On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Devin Mockobee put a chunk of his NIL money toward a good cause. The Purdue senior running back donated to his hometown youth football program in Boonville.
Mockobee made a $10,000 donation to Pioneer Junior Football and Cheer, supporting a program that helped him develop a love for football. The money comes from Mockobee's NIL earnings.
"Big thanks to Pioneer great (Devin Mockobee) for his generous donation to our youth program and time spent with current and future players today," Boonville football wrote on social media.
The senior running back stuck around for pictures and autographs with youth football players.
Big thanks you to Pioneer great @devin_mockobee for his generous donation to our youth program and time spent with current and future players today! pic.twitter.com/4TzqKbpXA3
— Boonville Football (@BoonvilleFB) May 18, 2025
"When I was growing up, I got put into the youth league and actually going up through the youth league, my dad was the president of our youth league," Mockobee told Sam King of the Journal & Courier. "Every Saturday when we were coming out for football, it was getting here at 7 or 8 a.m. and we were setting up and we were staying there until 6 or 7 at night to tear it down. Every week in my life was football. It's where I fostered the love for it.
"Some of these kids out here, they might be wearing some of the same helmets and shoulder pads I did when I was a kid. I want to be able to give them something."
Mockobee left an imprint on the Boonville High School football program. He racked up more than 3,500 rushing yards in high school. As a senior, he ran for 1,820 yards and 24 touchdowns for the Pioneers.
Following his high school career, Mockobee was a walk-on for the Purdue football program in 2021. He didn't play as a true freshman, but earned the opportunity to see the field in 2022. That season, Mockobee was part of a Boilermaker squad that won the Big Ten West. He finished that year with a team-high 968 yards and nine touchdowns.
Mockobee has led Purdue in rushing each of the last three seasons. He has amassed 2,426 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground and has added 624 receiving yards and two touchdown catches to his totals.
Entering the 2025, Mockobee will be one of Purdue's best offensive weapons.
More must-reads:
- Latest Matt Rhule news should end Penn State rumors
- Why Penn State should root for an early end to Texas A&M's season
- The 'NFL passer rating leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
James Franklin is the head coach who can resurrect Virginia Tech
The college football head-coaching carousel is wilder than it has ever been. It got even wilder on Sunday when LSU parted ways with Brian Kelly. LSU, Florida and Penn State are all open at the same time. UCLA is, too, along with Oklahoma State. Virginia Tech is another. However, for the right head coach, it's one of the best jobs available. The Hokies used to be a perennial power in the ACC, even reaching the BCS National Championship game when Michael Vick was the quarterback. Since Frank Beamer retired, the program has been stuck in the abyss. At one point during Beamer's reign, the Hokies had 11 double-digit-win seasons in 13 years. Since his retirement, Virginia Tech has had one, which came the year after Beamer stepped down. It's gone downhill fast. In five of the past seven seasons, Virginia Tech has had a losing record. The Hokies are 3-5 this season. The program needs a jolt of energy, and luckily enough, James Franklin is available to provide it. James Franklin has the perfect pedigree for Virginia Tech The recently fired Penn State football head coach has one of the best resumes of any active college football coach. Franklin has won 68 percent of his games in 14 seasons as a head coach, which makes him one of three active coaches to do that. Penn State finished in the top 12 of the College Football Playoff rankings in seven of the past nine seasons. He's won five playoff games/New Year's Six bowl games. The resume is impressive. Maybe he didn't beat enough ranked teams in Happy Valley, but if he could replicate that success in Blacksburg, he'd be a legend. And if you think Franklin can't win in Blacksburg at a program like Virginia Tech, think again. The reason Franklin got the opportunity to coach Penn State was his unprecedented success at Vanderbilt. In three seasons under Franklin, the Commodores never missed a bowl game. They actually went 9-4 in his last two seasons, giving him a 24-15 record at Vanderbilt. If you can win there, you can win anywhere in college football. Especially nowadays, as revenue share and NIL have evened the playing field somewhat. Beyond the wins, Franklin can recruit. Penn State is Penn State. But he still landed players like Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons. He coached 59 NFL Draft picks with Penn State. Recruits will pay attention to that. Speaking of recruiting — the lifeblood of any program — Franklin should be able to take advantage of the strong recruiting pipeline that is the DMV. Penn State often recruited from that area. Maryland has cleaned up in recent years, but with a big-name coach like Franklin at Virginia Tech, the Hokies would be better positioned to get some of that elite talent. Virginia Tech would be in a better spot for NIL, too. Franklin is proven. He could get fans and donors excited. People would talk about Virginia Tech again, plus, as Georgia Tech and SMU have shown, there is a path to the College Football Playoff in the ACC. Franklin might not be able to win the whole thing, but if there is one head coach who could get the Hokies to the College Football Playoff, it's him. Pete Nakos of On3 has reported that there is interest, and frankly, it makes too much sense not to happen.
Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage is already making the rest of MLB look foolish for passing on him
The Toronto Blue Jays and their fans witnessed something special on Wednesday night. It doesn’t get much better than a convincing 6-1 Game 5 win to take a 3-2 lead over the superteam Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Heading back home with the chance to win a championship at the Rogers Centre was what truly mattered for the Blue Jays; however, the way it all played out in such a pivotal game at Dodger Stadium will go down in history. Starting pitcher Trey Yesavage was untouchable, throwing seven dominant innings where he allowed just one run on three hits while striking out 12. Those 12 punchouts set the rookie record for the most ever in a World Series game. Seven of them came against the heart of the order in Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. His one-of-a-kind splitter had them fooled from start to finish. Yesavage’s ridiculous rise from starting the year in Class-A Dunedin to carving up the best lineups in baseball in the postseason is unheard of. It makes you wonder how he fell all the way to the Blue Jays at pick No. 20 in the 2024 MLB Draft to begin with. Trey Yesavage has 18 teams regretting their decision While it’s still extremely early to be looking back on his draft class, what Yesavage has done these last few months can’t be replicated. A 22-year-old jumping onto a moving train with just three career MLB starts under his belt goes on to start five playoff games, posting a 3-1 record with a 3.46 ERA and a whopping 39 strikeouts. Those are the kinds of numbers you expect to see from Tarik Skubal or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, not a rookie with almost no big league experience. Nineteen different organizations let Yesavage slide down the draft board last July. At this point, the Athletics are the only ones who should feel alright about their decision, given that first baseman Nick Kurtz already looks like one of the best hitters in baseball. The 18 others look silly. While some of these prospects will certainly turn out to be good players, it’s safe to say that none of them will make this type of impact on the world’s biggest stage. If the Blue Jays can pull this off and win their third World Series title in franchise history, Yesavage will never have to buy another meal in Toronto again. Quite frankly, he’s been so good that he may not have to even if they don’t find a way to finish the job. No matter how this all ends, Yesavage has not only turned himself into a Toronto sports legend, but a Canadian sports legend. The city and country can't wait to see what else he has in store because if this postseason was any indication, then they are in for many more historic performances in the years to come.
From the Boozer twins to a high-flying Eagle: Must-know names for the 2025–26 men's college basketball season
Steelers, Jaylen Waddle Trade Window May Have Reopened
The Pittsburgh Steelers want a wide receiver. They thought about the addition of Marques Valdes-Scantling, only to leave the door open for a bigger name. With days remaining before the trade deadline, there are a few, but one may have just reopened that could top their list. The Miami Dolphins have mutually parted ways with long-time general manager Chris Grier after 25 years of working in the position. The team sits at 2-7 and may be nearing the end of head coach Mike McDaniels as well, which could lead to significant changes being made everywhere, including the wide receiver position. Steelers Could Go After Jaylen Waddle The Steelers have reported interest in Jaylen Waddle. According to NFL insider Tony Pauline, the team has Waddle and Tennessee Titans' Calvin Ridley circled, with the Dolphins' firing becoming an interesting turn in the possible outcome at the deadline. "The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for another wide receiver and have been inquiring about players available at the position," Pauline wrote. "Two names I am hearing as trade targets are Jaylen Waddle of the Miami Dolphins and Calvin Ridley of the Tennessee Titans." Up until this point, the Dolphins have made it known that they were not open to a trade at the deadline. That likely changes with a change at general manager, and the move signals a bigger rebuild in the making. At 26 years old and a former first-round pick, he is likely their player with the highest price tag, but could also be their easiest to trade. Several teams are looking for a wideout, including the Steelers. What might give Pittsburgh the advantage is that they've been willing to make some splash moves this season. What Would Steelers-Dolphins Trade Look Like? Waddle already has three 1,000-yard seasons in the NFL, and is on pace to add another in 2025. With 586 yards and four touchdowns, he'd lead the Steelers in yards by 125 yards over DK Metcalf. He'd be second on the team in receiving touchdowns. The Steelers would need to give up a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to open the conversation for Waddle. The Dolphins would be foolish not to push for a second or third round selection for a young wideout who's been producing. The Steelers shouldn't budge, though. Giving themselves a young wideout to finalize their room for the future is precisely what they need. Waddle is easily their best option, and therefore, they should hope the door has reopened and be willing to make another splash to land him.
How likely is it that Falcons, Kirk Cousins will part ways before trade deadline?
Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins reportedly is still interested in finding a starting job with a different team before the NFL trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 4. That said, there was no indication throughout October that any team was close to pulling the trigger on a transaction to land his services. For an article published on Friday, Falcons reporter Josh Kendall of The Athletic revealed that it is "unlikely" Cousins will have a new NFL home by the time the first Tuesday of November comes to an end. Why Kirk Cousins, Falcons will likely stay married through trade deadline "Is there a team out there willing to give up a Day 2 draft pick for a 37-year-old quarterback with two-plus years and $115M of cap hits remaining on his contract? Probably not," Kendall wrote. As Kendall pointed out, Cousins was "mediocre" while starting in place of injured starter Michael Penix Jr. for Atlanta's Week 8 home game versus the lowly Miami Dolphins. In total, Cousins completed 21-of-31 passes for 173 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a 34-10 blowout loss to what was previously a 1-6 Miami side. That same Dolphins team was booed off its home field during a 28-6 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. Why Falcons may want to hold onto Kirk Cousins despite his bad outing "Even though Cousins told Falcons owner Arthur Blank during an offseason meeting that he wanted to be traded to a team with which he could start again," Kendall continued, "Atlanta kept him on the roster. And while Cousins has reportedly reiterated his desire to be moved in recent weeks, given what the Falcons would get in return — a late-round pick — it seems likely they’d rather stand pat and keep him as insurance for Penix." The 3-4 Falcons will enter the first weekend of November in the playoff hunt. Blank likely understands that quality QB2s don't simply grow on trees, so it makes sense that he'd want to keep a proven veteran who knows how to run Atlanta's offense on the roster. That said, one wonders if the outcome of this Sunday's game between the Falcons and 6-2 New England Patriots could result in Atlanta dropping its asking price for Cousins. As of Friday morning, ESPN BET had the Falcons as 5.5-point underdogs for the matchup at Gillette Stadium.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
