Yardbarker

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans. You can find him on Twitter/X and Threads at @ericsmithling and at Bluesky at @ericsmithling.bsky.social.

EXPERTISE:

NFL, College Football, NBA, Men's and Women's College Basketball, NHL

Why it's past time for the NFL to punt the scouting combine

For many people, nothing on the NFL calendar is as meaningless as the Pro Bowl. Beginning Tuesday, the NFL Scouting Combine will have that exhibition hold its beer.

Mamba mentality? Darrelle Revis shares interesting view of his place among great NFL cornerbacks

The cornerback wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is expanding this summer with the addition of Darrelle Revis. The former resident of "Revis Island" — a population of one — recently spoke with TMZ Sports about how he views himself in relation to another of the sport's all-time greats, cornerback Deion "Prime Time" Sanders.

Insider reveals Chicago's plans for first overall pick

The Chicago Bears might soon be off the clock.

Caitlin Clark hits buzzer-beater three as No. 6 Iowa defeats No. 2 Indiana

The legend of Caitlin Clark grew on Sunday after the phenomenal Iowa guard hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Hawkeyes a huge win against conference rival Indiana, 86-85.

Small sample size reveals huge impact of MLB's new pitch clock

Major League Baseball's new pitch clock is taking some getting used to for players and fans alike, but early data indicates one thing above all else about the biggest revolution in the sport's history: the new rule is working.

Alabama basketball criticized for news conference request

Alabama is receiving criticism after its sports information director told reporters to stick to basketball-related questions after Brandon Miller's name was mentioned on Tuesday in a murder investigation.

New developments emerge in Dan Snyder's potential sale of Commanders

A new report suggests the NFL may not rid itself of its Dan Snyder problem after all after the Washington owner reportedly nixed the idea of selling to Amazon's Jeff Bezos.

Cavaliers emerge as championship co-favorites in new playoff odds

The Cavs have a 19 percent chance of winning the championship, which ties them with the Boston Celtics.

Lamar Jackson's future shouldn't be this complicated

The Ravens may have turned a molehill into a mountain. 

A surprising QB's odds of being drafted No. 1 overall are skyrocketing

Could Anthony Richardson be the first overall pick in this April's draft? While it seems unlikely, an interesting change in the odds for the No. 1 pick may cause you to pause before dismissing the possibility.

Former Saints QB critical of GM Mickey Loomis

New Orleans has struggled the past two seasons to find a replacement for former QB Drew Brees. According to another former Saints QB, Jim Everett, it's a problem general manager Mickey Loomis created.

New Netflix documentary to focus on Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, Marcus Mariota

No one ever put Mahomes, Cousins and Mariota in the same sentence until Wednesday.

Three reasons to be optimistic about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Brady era may have ended with a lackluster defeat to the Cowboys in the wild-card round, but that doesn't mean it's time for a fire sale in Tampa Bay.

Three reasons to be optimistic about the New Orleans Saints

Here are three reasons to be excited about the New Orleans Saints.

Three reasons to be optimistic about the Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta traded 14-year starting QB Matt Ryan last offseason, jump-starting the team's rebuild. While it's never easy moving on from a successful partnership, it's hard to argue the Falcons didn't make the right call after Ryan failed to launch at his new home in Indianapolis, and now Atlanta has reason for optimism.

Three reasons to be optimistic about the Carolina Panthers

Carolina fans could be forgiven for not expecting much from the team in 2023, but there are reasons to believe the worst part of the post-Super Bowl storm is over.

College football exploring a wild way to shorten games

College football could look a whole lot different if one rule change floated by college football commissioners gains traction.

Houston ranked No. 1 once again in AP poll

The Cougars are the only team in men's college basketball to rank in the top five of every AP poll this season.

Potential opponents for Kansas City to open the 2023 NFL season

The NFL schedule won't be released until May, but NBC Sports' Peter King took an early look at potential candidates for the opener on Sept. 7. 

One conference rules above all others in projected NCAA men's tournament bracket

The NCAA men's tournament selection committee unveiled an early look at the projected top four seeds in each region, and out of the 16 spots available, one conference's schools earned five. 

Eric Bieniemy is overqualified for his new job in Washington

Bieniemy's move to the Commanders could work out for the best. But it shouldn't have reached this point. He has already done enough to be a head coach.

Fox NFL rules analyst believes league will ban successful Eagles play next year

The NFL may clip the Eagles wings this offseason. Per The 33rd Team's Paul Domowitch, Fox NFL rules analyst Dean Blandino believes the NFL will change its rules to make Philadelphia's QB sneak-push illegal in 2023 and beyond.

Big-name WRs who could play elsewhere in 2023

Wide receiver trades dominated the NFL last offseason, with Kansas City's deal of Tyreek Hill to Miami serving as the headliner. Several big-name wide receivers could be on the move this offseason, too.

Watch: Suns fans show Kevin Durant love at introductory news conference

If fans are going bonkers at a news conference, we can only imagine what will happen when the Suns win on the court with KD.

Robert Griffin III chronicles tale of his missing dog on social media

A potentially tragic story had a happy ending when former NFL QB Robert Griffin III and his family were reunited with their lost puppy, Benny. Griffin, an analyst for ESPN, chronicled the episode in real time on his Twitter account Wednesday evening, first asking the public for help in locating Benny and then sharing the news his family found him.