Latest news with #RimingtonTrophy
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ravens urgency grows after another glowing evaluation of Tyler Linderbaum
Ravens urgency grows after another glowing evaluation of Tyler Linderbaum Ravens may want to expediate their plans for Tyler Linderbaum's extension after yet another stellar review. It doesn't typically take long to distinguish 'special'. There's a reason why some prospects receive first-round grades and others don't. The Baltimore Ravens saw something in Tyler Linderbaum before making him the 25th player taken during the 2022 NFL Draft. Then again, everyone did. It isn't typical to discuss the Iowa Hawkeyes and revel in things they are doing on offense. Tyler changed that, for a season at least, but after shining during his final collegiate seasons, every NFL team was on notice as he declared he was ready to conquer the next level, football's highest. 2021 was the crowning jewel as he racked up a lot of hardware for the shelf. In addition to a First-Team All-Big Ten nod (his second), he won the Rimington Trophy and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year honors. He was also named a Unanimous All-American. No one doubted his talent would translate to the NFL, but just in case there was someone who might have, Mr. Linderbaum has certainly extinguished any concern in which he is mentioned. Consecutive Pro Bowl nods followed a spot on the 2022 Pro Football Writers Association's All-Rookie Team nods after the 2023 and 2024 Ravens seasons. Now comes the obligatory question about pay. When might an extension come? The Ravens may want to quicken their plan for Tyler Linderbaum after PFF's recent mention As seasons pass and the pages of the calendar turn, salaries get more exaggerated and expensive. Don't look now, but time has flown. Tyler Linderbaum enters year four of his rookie contract, and so far, there's been no news of an extension. By being a first-round draft choice, a fifth-year club option is baked into his deal, but the Ravens seemingly don't want to wait too long to get him squared away. As time passes and he adds to his resume, his price tag is only going to get larger. Public perception also plays a role in things sometimes, and if Pro Football Focus is right in its assessment, Tyler may be staring at a jackpot payday. PFF stacked the NFL's top 32 centers, and Tyler ranked second, behind only Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs. Mason Cameron, the writer of this one, offered his explanation. "After three seasons of excellent production at the heart of Baltimore's protection scheme, Linderbaum has proven to be one of the NFL's premier run blockers. The Ravens center is particularly adept as a zone blocker, where he has earned a 91.7 PFF run-blocking grade on zone concepts across his career, placing him in the 91st percentile at the position." Postseason accolades and being viewed as the game's second-best center are some stellar weaponry to take to the negotiating table. Neil Cornrich of NC Sports is Linderbaum's agent, and he has to be licking his chops. Eric DeCosta is one of the best in his field. There is no doubt that he'll get a deal done, but he may have a lot to think about in this case. Following Rashod Bateman's recent extension, several other Ravens need new deals of their own. Linderbaum is among that number, and now he has leverage and growing momentum. We'll see what happens during the coming months.
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Khaled Holmes in focus
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Khaled Holmes in focus The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 78 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at former USC offensive lineman Khaled Holmes. Position: Offensive line Years played at USC: 2008-2012 Career highlight: Holmes redshirted his first season at USC in 2008, and appeared in three games as a backup offensive guard for Pete Carroll's 2009 team. Under new head coach Lane Kiffin in 2010, Holmes became the starting right guard. He moved to center in 2011, where he started the next two seasons. As a senior in 2012, Holmes was named first-team All-Pac-12 and was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, given to the top center in the country. After USC: The Indianapolis Colts selected Holmes in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He played three seasons with the team and appeared in 17 games before being released in 2016. He also had brief stints with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, but never played in a regular season game with either team. Holmes's older brother, Alex, played tight end at USC from 2000-2004. Since 2023, Holmes has served as the associate head football coach at Southern California powerhouse Mater Dei High School, whom he played for from 2004-2007.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Quarterback Marcus Mariota headlines an impressive Oregon Ducks Hall of Fame class
This was the no-brainer of all no-brainers. As soon as he was eligible, the University of Oregon inducted quarterback Marcus Mariota into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The former signal caller headlines an impressive class that includes a Bowerman Award winner, an Olympic medalist, a Rimington Trophy finalist and nine NCAA championships. Along Mariota will be javelin thrower Sam Crouser, lineman Hroniss Grasu, track star Jenna Prandini, softball player Janie (Takeda) Reed and the 2011-14 women's indoor track and field teams. "The 2025 Hall of Fame Class for Oregon Athletics is truly exceptional, including a Heisman Trophy winner, a Bowerman Award recipient, an Olympic medalist, and multiple NCAA team and individual national champions," said Ducks Athletic Director Rob Mullens. "The excellence achieved by all inductees places them among the very elite in the storied history of Oregon Athletics, and we look forward to honoring them and their remarkable achievements this fall as they take their well-deserved place in the Hall of Fame." One might think these inductees should already be in the Oregon Hall of Fame, given their accolades, and each has a strong case to be in the HOF as soon as they left Oregon, especially Mariota. However, there is a minimum 10-year rule that must be met once they leave Oregon to be eligible. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle While the others are great Ducks and each deserves a Hall of Fame nod, make no mistake about it, Mariota is the star attraction here. He won the first and so far only Heisman Trophy for Oregon football. He's the most decorated football player in school history with 36 wins, more than any of his contemporaries in three seasons, while breaking numerous school and conference records. Not only did Mariota capture the Heisman, he was also the Player of the Year by the Associated Press, the winner of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and the Maxwell Award. Mariota was the Pac-12's first three-time all-conference first-team quarterback and finished his career with the school and league record for total offense (13,033), as well as the University's all-time standards for passing yards (10,796), passing touchdowns (105), 300-yard passing games (17), completions (779), attempts (1,167), completion percentage (.668), and starts (41). It's only fitting that the guy who snapped the ball to Mariota for a lot of those games should also be in the Oregon Hall of Fame himself. But Grasu was much more than Mariota's center. He was a four-year starter on teams that won the Rose Bowl twice and the Fiesta Bowl once, and played for the CFP National Championship. Grasu earned first-team All-America honors as both a junior and a senior when he was also a two-time finalist for the Rimington Trophy given to the nation's top center. Grasu received First Team All-America honors from and SB Nation in 2013 on a team that defeated Texas, 30-7, in the Alamo Bowl and ranked second nationally in total offense (565.0 ypg) and fourth in scoring (45.5 ppg). Grasu's senior season was one of the best in program history. The Ducks won the Pac-12 title by defeating Arizona, 51-13, in the league championship game and routed Florida State, 59-20, in the CFP National Semifinal at the Rose Bowl before falling to Ohio State in the championship game. Named First Team All-America by The Sporting News and and Second Team by the Associated Press. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raiders' OL Jackson Powers-Johnson Reveals Position He Prefers to Play
While general manager Tom Telesco did not last long with the Las Vegas Raiders, he did provide the franchise with several cornerstone players. Unfortunately, he was attached at the hip with head coach Antonio Pierce, so he was unable to continue building the program in his image. Still, he grabbed three starters in the first three rounds of his only NFL Draft, nabbing Brock Bowers, Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze with consecutive picks. All three of these players were key contributors for the Raiders last year and showed hope for a promising future despite winning just four games all season. Las Vegas Raiders OL Jackson Powers-Johnson (58).Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Powers-Johnson missed the early part of the season, but settled into the starting lineup at both guard and center during the 2024 campaign. Many have tried to predict which position he will play this season or what he prefers, but Powers-Johnson set the record straight on a recent episode of "The Rush with Maxx Crosby." Advertisement "Center, easy." Powers-Johnson said. "I want to take that step mentally, as a center, so that any look that presents to us, I can diagnose it and help Geno (Smith) get into that. I think that's so much fun and why I love center so much." New head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek did not address the center position this offseason, so it appears that Powers-Johnson will start once again in the middle of the offensive line. He won the Rimington Trophy in college for the being the nation's best center, and he will attempt to bring that prowess to the Silver and Black once again in 2025. Related: Insider Hints at Exciting Raiders-49ers News Related: Ashton Jeanty Hints at Massive Price He Had to Pay to Get Jersey Number
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football center Jake Slaughter projected to win 2025 Rimington Trophy
Florida football center Jake Slaughter projected to win 2025 Rimington Trophy The college football season kicks off in just over three months, but the anticipation ahead of America's favorite sport has many already looking ahead to the fall campaign. One of the many too-early questions posited by prognosticators is which players will win which regular-season awards when the schedule concludes. CBS Sports writer Will Backus decided to take a stab at the topic recently, predicting college football award winners for the 2025 campaign. Among the projected award winners — which leaned heavily on the Ohio State Buckeyes and Clemson Tigers — was Florida Gators starting center Jake Slaughter, who was named the top candidate for the Rimington Trophy, which honors the top player in the nation at that position. Why Jake Slaughter will win the Rimington Trophy "Slaughter would likely have been the first center off the board if he declared for the 2025 NFL draft, but he elected to run it back for another year with what looks like a promising Florida team," Backus begins. "He's long been an anchor in the middle of the Gators' offensive line, and he's coming off a 2024 season in which he earned second-team CBS Sports All-American and first-team All-SEC honors. Slaughter took 402 pass-block snaps last year and only allowed one sack, according to Pro Football Focus. That type of dominance at a key position should net him some hardware." Breaking down Jake Slaughter's skill set Pro Football Focus (PFF) awarded Slaughter an impressive 83.9 overall grade, making him the highest-graded returning center in the country. Slaughter, a redshirt senior, has not only met but exceeded expectations throughout his collegiate career. After stepping in as a starter during the 2023 season, Slaughter solidified his role in 2024, delivering standout performances that earned him First-Team All-American honors. Slaughter's incredible skills in pass protection were highlighted last season as he allowed just one sack over 402 pass-blocking snaps. Even with run-blocking, PFF marked him as the team's top run-blocker. Listed at 6-foot-4-inches and 308 pounds, the offensive lineman originally from Sparr, Florida, is a consensus first-round pick among early 2026 NFL draft projections. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
