Height: six-foot-one
Weight: 199 pounds
Position: Safety
School: Ohio State
After six years with the Buckeyes, the former four-star recruit is off to the NFL. Josh Proctor was a highly-rated recruit in the 2018 class and backed up Jordan Fuller for two years before getting his shot in 2020. Over the course of his career, Proctor accounted for 112 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack, three interceptions, 14 pass breakups, a recovered fumble, and a touchdown against Maryland last year.
In six years, Proctor appeared in 53 games including the short seven-game season of 2020 and then battling injuries in 2021. Proctor was a leader of the Ohio State defense and often led the way with his hard-hitting play. His “welcome to college football” moment came on the final play of the 2019 Big Ten Championship where he delivered a massive hit on the Wisconsin quarterback at the end of a 34-21 victory.
NFL Player Comparison: A more athletic Vonn Bell
Projected Round: Fifth/Sixth Round
Best Fits: Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers
Proctor is an interesting case in this year’s draft. With every positive to go with his play, there are plenty of negatives. Proctor is a tone-setter on defense and is often more concerned with baptizing receivers than making the play on the ball itself. He has enough athleticism to go onto the field and do a good enough job but he is not expected to be a day-one impact player at the position in coverage.
NFL coaches will love that he was selected to the Senior Bowl and that he’s coming off of his best season with the Buckeyes. He has the intangibles to be a leader on any defense.
On the other side, Proctor struggled with hauling in interceptions. Despite the three turnovers and one touchdown, Proctor was prone to dropping even the easiest-looking interceptions. He may have a good nose for where the football is, but he has not been as reliable as other safety prospects at pulling in the interception.
As a safety, it will be surprising if Proctor ends up as a reliable option. On special teams, however, Proctor could end up as a very good gunner and could carve out his own niche.
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The LSU Tigers enter a huge year under head coach Brian Kelly. This fourth season appears like it could be a massive one for Coach Kelly, especially after they attacked the transfer portal so aggressively this offseason. They clearly are pulling out all of the stops. While there is a lot to be excited about, there are also some major question marks. From both the positive and negative perspective, there will also be some surprises. Here are some Hot Takes for the LSU team in 2025, some being spicier than others. Garrett Nussmeier mixed reviews Nussmeier has been a very controversial quarterback so far during his LSU career. The talent is definitely there as a pure thrower, showing some impressive touch and natural arm talent. A bit of a statuesque passer, Nussmeier has struggled against pressure, and has also had some issues with turnovers in 2024. If he is able to cut down on those 15 total turnovers, and make a jump, Nussmeier has a chance to lead the Tigers to be a big season. With an offensive line with a ton of turnover, there are some doubts for just how clean Nussmeier will be this season. Harold Perkins hits upside It has been a bizarre career for Perkins so far, who came to Baton Rouge as a five-star recruit with some high expectations. He showcased that talent early and often, having dominant moments rushing off the edge early in his career. At just around 6-0 and 220 pounds, Perkins has tried to find a home at linebacker the last two seasons, and there has been some mixed results. He’s coming off of an injury plagued 2024 season, but I expect Perkins to end his LSU career with a bang this season. Mansoor Delane earns All-American status After contemplating entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Delane instead opted to return to college for one more season. Instead of continuing to play for Virginia Tech for that final year, he will be suiting up for LSU in 2025. Delane is coming off of an impressive junior campaign where he collected 54 total tackles, four interceptions, and seven pass breakups. He has some impressive movement skills, and is also scheme diverse. With Delane now playing in the SEC, he should get the national attention that he deserves.
The Indiana Fever’s starters turned in a strong all-around effort in Thursday’s 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces. The starting unit scored at least 13 points each, save for Aari McDonald, who registered nine points in 22 minutes of action. Indiana’s starters combined for 76 out of the team’s 80 points on the evening, which only means that the four other players who came off the bench accounted for just four points in the game. All that came from Sydney Colson, who went 2-of-5 in 18 minutes of playing time. Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson and Damiris Dantas all failed to score in the win. Stephanie White Calls Out Fever's Bench Be that as it may, offense wasn’t even the biggest concern for head coach Stephanie White. In her postgame press conference, the veteran shot-caller called out Indiana’s bench for their lack of intensity on the defensive end, particularly in the first half. “Our bench has to be ready,” she said. “I felt like our bench in the second half was really good defensively. In the first half, I didn't feel that way. You got to be ready to come in and you got to be ready to guard your matchup and execute the game plan. "We have depth for a reason. We've got quality depth and we've got to be able to use it. So if fatigue is a factor in execution, then they just need to ask for a sub and I'll get them out and get them back in." It has been a bit of a busy stretch for the Fever at the midway point of the season. Thursday’s matchup against the Aces was their second game in three nights, and they will be back in action again on Sunday in a rivalry showdown against the Chicago Sky. White, however, isn’t accepting fatigue as an excuse. This is regardless of the fact that Caitlin Clark remains out with a re-aggravated groin injury. White is adamant that this roster has been built for adversity, and she didn’t hesitate to put her bench on notice after Thursday’s showing.
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
Now in her second WNBA season, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is averaging a league‑leading 12.5 rebounds along with 13.8 points, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She recently returned from injury and immediately picked up where she left off, posting her 16th double‑double of the season (11 points, 11 rebounds) on Tuesday night even as her Chicago Sky fell, 91-68, to the Minnesota Lynx. Then, on Wednesday, Reese showcased her brand power on Instagram, posting a pregame photo dressed head‑to‑toe in Gucci with the caption, "Don’t worry about me… life is GUCCI @gucci #guccipartner." The image quickly lit up her feed and drew an immediate response from one of the game’s all‑time greats, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, who commented, “Yessss it is❤️." Despite flashes of elite play, the Sky have struggled mightily, standing at just 7-17 and sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their 76.7 points per game rank 12th in the WNBA, and opponents are torching them for 86.8 a night (12th in the league). With head coach Tyler Marsh searching for consistency, every bright spot has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that won the title as recently as 2021. Front and center among Chicago’s bright spots is Reese. Off the court, Reese has quickly built a burgeoning portfolio of endorsement deals, including Reebok, Calvin Klein, Beats by Dre, Amazon and now Gucci, underscoring her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest personalities. On the other side, you have Leslie, whose voice carries more weight than arguably anybody in women’s basketball. A three‑time league MVP, two‑time WNBA champion and Finals MVP and eight‑time All‑Star, Leslie helped define the league’s early years with the Los Angeles Sparks, including driving home the first dunk in WNBA history in 2002. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer (class of 2015), she remains a global ambassador for the sport.