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Yahoo
3 days ago
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Nation's No. 5 QB Jumped Nearly 700 Spots After Committing to Big Ten Powerhouse
Nation's No. 5 QB Jumped Nearly 700 Spots After Committing to Big Ten Powerhouse originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Earlier this week, recruiting site Rivals released its updated rankings for the 2026 recruiting class. Using what players put on tape at spring and summer camps as well as 7-on-7 tournaments, Rivals was able to adjust where some of the best recruits in the country ranked. While there was a bit of shifting amongst the blue-chip recruits, there were also some players who had flown under the radar before the update that finally got their shine. One recruit that saw a huge leap in the rankings was now-four-star quarterback and Oregon commit, Bryson Beaver. The Vista Murrieta (CA) product had initially committed to Boise State back in April, but following a strong performance at the Elite 11 in June, saw an uptick in interest from Power 4 programs and ultimately flipped to Oregon days after. He also saw his ranking increase dramatically, as at the time of his commitment, On3's industry ranking had him as the No. 852 prospect and No. 55 quarterback in the country. A couple of marks that changed in a big way, as the industry ranking now has him as the No. 175 player in the country and No. 22 quarterback in the country. Aside from the rise in the industry ranking, which compiles rankings by weighing other recruiting services, Rivals also bumped him up tremendously. Beaver went from being unranked to being the No. 44 player in the class and No. 5 quarterback in the country. While some fans are convinced that there's something fishy here, it is more likely a case of Beaver being more visible to evaluators. Regardless, Beaver will have a chance to prove he earned his ranking with a strong senior story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
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Browns' 'Woeful' QB Situation Biggest Question Heading Into Training Camp
Browns' 'Woeful' QB Situation Biggest Question Heading Into Training Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Browns honestly have more than just one question heading into training camp. The quarterback position is just one among others at wideout, corner, edge and linebacker. But since the quarterback is the most important, it's the biggest this offseason. Especially considering the Browns' history at the position. Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine wrote that Joe Flacco most definitely is not the answer under center for the Browns. "Joe Flacco may have Myles Garrett's full support as the Browns' starting quarterback, but that doesn't make starting the 40-year-old quarterback in 2025 a sad proposition," Ballentine wrote. "Flacco may have had a 4-1 stretch as the Cleveland starter in 2023 that endeared him to fans, but he hasn't been a full-season starter since 2017 and is actually worse at taking care of the ball since then. That's why it's in the Browns' best interest for Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders to emerge from training camp as the starter. Cleveland obviously wants to win, but it needs to come away as a well-positioned team in 2026 even more. That means figuring out a woeful quarterback situation. Any one of Pickett, Gabriel or Sanders could provide hope. Pickett could be the latest first-round quarterback to figure things out later in his career. Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith and Sam Darnold have generated hope for that archetype. Gabriel and Sanders are long shots as Day 2 and 3 selections in the draft. "However, starting them would allow them to sink or swim and provide more clarity for 2026. Either way, watching Flacco lead the Browns to a mid-round draft pick could be the ticket to another year in quarterback purgatory in 2026." This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
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2027 4-Star QB Predicted to Big Ten Powerhouse
2027 4-Star QB Predicted to Big Ten Powerhouse originally appeared on Athlon Sports. With 31 commitments in the 2026 recruiting cycle, the USC Trojans may already be moving their focus to the 2027 class. Advertisement On Monday, Rivals analysts Steve Wiltfong and Sam Spiegelman predicted that 2027 four-star quarterback Peyton Houston will be joining Lincoln Riley at USC. The 5-foot-11, 198-pound signal-caller is the country's 85th-ranked player, eighth-best among quarterbacks and sixth-best from Louisiana, according to 247Sports. In his sophomore season at Evangel Christian Academy, Houston passed for 4,480 yards, 38 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also added 690 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. With more than 30 offers, Houston has his choice of schools, including Clemson, Colorado, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and more. Advertisement At the recent Under Armour Future 50 event, Houston was evaluated by 247Sports' Andrew Ivins. He was described as "one of the most sought-after signal-callers in the (2027) class" by Sonny Shipp of Geaux Tigers. "We had him going 12 of 14 passing for 125 yards and three touchdowns during the 7-on-7 game," Shipp said. "Houston must figure out when and how to dial back the pace, but he's got the arm talent to be a high-volume passer in college." Evangel Christian Academy quarterback Peyton Houston (4).© Henrietta Wildsmith/Shreveport Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images If Houston does end up at USC, he would face stiff competition for playing time. In their 2026 recruiting class, the Trojans have a commitment from four-star quarterback Jonas Williams. Advertisement In 2025, USC landed Husan Longstreet, a five-star recruit ranked 32nd in the country. So far for the 2026 class, the Trojans are ranked first in the country, according to both Rivals and 247Sports team recruiting rankings. For 2027, USC has no commitments yet. Related: No. 1 Recruiting Class Gets Major 4th of July News Related: Paul Finebaum Shares What's Fueling Alabama's Post-Nick Saban Recruiting Success This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
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Will Jets Be Stuck In QB Purgatory With Justin Fields?
Will Jets Be Stuck In QB Purgatory With Justin Fields? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Jets' signing of Justin Fields was met with a solid reaction, with the move seen as a win-win for the franchise. Advertisement If Fields plays well, great; if he doesn't, the Jets can escape his contract after 2025 relatively unscathed. But it might not be as straightforward as that. If Fields is good, how good can the Jets expect to be? Alternatively, if the Jets are bad, will they be bad enough to get a high draft pick? It is here where Fox Sports' Henry McKenna thinks the Jets might be stuck. And here is where fans have their worries. Fields is a unique quarterback," McKenna writes. "Sometimes, unusual talents fail to fit with a certain scheme or coaching staff. And so the Fields experiment might not be a huge success story. So you're probably thinking: Well, the Jets will just draft another QB. They could. Advertisement "But given that Fields needs to reclaim his career and the Jets are tired of losing, they will probably finish in the middle of the league, even if Fields isn't the guy they want him to be. And that'll probably cloud the picture around getting a top QB in the 2026 draft. So then what? They'll have to throw around major assets to move up in the draft or sign someone else in free agency… again." New York Jets' signing of Justin Fields was met with a solid reactionBy Tony Fisher That is quite the predicament. In truth, if Fields turns out to be a solid starter and the Jets win, let's say seven games, and go 7-10, that would be a solid foundation for Aaron Glenn to build from. But will that instill enough confidence that Fields is "the" guy? We aren't sure. Advertisement Also, if things go south, will they go south badly enough to warrant a top pick, say in the top three? That would likely be a three-win season. Of that, we aren't sure either. There is a lot to figure out in 2025, and as it turns out, the Fields decision, one that many predicted would nearly answer itself, might not be so easy to answer after all. Related: Aaron Glenn's 'Microwave' Jets Predicted To Be NFL Eyesore for New York Fans Related: Jets' Breece Hall Makes Feelings About Steelers' 'Misunderstood' Aaron Rodgers Perfectly Clear This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is The Drama Over At The QB Position For The Atlanta Falcons?...(For Now)
Is The Drama Over At The QB Position For The Atlanta Falcons?...(For Now) originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Kirk Cousins showed up at the Atlanta Falcons' mandatory mini-camp and let his feelings be known professionally a couple of weeks ago. But is that the end of the quarterback controversy? Advertisement Honestly, there is no controversy. The relationship (at least in public) between Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins is perfectly fine. Behind closed doors, the story could always be different, but Cousins has always been a genuine guy and a great teammate. Falcons QB's Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins on the field during mandatory mini-camp. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images He stated that he would obviously like to start somewhere, but realizes that the market has all but dried up for him. He is a Falcon for now, and by the end of the season, if he is still in uniform, even in a backup role, he wants to be holding up a Lombardi Trophy. Things would have heated up for him if Aaron Rodgers had retired instead of signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. At least, that was the plan. Cousins would have swallowed his pride and agreed to be the Steelers contingency plan if it meant being a starter somewhere. Advertisement For now, the only real option is for the New Orleans Saints to step in and agree to eat some of Cousins' contract money still owed to him by Atlanta after Derek Carr hung up his cleats. Outside of the Saints pulling the trigger or an injury occurring in training camp or during the season, the Falcons are perfectly content with having Cousins in a backup role. However, according to Spotrac, it does come with the financial strain of having the fifth-highest salary cap outlay at the quarterback position. Next season, Cousins' salary cap will rise to $57.5 million against a dead cap of $35 million. One way or another, he won't be on the roster in 2026. For now, the Falcons are relying heavily on Cousins to remain professional, supportive, and engaged, knowing that they will listen to offers for him to start elsewhere. Hoping that will be enough to keep him engaged in the event that he is thrust in with a Penix Jr. injury. Related: Atlanta Falcons WRs Darnell Mooney And Ray-Ray McCloud Look To Have A Breakout Season Related: Divine Deablo's Aggressive Nature Fits The Mold For The Atlanta Falcons' New Identity On Defense This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
