In a recruiting class that’s steadily taking shape, Mississippi State just landed a big-time building block. Mosley High School standout Adam Land, one of Florida’s top-ranked tight ends, has officially committed to the Bulldogs for the class of 2026.
And he didn’t wait long to pull the trigger.
“Ring the Bell,” Land said after announcing his commitment on X. “A long-time dream is a step closer to reality as I have officially COMMITTED to my Dawgs at @HailStateFB.”
Ring the Bell #HailState
— Adam Land (@AdamLand2026) June 11, 2025
A long-time dream is a step closer to reality as I have officially COMMITTED to my Dawgs at @HailStateFB
Thank you to @Jcoop50 @Coach_Leb and all the State staff who have welcomed my family to StarkVegas!@On3Recruits @247recruiting @Rivals… pic.twitter.com/2l0pPNwtil
But it wasn’t just the facilities or the SEC spotlight that pulled him north. It was the relationship.
“Thank you to @Jcoop50 @Coach_Leb and all the State staff who have welcomed my family to StarkVegas,” Land said.
That sense of belonging, plus multiple visits to Starkville, proved to be the tipping point for a commitment that bolsters Mississippi State’s 2026 class, now with 10 pledges and climbing.
Land is coming off a productive junior season with 26 catches for 452 yards and two touchdowns. His hands, route running, and physicality stood out as he helped lead Mosley to a 9-2 record and a spot in Florida’s 5A state playoffs.
He’s not coming in blind either. Former teammate Lo’Kavion Jackson signed with the Bulldogs in the 2024 class.
“It’s good to know someone already there. I’ll be able to lean on him if I have questions,” Land added.
Land is expected to take his official visit on June 20, part of what’s shaping up to be a loaded recruiting weekend for MSU coaches.
With the 2025 season looming, offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby continues to reshape his unit with tight ends like Land, who fits the hybrid mold the offense favors. Current TE1 Seydou Traore, who had 34 catches for 361 yards last year, proved the position has a future in StarkVegas.
And with size, speed, and smarts, Land might just be the next breakout Bulldog.
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Following last season's breakthrough, the Indiana Hoosiers aren't sneaking up on anyone in 2025. That extends to their offseason transfer portal addition at quarterback. In the most recent episode of "First Draft," ESPN NFL Draft experts Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr. discussed the 10 most intriguing pro prospects entering the 2025 college football regular season, which kicks off on Aug. 23. Among the players discussed, Kiper mentioned Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who transferred from the California Golden Bears this offseason. As a sophomore in 2024, Mendoza completed 68.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3,004 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Moving to what should be a much better environment at Indiana, which went 11-2 last season and reached the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, it's understandable why expectations are high for the rising junior. "You think about [head coach] Curt Cignetti and what he's done with quarterbacks wherever he's been," Kiper began. He noted Indiana's weapons, including senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, who has 2,148 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season, and running back Roman Hemby, a fifth-year senior who transferred from Maryland this offseason. In addition to rushing for 2,347 yards during his collegiate career, Hemby is also a factor as a pass-catcher out of the backfield with 112 career receptions. Kiper pointed to Indiana's offensive line, which should protect Mendoza better than Cal's offensive line in 2024. "He was sacked 41 times last year at Cal. Horrific offensive line," Kiper said. "But I tell you what, the poise under pressure — 6-foot-5, 235 pounds — really smart. Slips and slides very effectively in the pocket. Fernando Mendoza has the chance to soar up draft boards with a big season." Yates observed that Mendoza has multiple seasons of college eligibility remaining and could return to Indiana in 2026. The kind of success he has and the other quarterback prospects he declares will likely influence his draft decision. The 2026 class could be stacked, with Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar, Cade Klubnik, Carson Beck and Sam Leavitt among the notable draft-eligible quarterbacks. Mendoza could get lost in the shuffle by adding his name to the potentially saturated class. He might stand out if he has a big enough season and some of the younger prospects remain in college. Mendoza will have an excellent opportunity to start the season hot. Indiana has a favorable early-season schedule, playing Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State in Weeks 1-3 before opening Big Ten play. Those warmups should allow Mendoza to find a groove before the schedule gets more challenging. If so, he could easily prove Kiper right.
Despite being viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ended up sliding into the third round. The 22-year-old who was the starter for Alabama for two seasons was selected with the No. 92 pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Although every player's dream is to go in the first round, Milroe likely couldn't have gone to a better situation. There is virtually no pressure on him as the Seahawks signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Sam Darnold, to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason, and also have Drew Lock, who has started 28 career games on the roster as well. However, based on ESPN's initial depth chart, Milroe may be climbing the depth chart sooner than most expected. Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart As reported by ESPN, the Seahawks depth chart goes as follows: QB1: Sam Darnold QB2 Jalen Milroe QB3 Drew Lock If this truly ends up being the case, Milroe has taken major strides following his final season at Alabama. During his final year in Tuscaloosa, Milroe was criticized heavily for forcing passes into windows that weren't there after being late on reads. In his final season at Alabama, Milroe threw a career-high 11 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns, an increase of five more interceptions than he threw in 2023. Although training camp is still ongoing and the preseason games have yet to be played, clearly, Milroe is finding some success in the pacific northwest.
One out, seventh inning, 2-2 tie in Arlington. Ben Rice watched from the dugout as manager Aaron Boone called Paul Goldschmidt to pinch-hit for Austin Wells. When Goldschmidt crushed a 0-2 fastball over the left-field wall for the go-ahead run, the New York Yankees had their first lead since the fifth inning. More importantly, they had it because Rice's catching ability made the crucial substitution possible. The 26-year-old's emergence as a multi-position weapon couldn't be more timely. The Yankees entered Wednesday's Texas series finale having blown a seven-game AL East lead since May 28, sitting 6.5 games behind Toronto and 3.5 behind Boston for the first wild card. They'd started August 0-5, desperate for any break before facing Houston at home. Rice represents the internal solution they've needed. His .779 OPS sits well above the .719 MLB average, powered by 16 home runs and elite contact metrics. Baseball Savant ranks him in the 95th percentile or higher in hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, expected slugging and expected weighted on-base average. Those numbers seem impossible considering where Rice started. The 2021 12th-round Dartmouth pick hit .171 in 178 plate appearances last season. But knowing he'd catch in 2025, Rice added 10 pounds to his frame and worked relentlessly on his receiving skills. The defensive flexibility pays dividends beyond Wednesday's game. Rice has posted a +2 fielding run value across 84 innings caught and 180 innings at first base. Not spectacular, but competent enough to create the matchup advantages Boone exploited against the Rangers. Rice embodies exactly what championship teams find within their system. Aaron Judge remains the Yankees' best player, but Rice may be their most valuable in pure utility terms. His ability to produce above-average offense while handling two premium positions creates strategic options other teams lack. Wednesday's sequence proved the point. Without Rice's catching ability, Boone couldn't have pinch-hit Goldschmidt in that crucial spot. The move worked because Rice had spent months building trust through consistent performance at both positions. The Yankees still trail Toronto by 6.5 games with the Astros series looming next. Their playoff chances remain fragile yet likely, per FanGraphs, after months of disappointing baseball. But Rice's ascension from .171 hitter to essential depth piece shows what's possible when overlooked talent meets opportunity. If the Yankees accomplish anything meaningful this season, they'll trace it back to moments like Wednesday's seventh inning. Not because of Goldschmidt's clutch homer, but because Ben Rice made that moment possible.
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
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