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USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas A&M senior CB named to the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list
Texas A&M's 2025 secondary will be led by senior cornerback Will Lee III, who announced his return early in the offseason after transferring from Kansas State last year. Regarded as one of the most confident players in the country, his dominant coverage skill set has set him apart in the SEC as one of the top cornerback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. Still, Lee is highly underrated nationally, but should thrive next to Georgia transfer corner Julian Humphrey, while the return of senior Tyreek Chappell and transfer Jordan Shaw solidifies depth at the nickel corner spot, which was an issue last season. Standing at 6'3" and 190 pounds, Lee's notable size and speed, paired with his defensive instincts, led to 42 tackles, two interceptions, and ten pass deflections last season. On Tuesday, Lee finally gained national recognition ahead of the 2025 season, as he was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, given to the top defender in the country after every campaign. While it seems like a long shot for Lee, or any cornerback this season, to win the award, his two interceptions last season were likely the bare minimum for a player now adjusted to Mike Elko's defensive scheme, and should be in a better position to reel in more picks. Here is more on the Bronko Nagurski Award's background, thanks to the Texas A&M Athletics website: The Bronko Nagurski Trophy, created in 1993, is awarded to the best defensive player in college football and is presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The award was established to complement the Heisman Trophy Award, which at the time had never been presented to a defensive player. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Who are the Top 10 Rushing Leaders in FBS History?
Since the dawn of time, college football has been a land of premier running backs. In fact, a running back has won the sought-after Heisman Trophy 45 times – in 45 individual seasons – since the award was first introduced in 1935. Just last year, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards — the second-most for a player in the history of the sport — and 29 touchdowns, helping him become the runner-up for the 2024 Heisman Trophy Award and get selected by the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. There are countless great backs in that history, but sometimes they only start for one or two years given the depth of a powerhouse program and/or players redshirting. On that note, however, which players have the most rushing yards in the history of college football? The Top 10 Rushing Leaders in FBS History 10. Texas RB Cedrick Benson – 5,540 yards Across Benson's four seasons in Austin (2001-04), he was one of the best running backs in the sport in every season. Benson averaged 1,385 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns per season, while leading the Big 12 in rushing scores in both his junior and senior seasons. The consistent force that was Benson was later selected by the Chicago Bears with the No. 4 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. 9. Miami (OH) RB Travis Prentice – 5,596 yards Prentice has an argument for being the best player in MAC football history. Across his three seasons at Miami (OH), Prentice dazzled, leading the conference in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in each of his last three seasons with the program (1997-99), averaging a whopping 20.3 rushing touchdowns per season over that span. Prentice went on to be selected in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. 8. USC RB Charles White – 5,598 yards White did it all at USC. He won multiple accolades, was one of the best backs in the nation and won a national championship. A two-time All-American and two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year, White led the Pac-10 in rushing yards in each of his final three seasons with the Trojans (1977-79), rushing touchdowns in each of his last two seasons and won the 1979 Heisman Trophy Award. Of course, he also won the National Championship with the Trojans in the 1978 season. 7. Oregon RB Royce Freeman – 5,621 yards Freeman came to Oregon and breathed fire from the jump. Across his first two seasons with the Ducks (2014-15), Freeman rushed for 1,600.5 yards and 17.5 touchdowns per season, while leading the Pac-12 in rushing scores in both years on an Oregon team that reached the 2015 National Championship Team. In all, Freeman rushed for 5,621 yards and 60 touchdowns over his four-year collegiate career spent entirely in Eugene. 6. Memphis RB DeAngelo Williams – 6,026 yards Across his four seasons at Memphis from 2002 through 2005, Williams was the best playmaker in Conference USA and pound-for-pound as good as any back in college football. In each of his last three seasons, Williams led the conference in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns in each of his last two seasons and yards per carry in each of his first two seasons. Furthermore, he led the entire sport with 1,964 rushing yards in 2005 and was second with 1,948 rushing yards in 2004. A three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, Williams was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 27 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. 5. Pittsburgh RB Tony Dorsett – 6,082 yards Dorsett was a force to be reckoned with, rushing for 1,000-plus yards and double-double touchdowns in each of his four seasons at Pittsburgh (1973-76). In 1976, Dorsett rushed for a nation-high with both 1,948 yards and 21 touchdowns, helping him win the Heisman Trophy and leading Pittsburgh to a National Championship. Dorsett was also a finalist for the 1975 Heisman Trophy and went on to be selected with the No. 2 pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, with whom he won a Super Bowl in his rookie season and went on to have a Hall of Fame career. 4. Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor – 6,174 yards Jonathan Taylor had a lot of plays called for him at Wisconsin — like, a lot. In each of his three seasons playing for the Badgers (2017-19), Taylor led the Big Ten in both rushing yards and carries and led the conference in rushing touchdowns in each of his last two seasons. Furthermore, Taylor led the nation with 2,194 rushing yards in 2018. Over his three-year collegiate career, Taylor, a two-time All-American, rushed for 2,058 yards and 16.7 touchdowns per season, finishing in the top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting in all three seasons. He was the driving force of Wisconsin's offense, and for a team that went 13-1 in his 2017 freshman season. 3. Texas RB Ricky Williams – 6,279 yards Williams was an overwhelming force in the Longhorns' backfield. Already a potent back in his freshman and sophomore seasons, Williams led the nation in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in both 1997 and 1998. In '98, Williams rushed for 2,124 yards and 27 touchdowns on a Big 12-high 5.9 yards per carry en route to winning the Heisman Trophy Award. A two-time All-American and two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Williams was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the No. 5 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft. 2. Wisconsin RB Ron Dayne – 6,397 yards Good luck trying to bring down the 245-pound Dayne. A rumbling force in the backfield, Dayne led the Big Ten in rushing yards in his freshman, junior and senior seasons and rushing touchdowns in his freshman and senior seasons. Across his four years at Madison from 1996 through 1999, Dayne rushed for 1,599.3 yards and 15.8 touchdowns on 5.7 yards per carry per season. In 1999, Dayne rushed for 1,834 yards and 19 touchdowns — which was tied for first in the nation — helping him win the Heisman Trophy and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors. Dayne was then selected by the New York Giants with the No. 11 pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. 1. San Diego State RB Donnel Pumphrey – 6,405 yards Across his four seasons at San Diego State, Pumphrey just kept running. After an efficient 2013 freshman campaign, Pumphrey proceeded to lead the Mountain West in rushing yards in three consecutive seasons, rushing for 1,884.3 yards and 18 touchdowns per year from 2014-16. In 2016, Pumphrey, who was the 2015 and 2016 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, led the nation with 2,133 rushing yards and finished in the top 10 in Heisman voting. Pumphrey, whose 6,405 career rushing yards are first in FBS history, was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Former Lions, Dolphins Star Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh Officially Retires
One of the best players to put on a Detroit Lions uniform and line up on a defensive front in NFL history has called it a career. Former three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler Ndamukong Suh announced on X on Saturday morning that he's "officially retiring from the NFL." As part of the post, Suh explained how his father died on July 12, 2024, and, prior to his passing, told Suh that "it's time to let football go" and he had "done everything" he "set out to do," with it being "time for the next chapter." Suh spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Lions (2010-14), earning each of his three All-Pro honors and four of his five Pro Bowl nods. He then spent the next three seasons with the Miami Dolphins (2015-17), followed by one season with the Los Angeles Rams (2018), three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-21) and one season with the Philadelphia Eagles (2022). His 2022 campaign with the Eagles was the last time that Suh appeared in an NFL game. Suh is part of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and won Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers. Prior to the NFL, Suh was a standout defensive tackle at Nebraska, with whom he was a finalist for the 2009 Heisman Trophy Award. Suh was selected by Detroit with the No. 2 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Despite playing just five seasons with the Lions, Suh is 16th in franchise history with 36.0 sacks. For his career, the 6-foot-4, 307-pound agile defensive lineman racked up 71.5 sacks and 600 combined tackles. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League Detroit Lions Ndamukong Suh recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bengals' Joe Burrow Goes Off on Teammates and Coach in Profanity-Filled Rant
Bengals' Joe Burrow Goes Off on Teammates and Coach in Profanity-Filled Rant originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cincinnati Bengals begin training camp in 13 days. The team will gather for the first eight practices on July 23 at the Kettering Health Practice Fields. Advertisement Coming off a 9-8 season where the team failed to make the playoffs, coach Zac Taylor hopes to make improvements this offseason, with a focus on eliminating unforced errors and mistakes, particularly on offense. The Bengals were guilty of 19 false start penalties last season according to – well below the league average of 22.09. But some of those came at the most inopportune times for the team. At one point, quarterback Joe Burrow had had enough. As featured on the latest episode of "Quarterbacks" on Netflix, the former LSU Tiger and 2019 Heisman Trophy Award winner lost his "stuff" in a game against the Tennessee Titans last season. Advertisement Video and microphones caught the moment Burrow went off on his teammates and coach Taylor on the sideline, as posted by Tyler Dunne. "What in the [expletive] are we doing, man," Burrow shouted as he walked off the field following a penalty. "[Expletive] wake up! [Expletive] mental mistakes all [expletive] day." Coach Taylor wasn't immune to Burrow's wrath, either. "Embarassing performance by us," Burrow continued. "[Expletive] embarrassing. [Expletive] that. [Expletive] that. We sucked today. That was embarrassing. We jumped offsides [expletive] eight times." "Sometimes I walk into an emotional moment, and I know I'm walking into an emotional moment, and it becomes a really emotional moment," Taylor commented later. "It can be viewed as conflict, but it's really just passion for the game." Advertisement "I understand that we won the game and we want to be happy that we won the game, but, at the same time, when things aren't good enough, I'm not going to act like they were," Burrow later added. The Bengals won that road matchup against the Titans 37-27, but it was far from a perfect game. Burrow threw for 271 yards on 26-of-37 passing, and threw three touchdowns and two interceptions. Related: Bengals' Joe Burrow Unhappily Updates 'Batmobile' News After $300,000 Robbery Related: 49ers Urged to Trade for Trey Hendrickson in Potential Super Bowl Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Fox Sports
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Who are the top 10 rushing duos headed into the 2025 NFL season?
The NFL has seen the running game featured heavily of late, and several running backs are getting new, high-end extensions. This development comes in the wake of Saquon Barkley breaking the league's combined single-season rushing record, Derrick Henry having a huge first year with the Baltimore Ravens and Christian McCaffrey balling out with the San Francisco 49ers before an injury-plagued 2024. There are also a handful of quarterbacks whose rushing ability is a featured part of their respective team's offense. That said, who are the best overall rushing combinations in the NFL — running backs and/or quarterbacks? Here are the top 10 rushing duos heading into the 2025 season, according to FOX Sports Research. Top 10 rushing duos headed into the 2025 NFL season 10. RB Ashton Jeanty & RB Raheem Mostert Las Vegas' 2025 offense looks to feature a potent rushing attack, headlined by Jeanty, whom the Raiders selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Mostert, who rushed for 1,012 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2023. Jeanty was the runner-up for the 2024 Heisman Trophy Award after rushing for a nation-best 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns at Boise State. Ironically, the Raiders were last in the NFL in rushing last season (79.8 yards per game), but Jeanty's grueling skill set and Mostert's proven track record give them a plausible one-two punch. 9. RB Brian Robinson Jr. & QB Jayden Daniels The Washington Commanders have a lot going for them, but their rushing attack stands out first and foremost. Robinson has been a steady force across his three years (2022-24) in the league, averaging 776 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry; he punched in a career-high eight rushing scores last season. Of course, Washington tripling its win total from 2023 to 2024 and making the NFC Championship Game was primarily due to the outstanding play of Daniels, who won 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 25 touchdowns, posted a 100.1 passer rating, completed 69.0% of his passes and added 891 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. 8. RB Bijan Robinson & RB Tyler Allgeier The Atlanta Falcons have built one of the best running back rooms in the league. A fifth-round pick in 2022, Allgeier rushed for 1,035 yards on 4.9 yards per carry in his rookie campaign. Then, Atlanta took Robinson with the eighth overall pick in 2023, and he became the team's featured running back. Still, Allgeier has rushed for 664 yards per season from 2023-24. Meanwhile, Robinson was a Pro Bowler in 2024 after rushing for 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry. He also totaled 61 receptions for 431 yards. 7. RB Kenneth Walker III & RB Zach Charbonnet The Seattle Seahawks have drafted well, and their running back room epitomizes that notion. Walker, a 2022 second-round pick, came on strong in his rookie season, rushing for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry, which he followed up by rushing for eight scores in 2023. Granted, Walker rushed for just 573 yards across 11 games in 2024. Charbonnet, a 2023 second-round pick, had his bright moments as a rookie and then rushed for 569 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, while tallying 42 receptions for 340 yards. The Seahawks have a pair of quick running backs on rookie deals. 6. RB James Cook & QB Josh Allen The Buffalo Bills love to run that football, which is what happens when arguably your two best offensive players can rip it up on the ground. A Pro Bowler in two of his first three years, Cook has emerged as one of the better backs in the league, rushing for 1,066 yards on 4.8 yards per carry per season from 2023-24 and rushing for 16 touchdowns in 2024. Meanwhile, Allen is arguably the most physically imposing quarterback in the sport, bulldozing defenders at 6-foot-5, 237 pounds. Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP, has rushed for 592 yards and nine touchdowns over his seven-year career (2018-24) and posted 13.5 rushing scores per season from 2023-24. 5. RB Chuba Hubbard & RB Rico Dowdle The Carolina Panthers stumbled into a running back room that has two players who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year. Hubbard has continued to produce and increase his production, rushing for a career-high 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns on 4.8 yards per carry in 2024. Meanwhile, Dowdle, who signed with the Panthers after five years with the Dallas Cowboys (he missed the 2021 season due to a hip injury), became the team's starting back in 2024 and rushed for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry in what was his first time getting the majority of the running back reps. Prior to his 235 carries in 2024, Dowdle's career high was 89 carries (2023). 4. RB Bucky Irving & RB Rachaad White The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another team that has drafted well and has the running back room to prove it. Tampa Bay selected Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he became an integral part of its offense from the jump; Irving rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.4 yards per carry in his rookie campaign while reeling in 47 receptions for 392 yards. His 1,122 rushing yards were the most for a Bucs player in a single season since Doug Martin rushed for 1,402 yards in 2015. Meanwhile, White has been a balanced threat in Tampa Bay's offense, both bouncing to the outside and serving as a reliable part of the team's passing attack. In three years, White has rushed for 695 yards and three touchdowns and reeled in 55 receptions for 411 yards and four touchdowns per season. 3. RB Saquon Barkley & QB Jalen Hurts Already a perennial Super Bowl contender, the Philadelphia Eagles brought in Barkley and created a physically imposing backfield of historical heights. After rushing for 1,000-plus yards in three of his six seasons with the New York Giants (2018-23), Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards, posting 2,005 yards and 13 rushing scores in 16 games last year. Then, he rushed for five touchdowns in the playoffs, with three of those scores going for at least 60 yards. All the while, Hurts, the Super Bowl LIX MVP and a two-time Pro Bowler, has been a force to be reckoned with on the ground, rushing for 695 yards and 13 touchdowns per season from 2021-24, while being at the center of the "tush push" execution. 2. RB Jahmyr Gibbs & RB David Montgomery The Detroit Lions' offense is a well-oiled machine, as it ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (263.2 yards per game) and sixth in rushing yards (146.4 yards per game) last season. A Pro Bowler in each of his first two campaigns, Gibbs has been an electric force as both a rusher and pass-catcher. Last year, Gibbs rushed for 1,412 yards and an NFL-high 16 touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry, while racking up 52 receptions for 517 yards and four scores. Montgomery has missed three regular-season games in each of the past two years for the Lions but has been a battering ram with the ball in his hands, averaging 12.5 rushing touchdowns per season from 2023-24 and totaling 341 receiving yards in 2024. Detroit has ranked in the top six in the NFL in rushing in each of the past two years. 1. RB Derrick Henry & QB Lamar Jackson The Baltimore Ravens have finished in the top three in rushing in each of the past seven seasons and first in the past two. That's what happens when you add Henry to an offense that already includes a two-time NFL MVP in Jackson. Henry, a five-time Pro Bowler, rushed for 1,921 yards and an NFL-high 16 touchdowns on a career-high 5.9 yards per carry in his first year with the franchise (2024). He also led the NFL with 19 carries for 20 or more yards. Jackson, who posted a career-high 4,172 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns and a 119.6 passer rating in 2024, continues to kick up dust, also rushing for 915 yards and four touchdowns. Since 2019, Jackson has averaged 913 rushing yards and five rushing scores per season. Honorable mentions: RB Aaron Jones & RB Jordan Mason RB James Conner & QB Kyler Murray RB Najee Harris & RB Omarion Hampton RB Jerome Ford & RB Quinshon Judkins RB Isiah Pacheco & RB Kareem Hunt RB Christian McCaffrey & RB Isaac Guerendo Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
