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His pants gave him away. If not for an Amazon impulse buy on the night the Jaguars traded up to draft him, Sandy Hawkins Combs might not have heard of Travis Hunter.
But she certainly knew about his character. Her neighbor on a Denver-Jacksonville United Airlines flight Thursday, Hunter was a gentleman. In other words, he was his authentic self.
“It’s definitely a blessing to be able to do that,” Hunter said after practice Saturday. “I have to be authentic. I have to bring the energy up out here, make sure everyone is having fun with a smile on their face doing what we love.”
He made Combs smile on the flight. Ironically, Hunter had just experienced two of the most significant events of his life, getting that call from James Gladstone on April 24 and getting to be the first member of his family to graduate from college on Thursday.
Hunter wore those Jaguars pajama pants underneath his graduation gown at his University of Colorado commencement ceremony, visible below his calves, then boarded his cross-country flight. And before helping Combs with her carry-on luggage and showing genuine respect to the Jacksonville resident, he obviously didn’t have time to change those pants.
He didn’t want to change them.
“It was a blessing to be the first person in my family to walk across the stage,” Hunter said. “I was thinking of getting back to work and coming back and playing football.”
That’s what he got to do during the team’s rookie minicamp this weekend. And while his on-field work was exclusively offense, he’s already begun learning Anthony Campanile’s defensive playbook. He’s also already shown an innate ability to learn quickly.
“He’s been able to dive in and learn some of our three-deep coverages,” head coach Liam Coen said Saturday, “What do we call our three-deep coverages on the outside, if he has to be manned up on the backside of a three-by-one? He knows all of those calls already.
“So, at the end of the day, it’s going to be about, on the defensive side of the ball, communication. The technique and fundamentals, we’ll continue to harp on. But it’s really about being on the same page as the rest of the guys on the back end from a communication standpoint and the rest will kind of take care of itself.”
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Revisiting Former USC Trojans' Bear Alexander's Decision To Transfer To Oregon Ducks
After contributing to an elite SEC defense for one season, former USC Trojans defensive tackle Bear Alexander came to Southern California and made immediate impact. However, his tenure with the Trojans did not last long as he transferred to the Oregon Ducks before the 2025 season. Will Alexander reach his true potential after leaving USC? Alexander Brought SEC Defensive Talent to the Big Ten Alexander spent two seasons with USC before his decision to transfer, and he chose to take his talents to a Big Ten foe, the Oregon Ducks. In his first season with USC, he recorded 47 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two pass deflections, marking an era of defensive excellence from the former Georgia Bulldogs standout. Out of high school, Alexander was the No. 9 ranked player in the country by Rivals and the second best defensive tackle, along with the best player in the state of Florida. It was a natural fit to play for Georgia’s Kirby Smart, widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the country. Alexander's debut was small with the Bulldogs, but he recorded a sack in the National Championship game when Georgia secured back-to-back national titles. Although Alexander was seen as a defensive force for the Bulldogs, he transferred to the West Coast to play for coach Lincoln Riley at USC, leaving many Trojans fans excited about the potential of Alexander on USC's defensive line. Alexander's Second Season with USC Cut Short In his first season at USC, Alexander fit in well, contributing to all 13 games in 2023 with a defensive group that included Nate Clifton and Gavin Meyer, who paved a way for Alexander to get acclimated with the position group. It was clear after his first season that Alexander was the answer the Trojans were looking for. Last season, Alexander made the decision to redshirt his playing time and transfer out of USC at the end of the season, shedding light on the unique reality of redshirt rules. In 2024, Alexander only recorded five total tackles. The question arose: Why would an elite defensive talent like Alexander choose to forgo his playing time at USC, especially under a decorated and talented coach like Riley? The answer was revealed in bits of last season, when the Trojans dropped a one-score loss to Michigan. Riley commented on the performance given by the Trojans after the loss, especially by Alexander whose playing time was in already in question. "He played over a third of the game you know so I mean people want to act like guy's not playing. He's doing a good job for us out there," Riley told the media after last seasons loss over Michigan. "The guy's out here working hard, he's improving, he's in a new system with a new coach he's getting better. I think he's going to continue to get better. It should be hard to play D line at USC, like it ought to be kind of hard." What if Alexander Stayed With The Trojans? While Riley commented on Alexander's large amount of playing time, Alexander's goal coming to Los Angeles was to become a full-time starter, and the Trojans did not reciprocate for him. The question comes with, what if Alexander did not transfer? With the updated defensive coaching staff at USC including linebackers coach Rob Ryan and defensive analyst Adrian Klemm, Alexander would have had a clear path to continue his dominance in the trenches. Alexander will contribute to coach Dan Lanning's rapidly improving defense, and will face USC in Autzen Stadium on Nov. 22.
Eagles get big injury scare at practice regarding key starter
The Philadelphia Eagles got a major injury scare during Sunday's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field when Pro Bowl guard Landon Dickerson went down with a leg injury and had to be carted off to the locker room. Dickerson was reportedly unable to put any weight on his leg. Dickerson, a second-round pick (No. 37 overall) by the team in 2021 has been a starter for the Eagles over the first four years of his career and developed into one of the best offensive linemen in football. He has been named to the Pro Bowl team in each of the past three seasons and is a key cog on the Eagles' line. The Eagles' O-line is one of the team's biggest strengths and a big part of its identity, and Dickerson has taken over as one of the top leaders on that group. The Eagles are already dealing with some depth issues on the interior of their line after backup Kenyon Green had to be carted off the field in their opening preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals. If Dickerson has to miss any significant time that would be a huge blow to the Eagles' offense and their running game. But it's still very early in the process and the Eagles will almost certainly know more by Monday. The Eagles were the second-leading rushing team in the NFL during the 2024 season, averaging 179 yards per game. Running back Saquon Barkley ran for over 2,000 yards as part of their season, with the offensive line playing a huge role in both of those achievements.
Should Broncos be worried about Bo Nix's early preseason struggles?
Denver Broncos second-year quarterback Bo Nix didn't look like the player who shattered expectations as a rookie in his 2025 preseason debut. Nix played just three drives in Saturday's 30-9 road win over the San Francisco 49ers. The 12th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft completed 6-of-11 passes for 31 yards and posted a below-average 60 passer rating. He also had an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a safety. Keep in mind the 25-year-old QB played against the 49ers second-team defense. Should that raise more concerns about Nix's rocky performance? Not necessarily. The Athletic's Nick Kosmider noted things could've been different for the offense had it made one big play early. "What should be taken from Nix's outing? Not much," Kosmider wrote in a piece published Sunday. "He started the game with a well-placed deep ball down the left sideline to [wide receiver Courtland] Sutton that the veteran receiver couldn't quite haul in. With such a limited sample size, the complexion of the first-team offense's night could have been entirely different had that play been made." Nix acknowledged he wished he and Sutton had connected on the throw during a postgame news conference. While it was frustrating for the young passer, he said plays like that are something that can help the team grow. "The good thing about football is every one of those plays was different today," he said. "You saw a different outcome, so you can talk about it and just add that to your football knowledge and move on and go from there." Broncos head coach Sean Payton lets his starters play in preseason to work out the bugs before the regular season. Nix's comment suggests he's embracing that opportunity. However, he must show signs of progress in Denver's next preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET. The Broncos are banking on Nix taking another step after finishing third in 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. If he does, that would give Denver a strong chance to win its first playoff game since Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
Boston Celtics Legend Says WNBA Should Be 'Kissing the Ground' Caitlin Clark Walks On
Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy said the WNBA should be “kissing the ground” that Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark walks on. Here’s why Cousy, 97, made a bold statement about the WNBA and Clark, 23. Boston Celtics Legend Says WNBA Should Be “Kissing the Ground” Caitlin Clark Walks On The 2025 WNBA season has been exciting, but a huge portion of the fanbase has been disappointed about how Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark’s season hasn’t gone as planned. Clark has missed a majority of the season with various soft tissue injuries. Clark’s most recent injury in her groin has kept her sidelined since July 15. There hasn’t been a clear indication of when Clark might return, so the WNBA ratings have continued to dip. That said, Bob Cousy shared a strong quote to the Boston Globe in an August 8 article. Cousy said, “She’s had a tremendous impact on that league and their earning potential. They should be kissing the ground she walks on, not trying to foul her and get her out of the game.” Cousy’s statement might be blunt, but Clark has added significant value to the WNBA. Cousy’s sentiment is also justified. Cousy was a six-time NBA champion, the 1957 NBA MVP, a 13-time NBA All-Star, an eight-time NBA assists leader, and had his No. 14 jersey retired by the Celtics. Celtics Legend’s Appreciation for Clark Some people wouldn’t be as blunt as Bob Cousy, but Cousy’s appreciation for Clark is something we all can agree on. Cousy made a name for himself in Boston, while Clark has been compared to legends such as Sue Bird and Stephen Curry early on in Indianapolis. Final Thoughts Bob Cousy’s bold statement about Caitlin Clark not only generated sporting news headlines but also highlighted the significance of a superstar player to a team’s success in most, if not all, categories. Clark revealed in an August 8 episode of the “Bird’s Eye View” podcast with Bird about how being sidelined and knowing how this contributes to the WNBA ratings dip makes her feel. Clark told Bird, “It has definitely been hard. I’m gonna go to every road game, no matter what. Whether I’m playing or not. And it’s hard, because obviously I do feel this responsibility of being out there and playing. You do want to play. You do want to give people something to cheer about, or to scream about. People spend so much time, and money, and resources, to come and watch you play.”
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