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USA Today
03-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Versatile 2nd-year DB named Panthers' 'biggest surprise player' heading into 2025 season
Wide receiver Xavier Legette may not be the only breakout candidate of the Carolina Panthers' 2024 draft class. ESPN's NFL Nation crew recently named the biggest surprise player for each team at this point of the offseason. David Newton took on the Panthers, and offered up second-year defensive back Chau Smith-Wade. Newton writes: It wasn't just obvious to sideline observers, it was obvious to teammates that the 2024 fifth-round pick out of Washington State had a stellar offseason and will be a factor in 2025. "Man, I think he's been the most impressive player,'' Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn said. Smith-Wade's ability to play corner, nickel and safety makes him valuable to a young defense trying to rebuild after finishing last in the NFL a year ago. "Chau took advantage of an opportunity,'' coach Dave Canales said. "He made tackles. He had an opportunity on an interception, and he made it.'' Smith-Wade may have quite an opportunity ahead of him in this Carolina secondary, which is rather thin outside the likes of cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson and safety Tre'von Moehrig. The unit's current depth is largely built off of young and unproven commodities—including Shemar Bartholomew, Akayleb Evans, MJ Devonshire, Demani Richardson, 2025 fourth-round pick Lathan Ransom and six undrafted rookies. Positional versatility could also play to the advantage of Smith-Wade—who, as Newton noted, can line up at three different spots for the Panthers. But most of his work, like it did in his rookie campaign, will probably come from the slot—where he recorded 228 of his 299 defensive snaps. 2024 saw Smith-Wade finish up with 39 combined tackles, an interception and a forced fumble over 14 games. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
NBC Sports
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
Katherine Fitzgerald, Daniel Oyefusi win Terez Paylor Award from PFWA
Katherine Fitzgerald and Daniel Oyefusi were named the 2025 Terez A. Paylor Emerging Writer Award winners by the Pro Football Writers of America. Fitzgerald covers the Bills for the Buffalo News, and Oyefusi is the Browns beat writer for Fitzgerald and Oyefusi, the fifth and sixth Paylor Award winners, are the first co-recipients of the award since it was introduced in 2021. Fitzgerald is the first person affiliated with the Buffalo News to receive the award, while Oyefusi is the first affiliated with to be honored. The Paylor Award recognizes a young NFL writer who carries on the legacy of Paylor through his or her work ethic, professionalism, dedication to the craft and commitment to improving diversity in NFL media. Paylor, the former Yahoo! Sports and Kansas City Star football writer, died in February 2021 at the age of 37. Fitzgerald joined the Buffalo News as a Bills beat writer in 2021. She previously was a sports reporter for the Arizona Republic (2018-21) and USA Today (2017). While with the Republic, she covered the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns and other teams and events in the greater Phoenix area. Oyefusi became the Browns beat reporter for ESPN's NFL Nation in April 2024. He previously was the Dolphins beat reporter for the Miami Herald. The other 2025 finalists for the Paylor Award were Ben Arthur (Fox Sports) and Kris Rhim (
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Justin Jefferson calls representing Team USA in the 2028 Olympics and winning a gold medal a dream
On May 20, the permitted NFL players to play flag football at the 2028 Olympics after 32 NFL owners voted with one accord. , NFL Commissioner, said at the NFL's spring meeting, 'It's an incredible honor for any athlete to represent their country in the Olympics, which is the pinnacle of global sport. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now I know first-hand that the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics had sparked a tremendous amount of excitement among NFL players interested in the chance to compete for their country on the world stage. We are thrilled that they will now have that chance.' Talking about this very chance, star wide receiver went heart-to-heart in the same spring meeting, standing alongside Commissioner Roger Goodell. Justin Jefferson reacts to the NFL allowing players to participate in the 2028 Olympics Justin Jefferson thought football wasn't global, but finds it 'pretty cool' now that football is expanding and more global 25-year-old Justin Jefferson shared at the NFL's spring meeting, 'I'm just at a loss for words. Just to think about the chances of playing in the Olympics and getting a gold medal is a dream. Just reverting back to being a kid and watching the track and field meets, watching basketball win the gold medal. That's something that, as a kid, I always wanted to be a part of, but football wasn't global. So now that we are expanding the game and we are going more global, it's pretty cool. Just seeing all the different countries being involved.' Roger Goodell on allowing NFL players to participate in Olympic Flag Football 👏 4-time Pro Bowler Justin Jefferson says he's always wanted to compete for his country at the Olympics Brooke Pryor, Reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN, reported that Justin Jefferson said in the meeting, 'That's the decision, I'll definitely have to weigh in a little bit. It's three years from now, it's three whole seasons that I'm going to have to go through. Of course, getting older, body is going to be different, but that's definitely always been a dream. It's always been something I always wanted to do, compete for your country versus all of the other countries in the rest of the world. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now I definitely would look forward to it if it came down to it, but that's definitely something to ask myself and see what's right.' On May 21, Michael David Smith, Managing Editor, Pro Football Talk, reported that Justin Jefferson doesn't know if he'll be chosen three years from now. But he is among the many players expressing interest in being among the 10 chosen for Team USA in 2028 Olympics. Also Read:
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Las Vegas Raiders hire Brandon Hunt as their Vice President of Player Personnel
(Image via Getty: Mark Davis) Keep taking guys from the Eagles , smart decisions - An X user wrote for Ryan McFadden's post. McFadden, who covers the Las Vegas Raiders for ESPN 's NFL Nation, wrote on his X, '#Raiders are hiring Brandon Hunt to be their VP of Player Personnel, per source. He previously served as the senior director of scouting for #Eagles.' The Philadelphia Eagles were relentless in the pursuit of Super Bowl LIX. Brandon Hunt was a part of it! And the Raiders were on their third consecutive losing streak, with only 4 wins and 13 long losses! Will Hunt bring about the change he brought with the Eagles? Only time can tell. Till then, let's find out more about Brandon Hunt. Brandon Hunt was formerly with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles — ryanmcfadden_ (@ryanmcfadden_) by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Most Beautiful Women In The World Undo Before serving as the Senior Director of Scouting for the Philadelphia Eagles, Brandon Hunt belonged to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hunt was the longest-running Pro Scouting Director for the Steelers, from 2009 to 2022! Steelers Depot reported, 'Hunt was the Philadelphia Eagles' Senior Director of Scouting, a job he landed in 2022 after leaving the Steelers' organization after being passed over for the GM position, which ultimately went to Omar Khan.' Hunt was with the Super Bowl LIX champions' team from 2022 to 2024. It was only in the 2024 NFL season when Brandon Hunt was promoted from Director of Scouting to Senior Director of Scouting at the Philadelphia Eagles. Brandon Hunt could not become the Las Vegas Raiders' GM in 2022, but he became their VP of Player Personnel in 2025 Steelers Depot also shared that before joining the Eagles in 2022, Brandon Hunt had interviewed for the GM position at the Las Vegas Raiders. Three years later, Hunt became their Vice President of Player Personnel ! - No wonder the powers of wants. Brandon Hunt reunites with Anthony Patch at the Las Vegas Raiders Brandon Hunt enters Mark Davis-owned and NFL legend Tom Brady's part-owned franchise, the Las Vegas Raiders. Hunt will reunite with a former official from the Philadelphia Eagles at the Raiders, Anthony Patch. Patch works as a Senior Player Personnel Executive for the Raiders, and formerly was a Senior Director of College Scouting for the Eagles. Also Read: Matthew Stafford points out that the Detroit Lions lost out on some coordinators - The Times of India
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN's 'most pressing question' for Indianapolis Colts after 2025 NFL draft
ESPN's 'most pressing question' for Indianapolis Colts after 2025 NFL draft What is one big question still facing the Indianapolis Colts after the 2025 NFL draft? ESPN weighs in. What is one big question still facing the Indianapolis Colts after the 2025 NFL draft? With the dust having settled, each of ESPN's NFL Nation reporters highlighted one question still facing each of their respective teams. For the Colts, Stephen Holder wonders if the Colts have done enough at the linebacker position. "The Colts waited until the seventh round to draft Wisconsin's Hunter Wohler, who is a safety the Colts intend to convert to linebacker," Holder wrote. "This is a vulnerable area for the Colts, who already had challenges in coverage down the middle of the field last season." It seemed to fly under the radar, but linebacker was one of the more pressing positions of need that the Colts had this offseason because there is a starting spot up for grabs with EJ Speed now in Houston. GM Chris Ballard has made it clear that the team likes what they have in second-year linebacker Jaylon Carlies, who did impress during his relatively limited playing time last season. Carlies, who was the third linebacker when the Colts were in their 4-3 base, proved to be a reliable tackler, and as a former safety, limited pass-catchers to only 6.0 yards per catch, per PFF. "When we took (Carlies) and moved him from safety to linebacker, we thought the transition was really, really good," Ballard said before the NFL draft via the Indy Star. However, Carlies also has just 242 career defensive snaps, so assuming that he can seamlessly transition into a starting role comes with some risk as well. In addition to liking the linebackers that they have on the roster, Ballard would also mention during the post-draft press conference that in Lou Anarumo's defensive scheme, there is really only a need for a Mike and a Will linebacker in that system. While that factor can potentially impact how many players on the roster the Colts keep at the position, it doesn't answer the question above about whether or not they are good enough at the starting spot. In Anarumo's defense, where versatility and disguising coverages are key elements, a lot can be put on the plate of the second and third-level defenders.
