Latest news with #Big12OffensiveLinemanoftheYear
USA Today
15-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Broncos roster: OL Joe Michalski (No. 68) competing for reps at center
Broncos Wire's 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at rookie offensive lineman Joe Michalski, No. 68. Before the Broncos: Michalski (6-5, 305 pounds) was a team captain in his final two seasons at Oklahoma State, spending six years in college with 35 career starts. After earning honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year recognition in 2023, he also received an honorable mention All-Big 12 nod in 2024. He was considered a notable undrafted center following April's draft. Broncos tenure: Michalski was one of Denver's 15 initial undrafted free agent signings in May. He will make his Bronco debut during preseason next month. Chances to make the 53-man roster: Long shot. Michalski will face extremely long odds to make the active roster as a rookie because Luke Wattenberg is locked into the starting job and Alex Forsyth is the top backup. Michalski will get an opportunity to impress during preseason, though, and he could end up on the practice squad. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaguars OG Wyatt Milum could throw heat. Now he's ready to be one of Trevor Lawrence's bodyguards
Jacksonville Jaguars rookie offensive guard Wyatt Milum was all set to play baseball when he was a sophomore at Spring Valley High School in Kenova, He was a left-handed pitcher with a live fastball, clocked once at 90 mph in a high school game. Advertisement 'I used to bring some heat back in the day,' Milum said after the Jaguars' second minicamp practice on June 11 at the Miller Electric Center. 'Shockingly, I played a little bit of outfield. 'But mostly pitcher and first base.' Yes, the sight of a 6-foot-6, 317-pounder patrolling the outfield might be quite the sight. But he was a baseball player first, for Spring Valley and during busy travel ball schedules in the summer. Before he became a two-way tackle in high school, he was on track to play college baseball and verbally committed to Marshall, near his hometown, after being offered a scholarship the summer between his eighth-grade and ninth-grade years. And until he was a junior at Spring Valley, Milum intended to honor that commitment for the Thundering Herd. But he also played football, kept growing and grew to love it more. Advertisement 'Baseball is something I always enjoyed,' he said. 'But through high school, more and more, I loved football.' And if the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp ever get Milum to throw out the first pitch, you can bet he'll be doing it from the mound. Wyatt Milum found his niche in football It appears Milum made the right career choice. He became one of the most highly recruited offensive linemen in the nation as a senior (Sports Illustrated rated him as the No. 1 tackle in the nation), and stayed within his home state to play for West Virginia. Milum started his last 42 games in a row for the Mountaineers at left tackle, did not allow a sack during his last two seasons and racked up one award after another: consensus All-American, Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, Outland Trophy semifinalist, All-Big 12 and All-Big 12 Academic team. Advertisement The knock on Milum of having shorter arms and not as much quickness as NFL teams might want from an offensive tackle didn't bode well for being a first-round pick and when he fell to the third round, the Jaguars traded up to grab him and made it clear from the start he'd be playing guard. He said the conversion is going well. Jacksonville Jaguars guard Wyatt Milum (64) drills with guard Sal Wormley (61) during a rookie minicamp at Miller Electric Center Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. 'It was a little much at the beginning,' he said of rookie minicamp and OTAs. 'But I feel like the way the coaches have explained it and done it over a period of time since I've been drafted ... they made it a smooth process. I feel like everything's been good.' Milum never questioned the move to guard, since it was the fastest track for playing time. Advertisement 'Wherever they want to put me, I'm willing, as long as it gets me on the field,' he said. 'If I'm succeeding, that's all that matters to me. Anywhere is good with me.' Wyatt Milum's promise Milum attracted some attention after being drafted when he vowed that Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence wouldn't be touched. 'I'm going to make that promise to them [Jags fans] and I'm going to make that promise to Trevor,' he said. That's a bold statement and perhaps unrealistic. But Milum has a history of helping keep his quarterbacks upright. He never yielded a sack in high school and gave up only two over his final 36 games with the Mountaineers. Advertisement He's not walking it back either. 'That's our motto ... we don't want anyone touching the quarterback,' he said. 'I feel like that's our identity as our offensive line at this point.' Wyatt Milum prides himself on toughness Although evaluating offensive and defensive linemen is difficult until the team straps on the pads in training camp, Jaguars coach Liam Coen likes what he sees out of Milum. "He's a big dude ... the way the guy plays, the toughness," Coen said. "He's rooted in that. That's kind of what he prides himself on being, and that's what he is kind of known for around that building is being a guy that finishes, that plays the game the right way, that approaches it the right way.' Advertisement Milum said those roots were planted in the small town of Kenova and got deeper at West Virginia, where toughness is part of the culture. 'It's the way I grew up,' he said. 'It's the way I was raised to play the game. When you step on the field there's only one way to play and that's to play through the whistle. It's ingrained in me, especially being on the offensive line. You're supposed to set the tone of the whole offense.' This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars rookie guard Wyatt Milum isn't backing down on draft-day promise
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaguars' Rookie Wyatt Milum Could Be Answer to Offensive Line Struggles
Jaguars' Rookie Wyatt Milum Could Be Answer to Offensive Line Struggles originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Jacksonville Jaguars have an issue or two that needs worked out on the offensive side of the ball. Advertisement Last season, the Jaguars finished their season 25th in the NFL in yards per game offensively, managing just 306.2 yards per game offensively. A large part of the criticism for that has fallen on the team's offensive line, which might be why the team selected two players in the NFL Draft to join that position room. Nov 30, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers offensive lineman Wyatt Milum (74) prepares to block Texas Tech Red Raiders back Amier Washington (88) in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn ImagesMichael C. Johnson-Imagn Images One of those players, former West Virginia Mountaineers offensive tackle Wyatt Milum, could end up being a big difference maker in the trenches for the Jaguars this season. "He's a big way the guy plays, the toughness," Jaguars' Head Coach Liam Coen said during the team's minicamp sessions. "He's rooted in that. That's kind of what he prides himself on being, and that's what he is kind of known for around that building is being a guy that finishes, that plays the game the right way, that approaches it the right way.' Advertisement Milum was a stud for the Mountaineers -- he started 43 games for WVU football over his four-year career, and his senior season saw him become the 14th player in program history to be named a Consensus All-American. He was also named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2024. Milum is particularly adept at protecting his signal caller -- he allowed zero sacks over his final two collegiate seasons, and as a senior he also allowed zero quarterback hurries and only gave up seven quarterback pressures. That's good news for Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has struggled with injuries the past two seasons and is feeling pressure to have a big season. For Milum, the Jaguars' 32 sacks allowed in 2024 was about 32 too many. 'That's our don't want anyone touching the quarterback,' Milum said during minicamp. 'I feel like that's our identity as our offensive line at this point.' Despite his massive 6-foot-6 frame, the Kenova, native has been moved from tackle to guard by the Jaguars, with his shorter wingspan and quickness viewed as potential weaknesses at tackle. But Milum, who helped the Mountaineers average 210 rushing yards per game during his final two seasons with the program, has been receptive to the change. Advertisement 'Wherever they want to put me, I'm willing, as long as it gets me on the field,' he said. 'If I'm succeeding, that's all that matters to me. Anywhere is good with me.' Perhaps the easiest place to look to see Milum's potential entering his rookie season is in Pittsburgh -- Milum's former teammate Zach Frazier was selected by the Steelers on Day Two of the 2024 NFL Draft, and slid into the starting rotation as a rookie. By the end of the season, he had started 14 games, was named to the PFWA All-NFL Rookie Team, and was given the Joe Green Great Performance Award as the top rookie for the Steelers. If Milum can mimic his former teammate and fellow native West Virginian's efforts this season, it could be good news for the Jaguars. Related: Pressure Mounts on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence Ahead of Critical Season Related: Jaguars Drop Hint on How Travis Hunter Will Be Used This Season Related: Jaguars Dealt Concerning Trevor Lawrence Revelation Liam Coen Can't Fix This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
11-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kansas City Chiefs OL Creed Humphrey appeared at the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City
Kansas City Chiefs OL Creed Humphrey appeared at the NBA Finals in Oklahoma City The NBA Finals are underway between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, with each team battling for the game's ultimate prize. The Kansas City Chiefs are making their mark on the highly contested series, with their All-Pro offensive lineman shown recently in attendance. Chiefs center Creed Humphrey was spotted in Oklahoma City for game 2 of the series last Sunday. The Oklahoma native fully supported the Thunder, who defeated Indiana in the game to tie the series at a game each. During his tenure at the University of Oklahoma, Humphrey was one of the most impressive athletes in his draft class. During his junior season, he was a team captain in 2020 and earned honors as the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year. Kansas City selected him in the second round, 63rd overall, in the 2021 NFL Draft. Before the start of last season, Humphrey agreed to a $72 million extension with the Chiefs over four years with a $50 million guarantee.
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Broncos bringing 5 notable offensive linemen to rookie minicamp
Broncos bringing 5 notable offensive linemen to rookie minicamp The Denver Broncos are bringing at least nine offensive linemen to rookie minicamp this week. The team has reached agreements with four undrafted linemen, and at least five other linemen have been invited to camp on a tryout basis. We have identified five linemen worth monitoring. Jacksonville State center/guard Clay Webb (6-3, 312 pounds) was ranked as the No. 2 interior offensive lineman on Chad Reuter's list of top undrafted linemen. Lance Zierlein had him projected as a fifth- or sixth-round prospect. Georgia tackle/guard Xavier Truss won a national championship as a starter with the Bulldogs. Truss (6-7, 309 pounds) was ranked as the ninth-best IOL on Reuter's list, and Zierlein had him projected as a sixth-round pick. Central Missouri tackle Gabe Clark (6-6, 320 pounds) earned D2CCA first-team All-American honors in 2023 at the Division II level. Reuter had Clark ranked as the 14th-best undrafted OT this spring. Oklahoma State center Joe Michalski was a team captain in the final two seasons of his six-year college career. After earning honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year recognition in 2023, he was named an honorable mention for the All-Big 12 team in 2024. Michaliski was ranked as the 15th-best IOL on Reuter's list. Kentucky offensive tackle Marques Cox was ranked 21st on Reuter's list of the top undrafted OTs. The 6-5, 305-pound lineman started 59 games in seven years of college football. These five linemen will aim to impress will the Broncos hold a rookie minicamp later this week. Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
