears lost their primary slot receiver from 2024. Burden saw significant action in the slot at Missouri, and that could be a natural fit for him. The Tigers played him as a wideout during his freshman season, then transitioned him to the slot ahead of his breakout season in 2023. Missouri wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler felt the slot 'was probably more of his natural position.' During minicamp and organized team activities this spring, Johnson stressed that roles still were being formed. How Johnson divvies up the responsibilities for his top receivers will be one of the most intriguing things to watch during training camp. Burden likely will compete for the slot role with veteran Olamide Zaccheaus, whom the Bears signed to a one-year deal in free agency. Peeler took the receivers coach job at Missouri in January 2022 — the same month Burden arrived on campus. He coached Burden throughout his college career. Peeler attributed Burden's drop in production in 2024 to several things. Opponents made a concerted effort to stop him after his 1,200-yard season. Also, quarterback Brady Cook was dealing with a wrist injury that affected his throwing motion throughout the second half of the season. 'The one thing I was impressed with (Burden), he never let it get to him,' Peeler said. 'He never got frustrated to the point where it was ever a detriment. Most receivers either always want the ball or otherwise they're playing the wrong position. But he was a great teammate, never once got frustrated to the point that I even saw it.' Peeler believes Burden's familiarity with man coverage in the SEC will help him make a quick transition to the NFL. As the receivers coach at Mississippi from 2017-19, Peeler coached DK Metcalf and A.J. Brown, but he said Burden is the best he ever coached in terms of creating yards after the catch. 'He rarely allows the first defender to tackle him,' Peeler said. The man tasked with drawing the best out of Burden is new Bears wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El. The 45-year-old Randle El, who also serves as Johnson's assistant head coach, was himself was a second-round pick coming out of Indiana and went on to a nine-year NFL career. In Randle El, Burden sees a path he can follow. 'I feel like he is going to bring the best out of me,' Burden said. 'I've seen his past history. He's a guy who's been in my shoes, so he knows what to expect and different ways how to handle it.' Randle El, a Chicago-area native, will be instrumental in helping Johnson carve out those roles for his wide receivers. He spent the last four years as the Detroit Lions receivers coach, mentoring Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams among other. Like No. 10 pick Colston Loveland, Burden missed all of OTAs and mandatory minicamp because of an injury. He suffered what Johnson described as a soft-tissue injury during rookie minicamp and never saw the field again. So first and foremost, Burden must prove he's healthy. Time is of the essence, too, because Burden needs to develop chemistry with Williams on the field. They can talk things out in meeting rooms and role-play during walk-throughs, but it's not the same as building that chemistry at game speed. 'It's a shame that he got dinged up and missed all that time because, for a young player, it's really where you get the most reps, and you can get better in a hurry that way,' Johnson said. Burden will need to prove he can thrive in Johnson's offense and carve out a role beside Moore and Odunze. If he's destined for the slot, he'll have to beat out a seventh-year veteran in Zaccheaus. Beyond that, the Bears want to see more of Burden's trademark playmaking abilities.


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Jace LaViolette injury update: Latest updates on Texas A&M outfielder before MLB Draft
Texas A&M baseball's Jace LaViolette enters the 2025 MLB Draft as one of the more intriguing prospects on the draft board. The intrigue for the Aggies' left-handed slugger doesn't have to do with his skills and power at the plate, but instead the uncertainty with his health after sustaining a broken hand in the SEC tournament. LaViolette's position entering Day 1 of the MLB draft in Atlanta is similar to the one that his former teammate, Braden Montgomery, was in last season after he sustained a season-ending injury of his own in the NCAA Tournament, which cost Montgomery a few slots (and money) in the first round. The Aggies' 6-foot-6 outfielder, who is the No. 20-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline, entered the 2025 college baseball season as the projected No. 1 overall pick, but with his hand injury and a down junior campaign, LaViolette has dropped into the No. 10 to No. 25 pick range in the first round. Though his odds of being a No. 1 overall pick are done, LaViolette is still considered one of the best college position players available in this year's draft. Known for his raw power and ability to demolish balls from inside the left batter's box, LaViolette hit 68 career home runs in three seasons at Texas A&M while posting a career .285 average. Here's the latest injury update on LaViolette ahead of the first round of the MLB draft and more, including his latest MLB mock draft projections: Jace LaViolette injury update LaViolette sustained a broken left hand injury in the fifth inning of Texas A&M's 3-2 second-round win against Auburn on May 22 in the SEC baseball tournament. The injury came about during an at-bat where LaViolette attempted to swing at a pitch before the ball came in on him and hit him off his knuckles and the knob of the bat. He briefly stayed in the game but then exited the game after signaling into the Aggies' dugout from first base that he couldn't stay in the game and fight off the pain. He returned to Texas A&M's dugout in the seventh inning with his entire left hand and wrist wrapped with a splint. Texas A&M coach Michael Earley initially told reporters at the SEC tournament that LaViolette's injury would keep him out for the remainder of the conference tournament, but the plans for the Aggies' outfielder were reversed as he played in the quarterfinals vs. LSU. "I'm not sure if I can say, but he will be out for the remainder of the tournament," Earley said after Texas A&M's win over Auburn on May 22. While have been no public updates on how LaViolette's recovery has been since the Aggies' season ended on May 23, he did have surgery prior to Texas A&M's quarterfinal game vs. LSU on May 23 and was in the lineup for that game. He was also invited to the MLB Draft Combine, which took place June 17 through June 21 at Chase Field in Phoenix. What is Jace LaViolette's injury? LaViolette has been dealing with a broken left hand injury. He had surgery immediately, where he got a pin placed into his hand, and returned to the lineup the next day for the Aggies. "Got hit in the hand yesterday. Broke a bone in there and got surgery and played today. I'd run through a brick wall for this guy (Texas A&M coach Michael Earley)," LaViolette said at the SEC Tournament on May 24. Added Earley: "He had surgery last night at 7 p.m. and played in a game (tonight) at 6:45. For him to do what he did today, I mean that's just maybe the most incredible thing I've ever seen on a baseball field and it just shows a lot about how much that kid cares about his team." Jace LaViolette MLB mock draft projections Here's a look at LaViolette's latest mock draft projections from MLB draft analysts: Jace LaViolette stats Here's a year-by-year breakdown of LaViolette's stats at Texas A&M:

8 hours ago
Arozarena homers, scores 4 times as Mariners rout Tigers 15-7
DETROIT -- Randy Arozarena homered and scored four times as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Detroit Tigers 15-7 on Saturday. Arozarena singled and scored in the second, was hit by a pitch and scored on Luke Raley's homer in the third, and singled and scored in the seventh before hitting a two-run homer in the eighth. Tigers All-Star Casey Mize (9-3) allowed six runs in three innings, one day after the Mariners beat Detroit's other All-Star starter, Tarik Skubal. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead on Riley Greene's first-inning sacrifice fly, but Mize couldn't hold it. Dominic Canzone tied it with an RBI single in the second before the Mariners scored five runs in the third. Cole Young led off with a double and scored on J.P. Crawford's single. Julio Rodríguez hit into a force at second, stole second and took third on catcher Jake Rogers' throwing error. Cal Raleigh's sacrifice fly made it 3-1. After Mize hit Arozarena, Jorge Polanco doubled before Raley's fourth homer of the season made it 6-1. Mariners starter George Kirby (4-4) earned the win after allowing four runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked three. The start of the game was delayed 1:39 by rain. After Zach McKinstry's two-run homer in the eighth, the Tigers loaded the bases with one out. Matt Brash came out of the bullpen to retire Gleyber Torres and Wenceel Pérez to keep the margin at four runs. Torres doubled in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to a career-high 24 games. He matched Kerry Carpenter's 24-game streak in 2023 for the longest streak by a Tiger since Jeimer Candelario had a 29-game run in 2021. The teams finish the three-game series on Sunday afternoon, with RHP Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.70 ERA) pitching against RHP Logan Gilbert (2-3, 3.88).