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Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels have gained a reputation over the last few years after becoming the "Portal Kings" with the program continuing to stack talent via the NCAA Transfer Portal.
This offseason, it's been much of the same with multiple newcomers heading to Oxford, but one has been labeled as an "immediate impact" player by 247Sports.
Interior offensive lineman Patrick Kutas, who entered the portal after spending three season with the Arkansas Razorbacks, is poised to shine for the Rebels in 2025.
Kutas entered the portal on December 5, 2024 and commited to Ole Miss just a week later on December 12, 2024.
The elite-level talent is listed at 6-foot-5, 315 pounds and was the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in this year's Transfer Portal while being the No. 15 overall player in the portal class.
Kutas played a crucial role on Arkansas' offensive line while being a versatile piece in both the passing and rushing game.
He allowed the quarterback and running backs ample time with holes to explode through.
2025 Official Transfer Portal All-Impact Team. pic.twitter.com/kou1CCyN8s
— Cooper Petagna (@cpetagna247) May 21, 2025
Kutas does a very good job in the ground game as he excels at sealing defenders to each side; allowing a hole on dive plays and the running backs to gain good yardage.
Kutas is set to make a serious difference on a new-look Rebels offensive line with Ole Miss losing multiple pieces of the 2024 line to the 2025 NFL Draft..
Kutas is not the only former Razorback to look for a new opportunity in Oxford as tight end Luke Hasz also made his way into Kiffin's program.
Joining Kutas on the offensive line will be a handful of new faces as well via the portal with Delano Townsend, Percy Lewis, PJ Wilkins, and Terez Davis have also joined the Rebels this offseason.
With the season being just 99 days away, Kutas and Co. will continue to improve with summer workouts inching closer in Oxford for the Ole Miss Rebels new-look squad.
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Projecting Wisconsin Badgers offensive depth chart to start 2025 season
The Wisconsin Badgers' season opener is less than two weeks away. The last chapter of a long and eventful offseason closed Saturday with the Badgers' last open practice of fall camp. With the season approaching, position battles are wrapping up and coaches are establishing a pecking order among different groups. It's a good time to check in the on the two-deep depth chart for the offense, to see how things stack up entering Week 1. Quarterback Luke Fickell said Saturday that the QB2 race between O'Neil and Hunter Simmons is ongoing. The competition is a good thing, but I'd be stunned if O'Neil doesn't wind up with the backup role. Simmons has less experience as a starter than O'Neil and played at a significantly lower level before joining the Badgers at the end of spring. Plus, O'Neil has been flat out better throughout fall camp and appears to be a part of Wisconsin's long-term plans after transferring in from San Diego State. Simmons provides a massive upgrade over Carter Smith and Milos Spasojevic as the No. 3 quarterback this season, but I'm not sure the Badgers ever planned on him being Billy Edwards' understudy in 2025. Running Back All indications are that Wisconsin will use a committee approach, with the trio of Jones, Dupree and Cade Yacamelli factoring in. All three have different skill sets, but given their youth and pure talent, Jones and Dupree will likely be the most involved. Jones looks to be the best pure runner and should be the go-to option on early downs. Dupree is a capable runner and possibly the best pass catcher, and he could serve as a change-of-pace back while seeing significant third-down work. Yacamelli's role is difficult to predict. He's the largest of the three, but has also shown some pass catching chops and explosiveness. His frame and experience could make him the best pass blocker of the bunch. Wide Receiver This feels like the clear cut top-six options based on snap shares and performance throughout the offseason. The biggest question is what Jayden Ballard will look like. Ballard had an extremely quiet fall after becoming a spring-camp darling. He has elite speed and can stretch the field vertically, but those big plays were few and far between this fall. I'm not sure he has done enough to warrant the type of snap share that Anthony and Kekahuna are likely to get, but the Ohio State transfer should still have a role. Eugene Hilton has been outstanding for a true freshman, and he will definitely be a factor in the regular season. He could push for a starting spot down the stretch. Tight End Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' scheme utilizes a healthy mix of two-tight end packages, so both Mason and Ashcraft should be considered first-teamers. However, Mason could open the season as the top option due to an injury Ashcraft suffered late in fall camp. Behind the duo is a handful of young or unproven tight ends. Redshirt freshman Grant Stec and redshirt junior JT Seagreaves would likely be next up, though Stec handled more first-team reps after Ashcraft went down. Jackson Acker figures to factor in as well, though he's more of an H-back than a true tight end. Offensive Line The starting offensive line had plenty of question marks entering fall camp, but the uncertainty of left tackle and right guard has been resolved. Jake Renfro is week-to-week with a lower-body injury, and his Week 1 status is unclear. Should he miss any games, Kerry Kodanko would slot into the starting center spot while Ryan Cory would serve as his backup. Colin Cubberly is another name to monitor if Kodanko is pushed into a starting role, as he'd become a backup guard option. This offensive front, with and without Renfro, were dominant at times while run blocking. The lack of depth is concerning, but they have plenty of talent within the room. More Wisconsin Badgers News: Badgers RB Dilin Jones shares hilarious story of how he committed to Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers players think true freshman linebacker will be 'one of the greats' Wisconsin Badgers' big transfer portal loss named to preseason watch list Wisconsin Football: Freshman defensive lineman earning playing time in rebuilt Badgers rotation
Shane Steichen dropped a big hint about the Colts’ QB battle
The Indianapolis Colts have yet to name their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, but coach Shane Steichen may have dropped a big hint about who the choice may be. Steichen said Saturday that he was close to making a decision between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson in the ongoing camp battle. He may have tipped his hand, however, when answering a question about what traits he was looking for in his starter. “I think it’s the most consistent guy,” Steichen said, via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “I really do, because at the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to move the football consistently up and down the field, and making good decisions. You know what I mean? I mean, at the end of the day, you can have splash plays, but if you’re doing that sparingly and up and down. … I think it’s got to be on a consistent basis, to get to where we want to go.” The knock on Richardson all along has been his inconsistency, and it is a bad sign for his prospects that Steichen put such an emphasis on that as part of his answer. Richardson’s physical talents are undeniable, but his decision-making has left something to be desired, and the offense has at times stalled out with him at the helm of it. Jones does not bring Richardson’s big-play potential, but would likely leave the Colts with a better idea of what they will get every Sunday. Richardson has put in extra work to try to win the job, but has been sidelined for a large part of the offseason with a shoulder injury, coupled with a dislocated pinky suffered during the preseason opener. It has also been suggested that Jones entered camp as the favorite, so Richardson had to play well enough to supplant him. Jones started Saturday’s preseason game and went 7-of-11 for 101 yards. Richardson went 6-of-11 for 73 yards, but he had one big play negated due to a penalty. The Colts ultimately lost 23-19 to the Green Bay Packers.
Jets QB Justin Fields under fire for limited 'processing' in preseason
The biggest question coming into the summer about New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields has not been answered or even experimented with much during the preseason. Fields is known for his ability to scramble, but has been criticized for his inability to consistently push the ball downfield as a passer during his time with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. On Saturday, Fields finished 1-of-5 passing for four yards in the Jets' 31-12 loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic has noticed that the Jets aren't requiring Fields to attempt deep throws at practices, joint practices and preseason games. Rosenblatt doesn't believe Fields' 3.9 air yards per attempt in the preseason can translate to winning when the games start counting in September. "So far this summer, Fields has not inspired confidence that he’s a different quarterback than he was in Chicago and Pittsburgh — that is, an extremely athletic quarterback with good arm strength but limitations in terms of accuracy and processing," Rosenblatt wrote. "It’s only the preseason and far too early to panic, but it is fair to wonder how long the Jets can survive without a passing game that can threaten defenses. A quarterback who’s not willing to take shots down the field, in the preseason, is not someone who’s going to scare opposing defensive coordinators." The Jets don't have another realistic option to start at quarterback other than Fields. Tyrod Taylor is a career backup. Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook are battling for a spot on the practice squad. The Jets need to see what Fields can do when he has to throw the ball downfield to win games. Even if Fields doesn't chuck passes in preseason games, the Jets coaching staff needs to force the 2021 first-round pick to attempt deep throws at practice. If Fields cannot execute that part of the offense, the Jets should look at bringing in another quarterback before the regular season.
Milwaukee Brewers: Craig Counsell Blasts Former Team’s 14-Game Winning Streak, Gets Caught Lying
The Milwaukee Brewers saw their 14-game win streak, the longest in franchise history, come to an end on Sunday afternoon in an extra innings loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Milwaukee’s bats, which had been red hot for weeks, suddenly cooled and the taxed bullpen could not close out the game, which the Brewers led in the ninth inning. Now, Milwaukee will look to start a new win streak as they head to Chicago for a five-game series, which will be played in a four-day span, against the Cubs. Of course, the Brewers and Cubs have one of the most intriguing rivalries in the game as Chicago’s manager, Craig Counsell, is the winningest skipper in Milwaukee’s franchise history. But, after the 2022 season, Counsell ditched the Brewers, the team his father worked for and he himself played for Milwaukee for a good portion of his career in order to take the Cubs’ job away from David Ross, who was still the team’s manager when they decided to hire their former rival. Earlier this season, Chicago led Milwaukee in the standings by as many as 6.5 games, but now, thanks to the Brewers’ long run of stellar play, are eight games behind the Brewers in the standings. Chicago Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Doesn’t Think the Milwaukee Brewers Are Doing Anything Great Counsell, who still resides in Whitefish Bay on Milwaukee’s north side, is not much loved anymore by Brewers fans, and he has done little to save face in their eyes with comments he has made about the team since joining their I-94 rivals. He added more fuel to the fire in a recent interview with the Chicago Sun Times, Counsell was asked about his thoughts on the Brewers’ winning streak. “What’s so great about it?” he responded. “They’re playing good. I mean, they’re playing great. They haven’t lost since we played them.” And then, to the bewilderment of many, Counsell claimed that, despite being a Milwaukee native, he had “never seen” a George Webb’s” restaurant. Former Milwaukee Brewers Manager Craig Counsell Flat Out Lied Aside from saying that Milwaukee’s 14-game winning streak was not that great, Counsell flat-out lied about his knowledge of George Webb’s. As fans may recall, he himself was the manager of the Brewers the last time they won 12 games in a row, the needed amount of consecutive wins for fans to be able to claim a free hamburger at the local chain. Local fans and reporters quickly unearthed a story from 2018, the year the Brewers won 12 consecutive games (eight at the end of the regular season and their first four postseason games) in which Counsell talks about the giveaway: “I remember the concept of free hamburgers going back so long, it’s hard to believe that it’s never happened since then.” At this point, it is not hard to determine why Counsell said what he said on Sunday. He is just stoking the fires of what is sure to be a hard-fought five-game series in Chicago.
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