Latest news with #FirstTeamAll-SEC
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
30 Most Important Bears of 2025: Luther Burden III (No. 25)
The Chicago Bears are gearing up for an exciting 2025 NFL season, which features some new faces within the organization poised to get the franchise back to its winning ways. That starts with the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach, as well as overhauling the interior offensive line, adding pieces on defense and a potenital impactful rookie draft class. Every day from now right up through training camp, we're counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2025 season. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year. Next up at No. 25 is wide receiver Luther Burden III, who could serve a key role as a rookie in Ben Johnson's offense. Background Position: Wide receiver Age: 21 Experience: 1st season 2025 cap hit: N/A 2024 recap Luther Burden III had a career year in his sophomore season at Missouri, where he totaled career highs in receptions (86), yards (1,212) and touchdowns (9) en route to being a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist and Second Team All-American. His production took a dip in the final year of his college career, but he had a team-best 61 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns, as well as nine rushes for 115 yards and two scores. He also had four punt returns for 31 yards. Still, Burden was named First Team All-SEC for the second consecutive year. Following his career year in 2023, Burden was projected to be a top-10 pick. But his dip in production was part of the reason why he fell to the Bears in the second round. 2025 outlook The Bears landed a huge steal in Burden in the second round of the NFL draft, which gives Ben Johnson another weapon to utilize on offense. While Chicago already has its top two receivers in DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, Burden has the potential to make a significant impact as a rookie if utilized to his full potential. Johnson has talked about the importance of the slot receiver in his offense, as that's where the ball typically goes. While Johnson will move guys around, it's worth noting that Burden ran 88% of his routes from the slot over the past two seasons at Missouri. Burden is a speedy, explosive receiver who can line up inside, outside or even out of the backfield. Big Question: How will Burden factor into Ben Johnson's offense? The Bears have no shortage of weapons to utilize as Ben Johnson steps into his first year as head coach and offensive play caller. The only problem is there's just one ball to go around, which is a great problem to have. Between DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, along with a 1-2 punch at tight end with Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland, the question is how much Burden will factor in on offense. Given Burden's massive upside and playmaking ability -- which has garnered comparisons to Amon-Ra St. Brown -- Chicago will look to get him as involved as possible. Burden thrived in the slot during college, and that figures to be the position where he can inflict the most damage to opposing defenses. 30 Most Important Bears of 2025 Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Quinshon Judkins college highlights and what he brings to Browns
Cleveland makes its first offensive selection of the draft by adding Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins with the 36th overall pick in the draft. Judkins was a starter in all three of his collegiate seasons, including as a freshman at Ole Miss in the SEC. He earned First Team All-SEC in 2023 and led the Buckeyes in rushing in 2024 because of his footwork and tough-nosed, downhill running that allows him to plow through tacklers. After sharing the backfield with new Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson in 2024, Judkins' raw output wasn't as good as his first two seasons. He's incredibly reliable, as he didn't miss a single game over the last three seasons and only has one fumble outside of his freshman year. Judkins has great vision, which should play well in Kevin Stefanski's wide zone offense. Advertisement Judkins doesn't have the breakaway speed to hit the big home-run plays and can sometimes lack patience when hitting running lanes. He'll need to improve his pass-catching and blocking consistency if he wants to stay on the field every down, but he will, at worst, bring a physical, downhill runner who will be a handful to tackle. In his career, Judkins averaged 5.1 yards per attempt and rushed for at least 1,000 yards in all three collegiate seasons. He scored 50 touchdowns and posted 199 missed tackles since 2022, which is 3rd among FBS running backs. Although the door remains open for a Nick Chubb return, the Browns needed to add a playmaker in the backfield with their intent to revert to a run-centric offense. Judkins can fill a Kareem Hunt-type role next to at least Jerome Ford, who has shown the ability to be a big-play threat from time to time. This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: WATCH: Quinshon Judkins highlights and what he brings to Browns
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Every Alabama women's basketball player selected in 2025 WNBA draft
Every Alabama women's basketball player selected in 2025 WNBA draft On Monday night, the Alabama Crimson Tide women's basketball program saw a total of three players hear their names called in the 2025 WNBA draft. A historic night for the program, this was the first time that Alabama has ever seen three different players selected in one single WNBA draft. This included a player selected in all three rounds of the draft, headlined by a first round, Top 10 overall pick. Here is a look at every Alabama player who was selected in the 2025 WNBA draft Monday night, along with where each will now play professionally next season. Sarah Ashlee Barker, Los Angeles Sparks Barker was Alabama's first player selected Monday night, coming off the board at No. 9 overall in the first round to the Los Angeles Sparks. The guard led the Crimson Tide in scoring this past season at 18.2 points per game to earn First Team All-SEC honors, while also averaging 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2 steals per game on 51.5% shooting from the field, as well as 37.5% from three and 70.9% at the free throw line. Aaliyah Nye, Las Vegas Aces Nye was Alabama's second player to come off the board, selected at pick No. 13 overall by the Las Vegas Aces, the first selection of the second round. The guard had a stellar season for the Crimson Tide in 2024-25, averaging 15.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 45.4% shooting from the field, along with 83% at the free throw line, as well as leading the SEC with a 45.5% three-point percentage. Zaay Green, Washington Mystics Lastly, Green was selected with the No. 32 overall pick in the third round by the Washington Mystics. Green also had a solid season in which she averaged 15.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 46.7% shooting from the field, as well as 36.1% from three and 65.4% at the free throw line. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dolphins' top 2025 draft prospects: South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori
Dolphins' top 2025 draft prospects: South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori was already tabbed as a great athlete with outstanding size and attributes, but he still jumped off the screen at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine with measurables and times that were off the charts. At 6'3, 220 pounds, Emmanuel ran a 4.38 40-yard dash with a 43-inch vertical. According to draft analytics expert, Kent Lee Platte, Emmanwori may be the most athletically gifted strong safety ever. In 2024, Emmanwori made 88 total tackles, three for loss, with four interceptions and a pair of pass breakups. He took two interceptions to the house for scores. More impressively, the former high school linebacker played 417 coverage snaps in 2024 and didn't allow a single touchdown while holding opposing quarterbacks to a 37.1 passer rating, per PFF. He earned All-American and First Team All-SEC honors in his final season with the Gamecocks. Position: Safety/SlotProjected round: 1stHeight: 6'3Weight: 220 Fit for Miami The Dolphins are not going to place the franchise tag on Jevón Holland. Instead, the 2021 second-round pick will enter free agency, and it looks as though Miami will also let Jordan Poyer hit the market too. Even depth defensive back and special teamer Elijah Campbell could depart as a free agent, making safety of paramount importance for the Dolphins this offseason. If the Dolphins don't address the position with a veteran in free agency or a trade acquisition, the No. 13 overall pick could be Miami's only chance to select Emmanwori. He was already a first-round prospect heading into the combine process, but his workouts may have leapfrogged him ahead of Georgia safety Malaki Starks as the top prospect at the position. Bottom line Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver could use Emmanwori as a centerpiece of his secondary. He spent a lot of time in the slot playing the nickel, and he has the skills to match up with tight ends in the NFL. Miami has had issues against top-tier tight ends, and a player like Emmanwori could immediately improve that aspect of the Dolphins' coverage. Emmanwori is a fantastic tackler, and his physicality, size, speed and overall athleticism could make him an immediate star in Miami. The Dolphins could use the No. 13 pick to shore up their secondary by selecting Emmanwori before their attention to the trenches in Day 2.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alabama shortstop named to 2025 preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list
The 2025 preseason watch list for one of college baseball's top annual individual awards, the Golden Spikes Award, was officially announced Friday by USA Baseball, with Alabama Crimson Tide shortstop Justin Lebron one of the 55 total names mentioned. A sophomore, this was the latest preseason accolade for Lebron, joining a list that also includes First Team All-SEC. Lebron was the Crimson Tide's starting shortstop a year ago in which he slashed a combined .356/.444/.559 across 60 games, each of which he started. The shortstop also hit 12 home runs with 40 RBI and 10 stolen bases, posting a .951 fielding percentage as well defensively. As a result of this, Lebron received multiple honors at the end of the 2024 season that included First Team All-SEC, Freshman All-American, Freshman All-SEC, and SEC All-Defensive, among others. Alabama has only had one player ever win the Golden Spikes Award, which was first baseman Dave Magadan during the 1983 season. Could Lebron potentially become the second later this season? That's our shortstop 🐘🔗: — Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) February 7, 2025 This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama's Justin Lebron named to 2025 Golden Spikes Award watch list
