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The LSU Tigers are fresh off of having four offensive linemen selected in the 2025 NFL Draft , including All-American left tackle Will Campbell inside the top ten to the New England Patriots. Being strong up front has been a priority under head coach Brian Kelly, which makes sense considering his previous position with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. That ideology doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon.
In the 2026 recruiting class, Coach Kelly and his Tigers staff are pursuing several talented offensive linemen. That includes Flower Mound (Texas) High School offensive tackle Drew Evers. LSU was named as one of the six finalists for Evers over the weekend, joined by Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Penn State, and SMU.
NEWS: Four-Star IOL Drew Evers is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 26, 2025
The 6’4 302 IOL from Flower Mound, TX is ranked as the No. 7 IOL in the ‘26 Class (per On3)
Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/sTRY28LBbb pic.twitter.com/hb66HB9yO7
The 6-3.5, 285-pound standout is considered a near consensus four-star player by all of the major recruiting platforms. The 247Sports Composite ranking currently has Evers pegged as the No. 208 overall player, No. 13 interior offensive linemen, and No. 27 player in the state of Texas for the 2026 recruiting class. 247Sports is the lowest in Evers, pegging him as a three-star player and the No. 27 interior offensive linemen nationally.
While the rankings are a little bit all over the place, the offers for Evers are extremely strong. Outside of his finalists, Evers has put together a very impressive offer list. Some of the top programs who have offered him include Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Missouri, Florida State, UNC, Utah, Wisconsin, Colorado, Arkansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Pittsburgh, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Georgia Tech, Baylor, Cal, Arizona, Stanford, Purdue, and Northwestern among others.
At under 6-4, Evers is a bit of an odd body type to play offensive tackle. Some people see him as an interior player, while others think his 81-inch wingspan will allow him to remain on the outside. Regardless, he’s a very talented offensive lineman with some outstanding upside on the next level. LSU will continue to battle amongst an elite group of suitors for his services.
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Nico Iamaleava clears the air on decision to transfer to UCLA
The consequences of NIL (name, image and likeness) deals will continue to define the college football season. They embolden student-athletes to utilize the transfer portal to their advantage and encourage programs to pursue top talent through financial incentives. On Thursday, new University of California, Los Angeles quarterback Nico Iamaleava took to the podium for the first time as a Bruin, marking a major shift in how NIL deals can quickly change team dynamics and narratives. Iamaleva, born and raised in Southern California, hadn't spoken publicly since he shockingly transferred from the University of Tennessee in April. At the time, reports suggested he left the school over an NIL dispute where Iamaleava wanted a deal around $4M. He didn't report for spring practice and was then removed from the program. Since then, insiders painted a more complicated picture, indicating that the QB's father complained to the coaching staff that the supporting cast around his son wasn't good enough. "My family was strictly the main importance for me," Iamaleava explained at a news conference. "I let my business team, my parents handle that side of NIL. Just me being closer to family was the most important thing." While Iamaleva spent his time with the press discussing his desire to stay close to his family and his on-field goals, this move can't be decoupled from the NIL aspect. Iamaleva is not set to make a huge payday with UCLA. Of course, if his 2025 season with the Bruins is successful, it would incentivize UCLA to offer him a larger NIL deal that could entice him to stay another year in school. Iamalevea was highly sought after before deciding to go back home. It's no surprise considering his career so far. After being a backup in 2023, he threw for 2,616 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading Tennessee University to the playoffs in 2024, his first year as a starter. Iamaleva has the arm talent and size; he's six feet six inches tall, which is exactly what NFL scouts crave. In the right system, he could have a season that makes draft analysts want to talk about him all season long. For the UCLA coaching staff, that's a level of potential they haven't had in some time. And it's that potential that fuels NIL deals. How Iamaleava performs at UCLA will be closely watched by other student-athletes looking to leverage their talent and secure larger NIL deals or find situations where they can maximize their potential. If Iamaleava plays so well that he makes University of Tennessee officials regret their decision, then it's not hard to see other top talent having more successful NIL negotiations. Student-athletes transferring to play elsewhere has always been a part of college football, but it has never come with financial incentives for both the school and the students. It seems that it's no longer the case that college programs make the talent, but that the talent makes the program.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Green Bay Packers: Former 7th Rounder Has Only Solidified Depth Chart Status in Impressive Training Camp
Three days of Green Bay Packers training camp are in the books and cornerback Carrington Valentine has reinforced his status as the default CB3. It’s only a minute sample size, of course, and the team hasn’t even moved to padded sessions yet. Nonetheless, it’s encouraging to see the former 232nd overall pick put down some roots in a cornerback group that will need meaningful contributions from a slew of less than household names. Carrington Valentine starts strong in Green Bay Packers training camp Writing for Packers Wire, Mark Oldacres observed that Valentine has already picked off a pair of passes in the early going. Stats don’t much much in training camp, but it’s a reflection of Valentine’s keyed-in performance thus far, which included matching up well with standout rookie receiver Matthew Golden. Each player has impressed so far in camp. The Packers are counting on Valentine to backup Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs on the depth chart, or take the field with them in nickelback formations. While he is still developing his overall tools, he already has a place on an NFL field due to his coverage skills. Says Oldacres, “Arguably Green Bay’s most gifted cover corner, Valentine is showing signs of hitting his upside in coverage specifically, although proving he is reliable enough in defending the run will still be crucial for him to truly become a full time player.” Valentine enjoyed a decent chunk of playing time last season as a sophomore, taking advantage of Jaire Alexander’s extended injury absence to amass 546 snaps. He notched the first two interceptions of his career and earned a PFF grade of 70.4, which ranked in the 80th percentile of qualified cornerbacks. With Alexander released and Eric Stokes leaving in free agency, Valentine will have an even greater opportunity in 2025. The players behind him on the depth chart are fringe reserves, draft picks, or ex-receivers (Bo Melton). The job behind Nixon and Hobbs is his to lose. If the latter hits the injured list again – Hobbs missed 17 games across his last three seasons in Las Vegas – Valentine could step into an elevated role. Promoting him naturally at some point, injuries or not, might not be such a bad thing. For his part, Oldacres is pretty high on Valentine’s potential. “Entering year three in the NFL and soon to turn 24, Valentine is probably the best bet to lift the ceiling of Green Bay’s cornerback group as a whole.”
Why Timberwolves assistant spurned Knicks to remain with Minnesota
Veteran assistant coach Pablo Prigioni has decided to remain with the Timberwolves amid interest from the Knicks, reports Ian Begley of SNY.tv. According to Begley, Prigioni — who has been on the Wolves staff since 2019 — cited family reasons for his decision to stay in Minnesota. Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic noted earlier this week that Prigioni is “highly thought of” within the Wolves organization and has been working closely with 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham. A former NBA point guard who spent two-and-a-half seasons in New York as a player from 2012-15, Prigioni transitioned to coaching following his retirement in 2017. He spent one season on Brooklyn’s bench in 2018-19 before landing with the Wolves. Prigioni, 48, was originally hired under Ryan Saunders, but carried over to Chris Finch‘s staff in 2021 and has now been with the Timberwolves for six seasons in total. The Knicks were recently granted permission to speak to Prigioni as they look to fill out their coaching staff under new head coach Mike Brown. As the Knicks continue to consider their options on the coaching market, one candidate who is “squarely on their radar” is Clippers assistant Brendan O’Connor, according to Begley, who says O’Connor is known for his defensive acumen. Even if the Knicks were to hire O’Connor away from L.A., they’d likely remain on the lookout for another assistant who could help with their offense, Begley adds.
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